Technologies
Apple Watch Series 9 Review: New Tricks Make for a Minor Upgrade
With Double Tap and a faster Siri, the Apple Watch Series 9 is slightly easier to use. But it otherwise has a lot in common with the Series 8.

When it comes to the new Apple Watch Series 9, which starts at $399 (£399, AU$649) and is available now alongside the Apple Watch Ultra 2, it’s what’s on the inside that counts. That’s my biggest takeaway after spending a few days with the Series 9, which has an upgraded chip that powers faster Siri performance and new gesture controls called Double Tap.
It’s these additions that separate the Series 9 from last year’s Series 8, and they make the Apple Watch more convenient to use. But they’re not monumental enough to convince recent buyers to upgrade.
My time with the Series 9 so far suggests that new features like Double Tap may not show their usefulness right away. However, they could become helpful in the long run.
Double Tap takes some getting used to, and it’s not compelling enough on its own to justify buying the Series 9. But I’d be lying if I said I didn’t find myself using it to dismiss a notification and easily navigate back to my watch face here and there. (The version of Double Tap I tested was a preview, which I accessed on a separate review unit running an early software build of the feature.)
Siri’s most appealing update, the ability to answer health-related questions now that it can process data locally instead of in the cloud, isn’t coming until later this year. Yet if it works as promised, it could make the Series 9 a much more useful health tracker.
The Series 9 doesn’t have everything on my wish list. For example, I was hoping for longer battery life and the Apple Watch Ultra’s Action button. But as is the case with the iPhone 15, it will be a solid upgrade for those with an older model. That’s especially true for frequent Siri users and those who primarily use their Apple Watch for exercise and wellness tracking.
Apple Watch Series 9’s new Double Tap gesture

Apple rarely adds new gestures to the Apple Watch, so I was eager to try Double Tap. Just as the name implies, you trigger this feature by tapping your index finger and thumb together twice. Doing so allows you to dismiss a notification, pause your timer or access widgets from the watch face, among other actions. It’s programmed to perform whatever the primary action in a notification is, whether that be casting aside your standard reminder or replying to a text message.
The Apple Watch already supported a similar gesture through its AssistiveTouch accessibility mode. But Double Tap is baked into the Series 9’s user interface across the board, and its chip enables the watch to support this feature all day without impacting battery life. The pinching feature that’s included as part of the watch’s accessibility options, meanwhile, is meant to be customized based on a person’s needs.
Double Tap has a bit of a learning curve, but that could be because I’m using an early version of it. I most frequently use Double Tap to dismiss notifications, stop timers and send text messages hands-free. This was particularly useful while brushing my teeth before bed, since I like to check the time and my exercise progress before hitting the sack. When a notification was blocking my watch face, I pinched my fingers together to dismiss it without having to put down my toothbrush.
It’s a simple use case, but one that highlights the promise behind Double Tap. Being able to dictate a response to a text message without touching the watch could also be useful in situations when my hands are full, such as when I’m cleaning, cooking or even gripping the subway pole during my commute to work.

My biggest issue with Double Tap, however, is that it just doesn’t feel intuitive yet. We’ve been conditioned to tap, swipe and speak to our devices over the last two decades. Even though Double Tap came in handy during that one instance while I was brushing my teeth, my instinct usually tells me to tap my watch’s screen. It’s going to take time to break that habit.
Double tapping can also look awkward to those who aren’t familiar with it. When I tested the Apple Watch Series 9 over the weekend, a friend began giving me strange looks when I started pinching the air with my fingers.
Double Tap doesn’t feel as game-changing as other user experience-related updates the Apple Watch has received over the years, like the Series 5’s always-on display. But who knows — maybe it’ll start to feel natural. After all, everyone thought AirPods looked goofy at first, but now they’re everywhere. Double Tap doesn’t feel like a reason to upgrade, but we’ll know more when the feature fully launches.
Siri gets a speed boost on the Series 9

Another benefit from the Series 9’s new S9 processor is a faster Siri experience. Siri can now answer requests slightly faster for two reasons. First, certain queries that Siri doesn’t need to rely on the internet to answer, like setting alarms or timers, now happen on the watch. Dictation is also supposed to be up to 25 percent more accurate, which should mean Siri understands you correctly the first time.
Coming from the Series 8, I noticed a difference. I use Siri daily for setting alarms and timers, especially when I’m stretching before a workout. I often repeat myself when using my Series 8 or the Series 6 I bought roughly three years ago. That hasn’t happened as much on the Series 9 so far.
I also timed how long it took for Siri to respond to certain questions on the Series 9 compared to the Series 8. For this test, I only asked questions that Siri could answer without plucking an answer from the web. Siri was faster on the Series 9 in almost every scenario, as you can see in the table below.
Series 9 vs. Series 8: Siri response times
Series 9 (in seconds) | Series 8 (in seconds) | |
---|---|---|
«Set a timer for 5 minutes» | 1.73 | 2.52 |
«Cancel my timer» | 1.66 | 1.74 |
«Set an alarm for 9 a.m.» | 1.81 | 1.93 |
«Start an outdoor walk» | 3.39 | 3.32 |
«Stop my workout» | 2.33 | 3.06 |
«Cancel my alarm» | 1.94 | 2.2 |
Siri will soon be able to answer health-related queries, which should make it easier to quickly parse all the activity and health metrics your watch gathers throughout the day and night. But it won’t be launching until later this year.
I’ve been waiting for a feature like this because finding what I’m looking for in Apple’s Health app isn’t always intuitive. Manually logging activity data and finding specific metrics, like exercise minutes for the past week, can take a couple of taps. Using Siri should hopefully make queries like these much faster and more convenient.
It’s also nice to see Siri playing a larger role on the Apple Watch. Smartwatches aren’t ideal for long touchscreen interactions given their small size, so they present an opportunity for voice assistants like Siri to shine.
Apple Watch Series 9 is better at finding your iPhone

If you’re anything like me, the Apple Watch has been a godsend for tracking down your misplaced iPhone when it slips between the couch cushions. Apple made the watch an even more useful iPhone locator, thanks to the second-generation ultra-wideband chip inside. Not only can you ping your iPhone, but the Series 9 will show an estimate of how far away you are from your phone, along with a nudge in the right direction.
The catch, however, is that this feature only works if you have an iPhone 15 or iPhone 15 Pro, since those are the only Apple phones to also have the new ultra-wideband chip. That means unless you plan to buy a new iPhone along with your Apple Watch, you won’t be able to use it.
To put the Apple Watch’s new Precision Finding feature to the test, I had a friend of mine hide my iPhone 15 in my apartment while I waited in another room. He chose a difficult hiding spot; tucked underneath my living room carpet, a place where my phone is never likely to end up, even by accident. But the Apple Watch pointed me to the exact corner where my phone was hidden almost immediately, and I was able to track it down in less than five minutes.
To be fair, the audible chime that my iPhone emitted when being pinged by my Apple Watch also played a big role in helping me find it. That feature is already available on existing Apple Watches and iPhones. But being able to see how many feet away I was from my phone added an extra layer of confidence that I was looking in the right direction. This could be helpful if I lost my phone in a noisy environment like a restaurant.
The new chip also brings tighter HomePod integration, allowing you to see media suggestions at the top of your watch’s widget stack when you’re within 4 meters of the device. While these new features are limited to those who own the iPhone 15 or a HomePod, I’m glad to see Apple finding new ways to put ultra-wideband to use. It’s something I’ve been hoping to see in future Apple Watches, as I wrote back in 2022.
Same health and wellness as the Series 8

The Series 9 inherits the same health and safety features as the Series 8. That includes the ability to take an ECG, temperature sensing, blood-oxygen detection, high and low heart-rate notifications, irregular heart rhythm notifications, sleep stage tracking, fall detection and crash detection. It’s also rated for the same degree of dust and water resistance as last year’s Series 8.
The Apple Watch’s broad selection of health metrics is exactly what you might expect of a smartwatch at this price, and it’s likely more data than most people need. But I’m still waiting for more features aimed at rest and recovery, a key area where other wellness and sports devices from brands like Oura, Fitbit, Garmin and Whoop excel over Apple. These gadgets can analyze bodily markers and activity trends to assess how well rested you are, which can be easier to decide whether it’s time for a workout or a rest day. However, Apple doesn’t charge a subscription fee to access all health insights, unlike Fitbit, Oura and Whoop, which require memberships to get the full experience.
No Action button and the same battery life as Series 8

The Series 9’s theme is seemingly focused on convenience rather than new health features. That’s why I was hoping the Series 9 would gain the Apple Watch Ultra’s Action button, a programmable key that lets you perform tasks like starting a workout or a stopwatch with just a tap.
While keeping certain features exclusive to the Ultra line is understandable given its higher price, the Action button feels like it should be part of the broader Apple Watch experience. The Ultra already has plenty of other features to distinguish it from the Series 9 and SE, including a bigger and brighter screen, longer battery life, a more durable design and a depth gauge, among other extras. The Action button would have fit nicely with the Series 9’s other upgrades aimed at helping you navigate the watch more easily.
The Series 9 has an always-on display, just like every flagship watch model since the Series 5, which is a key feature that separates it from the less expensive $249 Apple Watch SE. While the overall design is the same, Apple reduced its carbon footprint to make the Series 9 paired with a Sport Loop band the company’s first carbon neutral product.
It’s also rated for the same 18-hour battery life as the Series 8, which means it should last for one to 1.5 days on a single charge, depending on how you’re using it. On one hand, that’s impressive considering the Series 9 has a brighter screen and a more powerful processor.
But I wouldn’t mind sacrificing some of these new features, like a brighter screen or faster Siri, if it meant having longer battery life. I often find myself choosing between wearing my Apple Watch to sleep or leaving it on the charger overnight so that it’s ready to log my morning walk and afternoon workout. Having a battery that lasts for more than a day and a half means I wouldn’t have to make that decision.
Since I’ve been switching between my main Series 9 review unit and a separate unit with an early version of Double Tap, I haven’t been able to get a solid sense of the Apple Watch’s battery life. But I’ll update this review accordingly with more details.
Apple Watch Series 9: Final thoughts

The Series 9 feels like a minor upgrade over the Series 8. New features like Precision Finding and faster Siri performance make the Series 9 a better smartphone companion. But it’s not worth it unless you’re a first-time buyer or have the Series 6 or earlier.
Coming from an older watch like the Series 6, you’ll have plenty to gain. In addition to what’s new on this year’s model, you benefit from a larger screen with a keyboard, a temperature sensor and noticeably faster performance compared to a 3-year-old watch. If you have an Apple Watch SE and are craving more health metrics, the Series 9 is also a worthwhile upgrade.
Like many recent Apple Watch updates, such as the Series 8’s temperature sensor, there’s potential for the Series 9’s new features to evolve and become more helpful over time. It signals a promising direction for the Apple Watch, aligning with the tick-tock pattern Apple has seemingly followed over the last several years. Apple typically alternates between bringing new health sensors to the watch and launching updates related to convenience and the general user experience. This year happens to be the latter.
But right now, the Series 9 feels like a refreshed version of the Series 8 rather than an entirely new generation.
Technologies
Pope Francis’ Funeral: How to Stream Live or Watch the Replay
Here’s how to stream the pope’s funeral very early Saturday, and what you can expect to see during the service.

After a week of global mourning for Pope Francis, who died on Monday at age 88, the pope’s funeral will be celebrated on Saturday . Francis’ funeral will be held Saturday at 10 a.m. local time at St. Peter’s Square in Vatican City (which is very, very early if you’re tuning in from the US or Canada), and he will be laid to rest at the Papal Basilica of St. Mary Major in Rome.
The Vatican will be livestreaming the papal funeral and procession, though not the burial, on its YouTube channel as it happens. The funeral will also be televised live on CBS, NBC, ABC and Fox, as well as on streaming services like Disney Plus, Hulu, Peacock and Paramount Plus. Due to the time difference, it seems likely that many interested North American viewers will catch it when it’s replayed later on Saturday. Numerous networks will rebroadcast the service later that day.
If you choose to stay up, or get up early, here’s when the live broadcast of the pope’s funeral will air in your time zone in the continental US on April 26:
- ET: 4 a.m.
- CT: 3 a.m.
- MT: 2 a.m.
- PT: 1 a.m.
The papacy of Pope Francis was notable for the progressive reforms he brought to the Roman Catholic Church. He appointed more than half of the current College of Cardinals and attempted to foster more positive attitudes toward members of the LGBT community and migrants worldwide.
What to expect from the funeral
The funeral will follow many rituals, though not all traditional protocols will be followed. Most popes are buried in St. Peter’s Basilica or its grottoes, but the AP reports Francis chose the St. Mary Major Basilica to reflect his veneration of an icon of the Virgin Mary that is located there, the Salus Populi Romani (Salvation of the People of Rome).
His funeral will be less elaborate than those of other popes per his own wishes. Francis simplified papal funeral rites last year, permitting his burial outside the Vatican, and emphasizing his role as a bishop rather than as pope (the pope is also the Bishop of Rome).
Previous popes were buried in three coffins: one of cypress, one of lead and one of oak. Francis requested to be buried in a single wooden, zinc-lined coffin and not to be placed in an elevated bier as other popes were.
The coffin will be taken from St Peter’s Basilica and placed on a dais in St Peter’s Square, where Cardinal Giovanni Battista Re will lead the service. After the service, the coffin will return to St Peter’s Basilica before it is carried across the River Tiber and to the Papal Basilica of Saint Mary Major for burial. The ceremony is estimated to end around 2 p.m. local time, or four hours after it begins.
Pope Francis’ funeral Mass will be the first of nine Masses held daily at St. Peter’s until May 4. This is an ancient tradition of the Catholic Church that observes nine days of consecutive mourning. According to Vatican News, a different group of mourners will participate each day, though the Eucharistic celebrations are open to everyone.
Who will attend Pope Francis’ funeral?
Hundreds of people, including world leaders and royals, are expected to attend Pope Francis’ funeral.
US president Donald Trump confirmed on his Truth Social Platform that he and first lady Melania Trump will be at the funeral. This will be Trump’s first foreign trip in his second term. He is expected to have a seat in the third row, though the Vatican has yet to release an official seating chart. It is tradition for the first row of seats to go to Catholic royalty, and the second row to non-Catholic royals.
Prince William, who is attending on behalf of King Charles, will sit in the second row, which is reserved for non-Catholic royals. Former president Joe Biden and first lady Jill Biden, devout Catholics, will also attend the funeral.
Conclave: What happens next to choose the new pope
After Pope Francis’ funeral, the cardinals of the Roman Catholic Church will vote on his successor in an assembly of cardinals known as a conclave.
There are many matters for the cardinals to settle before the conclave begins, but once it does, it can take days or even weeks to conclude. Two-thirds of the cardinals’ votes are required to elect the next pope. The conclave occurs behind closed doors and the vote tally is never made public.
Read more: Where to Watch Conclave, the Vatican Thriller About Electing a New Pope
Look for the white smoke
The ballots are burned after each round, and chemicals are added to the flames to produce black smoke if there’s no majority. When a new pope has been selected, the chemicals will be added to the flames so they produce white smoke. Crowds gather in St. Peter’s Square to watch for the results.
If you’re fascinated by the process, you can watch a dramatized version of the events in 2024 film Conclave.
In the movie, Ralph Fiennes stars as Cardinal Thomas Lawrence, who spearheads the election of the next pope while investigating rumors about potential candidates. The film is based on the 2016 novel by Robert Harris and is completely fictional — though it does represent some of the events of how actual papal conclaves take place. In March, the film won the Academy Award for best adapted screenplay.
You can stream Conclave on Amazon Prime Video, or rent it for $6 on Apple TV, Fandango at Home, YouTube or Google Play Movies.
Technologies
Today’s NYT Connections Hints, Answers and Help for April 26, #685
Hints and answers for Connections for April 26, #685.

Looking for the most recent Connections answers? Click here for today’s Connections hints, as well as our daily answers and hints for The New York Times Mini Crossword, Wordle, Connections: Sports Edition and Strands puzzles.
Today’s Connections puzzle features a lot of short words, but that doesn’t mean it’s easy. That purple category requires a lot of thinking — probably most people will solve it only by solving the other three and having four words left over. Read on for clues and today’s Connections answers.
The Times now has a Connections Bot, like the one for Wordle. Go there after you play to receive a numeric score and to have the program analyze your answers. Players who are registered with the Times Games section can now nerd out by following their progress, including number of puzzles completed, win rate, number of times they nabbed a perfect score and their win streak.
Read more: Hints, Tips and Strategies to Help You Win at NYT Connections Every Time
Hints for today’s Connections groups
Here are four hints for the groupings in today’s Connections puzzle, ranked from the easiest yellow group to the tough (and sometimes bizarre) purple group.
Yellow group hint: Rainbow.
Green group hint: San Fernando ____.
Blue group hint: Think Robert.
Purple group hint: Mixed-up hue words.
Answers for today’s Connections groups
Yellow group: Tint.
Green group: Valley.
Blue group: Bobs.
Purple group: Color anagrams.
Read more: Wordle Cheat Sheet: Here Are the Most Popular Letters Used in English Words
What are today’s Connections answers?
The yellow words in today’s Connections
The theme is tint. The four answers are color, hue, shade and tone.
The green words in today’s Connections
The theme is valley. The four answers are dale, dell, glen and hollow.
The blue words in today’s Connections
The theme is Bobs. The four answers are Dole, Hope, Marley and Ross.
The purple words in today’s Connections
The theme is color anagrams. The four answers are Dre (red), Gary (gray), genre (green) and lube (blue).
Technologies
Today’s NYT Connections: Sports Edition Hints and Answers for April 26, #215
Hints and answers for the NYT Connections: Sports Edition puzzle, No. 215, for Saturday, April 26.

Looking for the most recent regular Connections answers? Click here for today’s Connections hints, as well as our daily answers and hints for The New York Times Mini Crossword, Wordle and Strands puzzles.
Connections: Sports Edition is tough today. The purple category theme threw me because of one phrase I didn’t know. And let’s hope you’re familiar with college coach surnames. Read on for hints and the answers.
Connections: Sports Edition is out of beta now, making its debut on Super Bowl Sunday, Feb. 9. That’s a sign that the game has earned enough loyal players that The Athletic, the subscription-based sports journalism site owned by the Times, will continue to publish it. It doesn’t show up in the NYT Games app but now appears in The Athletic’s own app. Or you can continue to play it free online.
Read more: NYT Connections: Sports Edition Puzzle Comes Out of Beta
Hints for today’s Connections: Sports Edition groups
Here are four hints for the groupings in today’s Connections: Sports Edition puzzle, ranked from the easiest yellow group to the tough (and sometimes bizarre) purple group.
Yellow group hint: Try to achieve.
Green group hint: Move through it.
Blue group hint: Sideline bosses.
Purple group hint: Like a carton.
Answers for today’s Connections: Sports Edition groups
Yellow group: What one strives for.
Green group: Room to run.
Blue group: College football coaches.
Purple group: Box ____.
Read more: Wordle Cheat Sheet: Here Are the Most Popular Letters Used in English Words
What are today’s Connections: Sports Edition answers?
The yellow words in today’s Connections
The theme is what one strives for. The four answers are aim, goal, objective and target.
The green words in today’s Connections
The theme is room to run. The four answers are gap, hole, opening and space.
The blue words in today’s Connections
The theme is college football coaches. The four answers are Day, Lanning, Smart and Stoops.
The purple words in today’s Connections
The theme is box ____. The four answers are lacrosse, office, score and seat.
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