Apple Watch Series 9 may finally get new processor

 Smartwatches use the same core CPU technology as of 2020.

The Apple Watch has effectively used the same processor since the S6 as part of the 2020 Series 6, but it appears to be set for a long-awaited upgrade. Bloomberg's Mark Gurman tells subscribers on his Discord news channel that the Apple Watch Series 9 will reportedly use a truly "new processor." He believes the CPU in the S9 system-on-chip will be based on the A15 chip that first appeared in the iPhone 13 family.

Apple upgraded the SoC hardware in Watch models after Series 6, but the revisions added functionality rather than CPU improvements. The S8 chip in the Series 8, Ultra and current generation SE watches includes, for example, an updated accelerometer and gyroscope. Other than that, it's pretty much identical to the S6.

While most of the details remain a mystery, there are a few likely improvements. The S8 is still made using the old 7nm manufacturing process, while the S9 is more likely to be made using the denser and more efficient 5nm or 4nm process. This could not only increase performance but extend battery life. In September, Apple historically introduced the new Apple Watch.

The Apple Watch Series 9 is otherwise considered an iterative update. Gurman has previously indicated that there will be no major design or feature changes. You can get the Bluetooth 5.3 support that came with the Ultra, but if you already have a Series 7 or later, there might not be much incentive to upgrade. However, for owners of older models, a faster processor can help justify an upgrade over all the improvements of recent years.

Apple is reportedly working on its most significant software overhaul for watchOS in recent memory. According to Bloomberg's Mark Gurman, the company is revamping the Apple Watch user interface to make widgets "a central part" of how you interact with the wearable. Describing the new user interface, Gurman says it brings back elements of the Glances system that was part of the original watchOS, borrowing the "style" of widgets that Apple introduced with iOS 14 last year.

He adds that the new interface will be "reminiscent" of the Siri watch face the company introduced with watchOS 4 in 2017, but will work as an overlay for any watch face you want to use. "It's also similar to widget stacks," adds Gurman, referring to the iOS feature that lets you scroll through widgets you've placed on top of yourself.