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Apple Watch Series 9 with ‘double tap’ announced

And new powerful chip

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Apple Watch Series 9

How do you make “the best” and “most popular” smartwatch even better? You make it faster and add a unique gesture. For Apple Watch Series 9, Apple used its most powerful wearable chip yet, the S9 SiP and added an intriguing “double tap” gesture. 

S9 SiP chip

The Apple Watch Series 8 was already feature packed. But like usual, Apple outdid itself again with the S9 SiP chip. It makes on-device Siri possible. That means it’s more secure and all the processing happens on the watch and not in some server somewhere. It’s also power efficient, helping the Apple Watch Series 9 to an all-day 18-hour battery life. 

Double Tap gesture 

Double Tap | Apple Watch Series 9

Double Tap

The most noticeable new thing for the Apple Watch Series 9 is the new Double Tap feature. To execute, you simply have to press your index finger and thumb on the same hand while wearing the Apple Watch. 

Double Tapping can do many things. It can start and/or end a call, bring up the Smart Stack widget and let you cycle through it. You can also use it to pause/play music, as well as the shutter button for your iPhone. 

How does it work? It’s enabled by the faster Neural Engine in Apple Watch Series 9. It processes data from the accelerometer, gyroscope, and optical heart sensor with a new machine learning algorithm. 

The algorithm detects the unique signature of tiny wrist movements and changes in blood flow when the index finger and thumb perform a double tap. The double tap gesture will be available in a software update in October. 

More notable features 

Other notable changes include the brighter display which goes up to 2,000 nits. But don’t worry, it’ll just necessarily depend on where you are. When at a cinema, for example, it can drop down to just 1 nit so you won’t be that annoying person shining in the middle of the theater. 

On-device processings means Siri can now be used to access data from the Health app for health- and fitness-related queries. 

It also has a second-generation Ultra Wideband (UWB) chip to enable Precision Finding for the iPhone 15 family, which has the same chip. This enables Precision Finding which provides distance and direction, as well as visual, haptic, and audio guidance to a misplaced iPhone, even if it is in a different room.

Featuring watchOS 10

Apple Watch Series 9 runs watchOS 10 which enables a plethora of new things: 

  • A fresh approach to quickly view information with redesigned apps and a new Smart Stack to show relevant widgets right when they’re needed.
  • Delightful new watch faces: Snoopy, Palette, and Solar Analog. A new Nike watch face, Nike Globe, lights up the lines on the globe with each passing second.
  • Bluetooth connectivity for power meters, speed sensors, and cadence sensors arrives for cyclists, unlocking new metrics and Workout Views, and cycling workouts.
  • A cycling workout can automatically show up as a Live Activity on iPhone and utilize the full screen when tapped.
  • New Compass Waypoints and Maps capabilities to further help during outdoor adventures.
  • Additional tools to support mental health with state of mind logging in the Mindfulness app.
  • The ability to measure time spent in daylight using the ambient light sensor to help reduce the risk of myopia and provide additional benefits to physical and mental health for all ages.

watchOS 10 will be available for Apple Watch Series 4 and later on Monday, September 18, and requires iPhone XS or later running iOS 17. Not all features are available on all devices and in all regions.

Carbon Neutral models 

Apple had a fun skit featuring “Mother Nature” to talk up their sustainability efforts. It wrapped with the announcement of Carbon Neutral models for the Apple Watch Series 9, Apple Watch Ultra 2, and Apple Watch SE. These are all in service of Apple’s goal to reduce its carbon footprint.

Price, availability

Apple Watch Series 9 is available in 41mm and 45mm sizes in starlight, midnight, silver, (PRODUCT)RED, and a new pink aluminum case, as well as stainless steel in gold, silver, and graphite cases.

Customers in Australia, Canada, France, Germany, India, Japan, the UAE, the U.K., the U.S., and more than 40 other countries and regions can order Apple Watch Series 9 and Apple Watch SE today, with availability in stores beginning Friday, September 22.

Apple Watch Series 9 starts at US$ 399/ SG$ 599, and Apple Watch SE starts at US $249/ SG$ 379.

Apple Watch bands, Apple Watch Nike bands, and Apple Watch Hermès bands will be available to order today from apple.com/store and in the Apple Store app, with availability in stores beginning Friday, September 22.

Gaming

Nintendo officially announces Ocarina of Time remake

Coming in 2026.

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There are a few titles that an overwheling majority of gamers consider as an absolute must-play for other gamers. One of those titles is The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time. Originally launched for the Nintendo 64, it’s not easy to play the iconic game today. But, later this year, the game is about to get much more accessible. Nintendo has officially announced a remake of Ocarina of Time.

Modern gamers might not realize the effect of the original Ocarina of Time on the RPG genre. Besides adding a third dimension to the then-fledgling Legend of Zelda series, the 1998 game also revolutionized the gaming world by popularizing targeting systems. That, and the refining of the formula in Majora’s Mask, makes Ocarina an essential in gaming history.

During today’s Nintendo Direct, the company capped off the hour-long presentations by announcing a remake of the game. Though the short, short trailer didn’t reveal any gameplay, it did confirm that the remake will retain the original’s more whimsical art style, as opposed to the realism put forth by the Breath of the Wild duology.

It’s not the first re-release for the game, though. In the past, Nintendo released remastered versions of the game for the GameCube and the 3DS. This is, however, the first official remake of the title for a much more modern system.

We didn’t know when the remake will officially launch, but it’s coming out within this year.

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Apple has essentially confirmed the launch of the iPhone Fold

Some hidden references were not hidden enough.

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No, Apple did not officially launch the iPhone Fold yet.

However, WWDC 2026 had a few surprises for those attentive enough to go deeper into the event’s announcements. And it all revolves around iOS 27.

Of course, the main event of WWDC 2026 is the first peek into the upcoming mobile operating system. Though we already covered everything that Apple visibly announced, something hidden has essentially confirmed the band’s first foldable phone.

On X, Sam Henri Gold, an engineer, spotted a few crucial references to a foldable form factor. Hidden underneath the recently released iOS 27 beta are mentions of “foldState” and “angleDegrees.” The code also includes references to the number of displays a single device has.

Notably, iOS 26 did not include such mentions. It can’t be purely coincidental. Unless Apple is suddenly shipping iOS 27 out to foldables from other brands (highly unlikely), this is the prelude to an iPhone Fold coming later this year.

Now, rumors of an iPhone Fold have been making the rounds for a while now. But they haven’t been as strong as this year. There’s heavy speculation that the brand’s first foldable phone is coming later this fall.

There’s still a nonzero chance that it makes an appearance during WWDC 2026, but don’t put all your eggs in this basket. Apple traditionally reserves the conference for software developments. Fall is the usual playing ground for Apple’s hardware.

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Apple Intelligence gets smarter across apps

Beyond Siri AI

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Apple Intelligence

Alongside the debut of Siri AI at WWDC26, Apple also unveiled the next generation of Apple Intelligence, bringing new AI-powered features to Photos, Safari, Messages, Shortcuts, Home, and other apps across its ecosystem.

Powered by a new privacy-focused architecture, Apple Intelligence now integrates more deeply across iPhone, iPad, Mac, Apple Watch, AirPods, and Apple Vision Pro. The company says the update makes everyday tasks easier with smarter editing tools, improved web browsing, more capable communication features, and expanded automation options.

New AI editing tools come to Photos

Apple is introducing several new editing features to Photos.

Spatial Reframing lets users adjust the composition of a photo after it has been taken. The feature uses AI to generate only the parts of an image needed to accommodate the new perspective while keeping the original scene intact.

The Photos app is also gaining an upgraded Extend tool, which can expand images, straighten horizons, and adjust aspect ratios without cropping out important elements. Meanwhile, the Clean Up tool now delivers more realistic results when removing unwanted objects from photos. Apple says AI-edited images will automatically include a hidden SynthID watermark.

Safari gets smarter browsing features

Apple Intelligence is also changing how Safari works.

A new feature automatically organizes tabs into topics, making it easier to manage research, trip planning, and other projects spread across multiple pages. Safari can continue grouping new tabs into existing topics as users browse.

Another feature called Notify Me can monitor webpages for changes, such as product restocks or price drops, and send notifications when updates occur. Safari can also generate custom browser extensions through a new Describe an Extension tool that builds extensions based on a user’s written instructions.

Apple is also expanding the capabilities of the Passwords app. Eligible accounts can now be automatically upgraded to stronger passwords, with Apple Intelligence handling the process on a user’s behalf.

Messages, Calendar, and Shortcuts gain AI assistance

Messages and Mail are becoming more proactive with contextual suggestions.

Users can receive one-tap recommendations to create reminders or notes based on conversations. Messages can also help locate specific photos by recognizing people, locations, and keywords mentioned in chats. Smart Reply can now adapt responses based on a user’s writing style.

Apple is also bringing AI assistance to Calendar and Shortcuts. Users can create calendar events simply by describing them, while a new Describe a Shortcut feature can automatically build automations based on natural language instructions.

The Phone app is gaining Call Context, which can surface information such as reservation numbers and confirmation codes when users contact a business. Apple says the feature runs entirely on-device and does not share information with the company.

New features for Home and accessibility

The Home app is becoming smarter with AI-generated video descriptions and improved search tools for HomeKit Secure Video cameras.

Users can search security camera footage using natural language and review automatically highlighted noteworthy events. Apple Intelligence can also group related notifications into a single activity to reduce clutter.

Accessibility features are also receiving upgrades. VoiceOver can provide richer image descriptions, while Voice Control allows users to describe onscreen controls instead of memorizing exact button names. Accessibility Reader now supports more complex documents and can provide summaries and translations on demand.

Availability

The new Apple Intelligence features are available for developer testing starting today through the Apple Developer Program. A public beta will launch next month through the Apple Beta Software Program.

Apple plans to release the features this fall as part of iOS 27, iPadOS 27, macOS 27, watchOS 27, and visionOS 27 for supported Apple Intelligence-compatible devices.

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