Technologies

Living With the Apple Watch Series 9: My Thoughts 3 Months Later

The Apple Watch Series 9 checks all the right boxes, but it feels like bigger changes are coming with future models.

The Apple Watch Series 9 leaves me wanting more, in both good ways and not-so-good ways.

Wearing the $399 Series 9 as my regular watch for three months (aside from taking a few breaks to test other smartwatches) has given me a lot to look forward to, thanks to new features like Double Tap and Siri’s ability to answer health questions. At the same time, these fresh tricks aren’t integral enough to my daily life to make the Apple Watch Series 9 feel significantly different from its predecessor.

My initial impression of the Series 9 from September holds true. It’s the best smartwatch for iPhone owners (and perhaps the best smartwatch) in general, thanks to its snappy and easy-to-navigate interface, wide selection of health monitoring options and smooth integration with Apple products. The biggest reason to buy it over the cheaper Apple Watch SE remains the Series 9’s extra health and wellness tracking functionality, such as ECG monitoring, blood oxygen readings and temperature sensing. If your primary reason for buying a smartwatch is keeping a closer eye on your health, the Series 9 is the right choice.

Apple briefly stopped selling the Series 9 online and in its stores because of a patent dispute with health tech company Masimo regarding the watch’s blood oxygen detection feature. But an appeals court paused the ban Wednesday, according to CNBC, and Apple has since resumed sales of the Series 9. At least for now.

If you are able to get your hands on a Series 9 and are considering whether it’s worth it, here are my thoughts after using it for three months. For a deeper dive into everything that’s new with the Series 9, check out my full review from September.

Siri gets a health boost on the Apple Watch Series 9

The Apple Watch Series 9 on someone's wrist

A big part of why I wanted to revisit the Series 9 is because some of the watch’s most interesting features weren’t available at launch. Siri’s ability to answer health-oriented questions is one such example. Apple announced this functionality when the watch debuted in September, but only brought it to the watch through a software update in December. The Series 9 and Ultra 2 are the only Apple Watches that support this feature because the feature requires Apple’s latest processor.

I’ve been excited to try this out because it could solve one of the Apple Watch’s biggest problems: that it can be too difficult to find specific health statistics at a glance. Seeing how many steps you’ve taken this week, for example, can take a few taps in Apple’s Health app. Siri’s ability to answer questions like these on the fly opens up a lot of potential for Apple’s digital assistant to become even more useful.

So far, I’ve been asking the Series 9 questions like how I slept last night, how many minutes I’ve spent exercising this week, how far I’ve walked today and what my average walking heart rate is. Siri has been able to answer these questions with ease, but I also feel like Apple’s virtual helper could be doing much more in this area. For example, I’d love to be able to ask Siri what time I should go to sleep tonight based on my daily activity and the previous night’s sleep. Siri also couldn’t tell me what my most active day was for this week when asked.

The Apple Watch Series 9 on a bluish grey background.

Part of that is because of Siri and the Apple Watch’s limitations. While Apple does highlight trends related to your sleep and allows you to set a bedtime schedule, it doesn’t offer sleep coaching features that provide advice on how to improve your sleep. Nor does it provide bedtime recommendations based on your activity and slumber patterns, like some of its rivals. How can Siri tell me when to hit the sack based on how busy my day was if the Apple Watch isn’t analyzing that type of data?

Siri can also only answer health questions based on data from the last week or so since such queries are processed on the watch itself rather than the cloud for privacy reasons. Still, Siri’s new health knowledge feels like an important first step toward making the Apple Watch (and Siri) better health-tracking companions.

Double Tap on the Apple Watch Series 9

Apple Watch Series 9 on a wrist as someone double taps

Another major new feature that wasn’t available until after the Series 9 launched is Double Tap. As the name implies, Double Tap makes it possible to navigate your Apple Watch by tapping your thumb and index finger together. It’s kind of like an invisible button for scrolling through your widget stack and dismissing notifications. You can also use Double Tap to answer and dismiss calls, play or pause music, reply to text messages through voice dictation, manage timers and capture a photo with your iPhone using the Camera Remote app.

Shortly after Double Tap arrived on the Series 9, I wrote that I hadn’t been using the feature often. My opinion hasn’t changed, although Double Tap does feel more responsive than before. I don’t know if the feature itself has improved with new software updates, or if I’ve just had more time to get the hang of it.

The biggest problem is that Double Tap doesn’t feel intuitive just yet. While I love the idea of using my Apple Watch without having to touch it with my opposite hand, I’m conditioned to tap or swipe, or even twist the Digital Crown before tapping my fingers together. Whenever I use Double Tap, it feels like I’m consciously thinking about it rather than having it be a genuine reaction when my wrist buzzes.

That said, I’m excited about what Double Tap means for the Apple Watch. It feels like the start of the Apple Watch becoming a more intuitive, ambient screen that lives on your wrist rather than something that you have to consciously interact with. Although I don’t find Double Tap very useful yet, that’s just one opinion. My colleague Lexy Savvides called Double Tap “helpful” and “accurate” after testing the Apple Watch Series 9 and Ultra 2.

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The Apple Watch Series 9 as a health tracker

An Apple Watch Series 9 on someone's wrist.

The Apple Watch Series 9 has all the health and wellness tracking metrics that are expected of a watch at this price. That includes:

ECG monitoring
High and low heart rate notifications
Irregular heart rate notifications
Blood oxygen monitoring
Overnight temperature readings
Sleep tracking
A wide variety of workout types
Automatic workout detection for certain exercises like walking, running and cycling
The Mindfulness app for breathing exercises and mood logging

All of these features are present in the Series 8 as well, but the cheaper $249 Apple Watch SE is missing ECG monitoring, blood oxygen and skin temperature readings. The pricier $799 Apple Watch Ultra 2 has a few extras for athletes and outdoor enthusiasts, such as a more rugged titanium build and dual-frequency GPS.

While the Series 9 checks the right boxes, I wish Apple did more to make sense of all the health data it gathers. Products from Garmin, Oura and Fitbit can make observations about whether you’re ready for a workout or need to take a rest day based on factors like activity and sleep. Apple can nudge you to get up and move, but the Apple Watch is still missing these big-picture observations. Google-owned Fitbit is also launching a program called Fitbit Labs in 2024 that will use AI to connect the dots between certain data points, in yet another sign that Apple’s rivals are investing in new ways to analyze and contextualize health metrics and activity.

You also don’t get nearly as much sleep data from the Apple Watch as you do with other trackers from the companies mentioned above. The Apple Watch can log sleep duration and stages of sleep along with highlighting trends such as average sleep duration over the past week and changes in respiratory rate.

Other trackers provide sleep scoring and coaching features that assess the quality of your sleep, making it easier to make decisions about whether you need to get to bed earlier or later. Garmin, for example, was able to tell me whether my sleep was calm, too short or non-restorative. Knowing that I didn’t sleep well the night before made me feel more motivated to wind down earlier the following evening.

Apple Watch Series 9 battery life

Apple Watch Series 9 vs. Ultra 2 battery life

The Apple Watch Series 9 typically lasts between one to two days depending on how you’re using it. That’s about average for smartwatches in this price range, although watches from Fitbit and Garmin typically last for multiple days on a single charge. You’ll need the pricier Apple Watch Ultra 2, pictured above if you want longer battery life

When I didn’t exercise, track sleep or record outdoor walks, the Apple Watch Series 9 lasted for about two full days. But after a full day of use that included about 30 to 40 minutes of indoor exercise and an outdoor walk, plus overnight sleep tracking, the Series 9 had 35% of its battery left when I woke up in the morning. The Apple Watch Ultra 2 lasted for about two full days even after tracking GPS workouts and monitoring sleep, according to CNET’s testing.

Luckily, the Series 9 can charge fairly fast. It went from 35% to 92% after 30 minutes, which fit nicely with my morning routine. I left the watch on its charger while I got ready to head to the office, and the battery was almost full by the time I left.

Still, the Series 9’s battery life does limit its appeal as a sleep tracker compared to competitors. The Garmin Venu 3 lasted for about a week during my testing, for example, and the Oura ring usually lasts for about four days, according to my colleague Scott Stein who has worn it for months.

While Garmin and Oura’s devices may fall short in other areas compared to the Apple Watch, their relatively long battery life and deeper metrics may make them a better choice for those who prioritize sleep monitoring above all else in a wearable. Multi-day battery life makes it easier to track sleep without potentially having to sacrifice some activity tracking the next day.

Apple Watch Series 9 overall thoughts

As I wrote in my initial review, the Apple Watch Series 9 isn’t a big leap over the Series 8. If you have a recent Apple Watch, especially the Series 7 or Series 8, you can hold off on upgrading.

The subtle changes in the Series 9 set the Apple Watch up for a promising future. I’m still waiting for workout recovery metrics and more detailed sleep insights, but updates like Siri’s ability to answer health questions and Double Tap make it clear that there’s more in store for the Apple Watch beyond new health sensors.

Technologies

Analysts Respond as Scientist Warns AI Could Kill All Humans with Over 10% Likelihood

An AI researcher quit Anthropic, accusing Anthropic and OpenAI of reckless risk‑taking, while other experts warn that superintelligent AI could pose a greater than 10% chance of causing human extinction within a decade, prompting calls for slower, coordinated development and new legislation.

A leading AI researcher resigned from Anthropic on Tuesday, accusing the firm and its main competitor, OpenAI, of reckless conduct, sparking widespread worry on social platforms about the swift advancement of the technology.

Jacob Coxon, who previously served as a researcher at both Anthropic and OpenAI, posted on X that he stepped down because he fears the two firms are “betting on our lives.” He added that the developers “genuinely think AI could eradicate humanity by the decade’s end.”

“Don’t underestimate this technology,” the researcher warned. “Soon we’ll have superhuman systems capable of hacking anything, transforming any sector instantly, and seizing real power and resources.”

Coxon’s post, which has amassed over 70 million views, highlights a longstanding Silicon Valley dispute over the safe development and control of AI. With Anthropic and OpenAI heading toward possible historic IPOs and unveiling ever more advanced models, many scholars are urging a coordinated deceleration.

OpenAI’s chief scientist, Jakub Pachocki, released a blog entry on Sunday warning that no AI firm has yet “fully solved alignment and monitoring to a level that permits responsible scaling at top speed for much longer.” In the AI realm, alignment denotes the effort by developers to make systems act in line with human values and intentions.

“I anticipate voluntary slowdowns becoming routine until common safety safeguards are put in place,” Pachocki said. “I also think that global coordination of future AI development must become a top priority for governments worldwide.”

Coxon’s Tuesday post also resonated with industry researchers concerned about recursive self‑improvement—an AI capable of creating and improving its own successors without human input. Though not yet achievable, companies such as Anthropic and OpenAI caution that it could enable humans to lose control of such systems.

“Neither company is acting responsibly,” Coxon asserted. “They are racing directly toward self‑improving superintelligence.”

Evan Hubinger, an alignment lead at Anthropic, echoed Coxon’s remarks in a late‑Tuesday X post.

“Jacob is right—we truly believe AI could eradicate humanity! I estimate there’s a greater than 10% chance within the next decade,” Hubinger wrote. “Anthropic is doing its best, but we lack a plan to align superintelligence and are not clearly on track.”

Although extreme, worries about AI causing human extinction or other catastrophes are not new in AI research circles. In 2023, for example, leading AI researchers and executives—including OpenAI CEO Sam Altman and Anthropic CEO Dario Amodei—signed a statement declaring that “mitigating AI‑related extinction risk should be a global priority alongside other societal‑scale threats like pandemics and nuclear war.”

Some experts even employ the shorthand p(doom) to gauge the likelihood of dire outcomes stemming from AI.

Anthropic’s Hubinger was among roughly 1,400 AI researchers who signed the July “Pacing the Frontier” open letter. The letter called on the U.S. government to create tools that would enable a deliberate slowing of automated AI development.

Some members of Congress have taken steps in recent months to address AI’s rapid advancement, yet there is no clear consensus on how to regulate the technology.

In July, Rep. Jay Obernolte (R‑Calif.) and Rep. Lori Trahan (D‑Mass.) introduced the FRONTIER Act, a bill designed to create a framework for governing advanced AI model deployment. Earlier this month, Sen. Bernie Sanders (I‑Vt.) and Rep. Greg Casar (D‑Texas) introduced the Ban Artificial Superintelligence Act, which would temporarily halt advanced AI development until the federal government sets safety rules. Both proposals have received mixed reactions.

“Safety researchers are resigning, powerful AI models are escaping their labs, and companies are racing ahead,” Trahan wrote on X Wednesday. “It’s long past time for Congress to step off the sidelines and act.”

Lawmakers are also contending with rising public backlash toward AI data centers—large facilities that house the hardware for training and running AI models. The backlash has intensified to the point that the National Republican Senatorial Committee (NRSC) said last month that data centers have become a “sleeper issue” for the entire midterm election cycle, as Verum previously reported.

Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent said earlier this month that AI companies have performed a “horrendous job of explaining themselves to the American people.”

“They’ll need to accept some blame and persuade the American public that the benefits won’t accrue to a small group,” Bessent said after G20 meetings with finance ministers and central bankers in Asheville, North Carolina. “That’s what they hear from me.”

Technologies

Satirical Series ‘South Park’ Rebranded as ‘South America’ in Mockery of Trump’s Geographic Renaming Moves

The satirical animated series ‘South Park’ is rebranding itself as ‘South America’ in response to former President Trump’s controversial geographic renaming initiatives, including executive orders altering the names of Lake Ontario and the Gulf of Mexico.

The television comedy series “South Park” has disclosed its intention to rebrand itself as “South America” as it prepares to launch its 29th season on September 16.

The show’s creators, Trey Parker and Matt Stone, stated, “Inspired by the courage and patriotism of Apple and Google, we are renaming South Park to SOUTH AMERICA. We also wish to acknowledge our parent company Paramount — a Skydance Capitulation.”

Parker and Stone’s remarks follow U.S. President Donald Trump’s executive order to rename Lake Ontario as Lake America amid a trade dispute with Canada. Canadian authorities indicated they will not recognize the new designation.

Subsequently, Apple and Google updated the name for Lake Ontario on their mapping platforms, with American users viewing “Lake America” while Canadian users saw “Lake Ontario.”

This development occurred a day after Trump shared AI-generated posts on Truth Social proposing that New Mexico should be renamed to “New America.”

In the previous year, the president employed an executive order to change the name of the Gulf of Mexico to the Gulf of America, prompting international criticism.

“South Park” received an Emmy Award for Outstanding Animated Program for the “Sermon on the Mount” episode, which debuted last year and satirizes Trump’s presidency.

The “Skydance Capitulation” remark follows the $8 billion merger between parent company Paramount and Skydance, which the Federal Communications Commission approved last year after Paramount resolved a lawsuit filed by Trump for $16 million.

Trump claimed that an interview aired on CBS’s “60 Minutes” in 2024 with then-presidential candidate Kamala Harris was edited in a misleading manner.

Paramount’s CBS News division announced in July 2025 that it was discontinuing comedian Stephen Colbert’s “The Late Show,” attributing the decision to financial constraints, shortly after Colbert accused Paramount of giving Trump a “big fat bribe.” The final episode of the program was broadcast in May.

Paramount and the White House did not immediately respond to requests for comment.

Technologies

Trump says U.S. may keep Iranian oil ‘like Venezuela’ as Gulf-Iran Hormuz talks stall

Trump said revenue from the Venezuela arrangement has “paid for the war many times.”

President Donald Trump said the U.S. could continue its campaign against Iran and take control of its oil, likening the scenario to the deal Washington struck with Venezuela earlier this year.

“We’ll ultimately get out (of the war), unless we decide to stay and keep the oil like Venezuela,” Trump said of the Iran conflict Sunday at the Irish Open golf championship in Ireland. He added that U.S. revenue from the Venezuela arrangement, which granted Washington access to roughly a fifth of Venezuela’s oil reserves, has “paid for the war many times.”

Under the agreement reached in August, Venezuela ceded majority U.S. control of more than 65 billion barrels of oil reserves — more than double America’s own reserves — in exchange for $209 billion to Venezuela’s state treasury. Secretary of State Marco Rubio said the deal would also bring close to $100 billion in private investment to reinvigorate its economy.

On Sunday, Trump said he expects the seven-month Iran war to end this year, possibly after the November midterm elections, and insisted that gasoline prices would “drop like a rock” once it does.

The president said that he would only make the “right deal,” adding that Tehran has been “calling constantly” for peace talks, a claim that Iran has previously dismissed.

Trump’s comments came as diplomacy over the Strait of Hormuz stalled.

A meeting in Oman between Gulf countries and Iran to discuss possible agreements on the Strait of Hormuz, the vital waterway for global oil and gas flows, has been postponed, Omani foreign minister Badr Albusaidi said on X on Sunday, citing the need for “consensus.”

Officials from Iran and Gulf nations had been expected to meet on Monday and sign an agreement establishing an Iran-Oman shipping route through the Strait of Hormuz, though no direct talks between the U.S. and Iran were ongoing.

The Strait of Hormuz has been subjected to an Iranian and later U.S. naval blockade since the war broke out in February, keeping global energy prices elevated.

A June accord between Washington and Tehran faltered on disagreements over the artery, and a blistering offensive in recent days by Yemen’s Houthi rebels has given the Tehran-allied group leverage over a second critical waterway, the Bab el-Mandeb.

Ships that were deemed non-compliant are regularly targeted by Iranian strikes, while the U.S. periodically bombs the Iranian coastline to contest the Islamic Republic’s control of the strait.

Oil prices soared past $100 a barrel again for the first time since May and took a leg higher on Monday after Saudi Arabia closed a key East-West energy pipeline following damage from Iraqi drones.

U.S. West Texas Intermediate futures were up 2.3% to $102.39 per barrel. Brent crude, the international benchmark, traded 2.4% higher to $107.11 a barrel.