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Apple today began selling certified refurbished Apple Watch Series 9 models in the U.S. for the first time since the device was released in September. The refurbished Series 9 models are discounted by approximately 15% compared to the equivalent brand new models, with pricing starting at $339, down from $399. A variety of configurations are available as of writing. Apple says it puts all of its refurbished products through a thorough cleaning process and inspection, and performs full functionality testing. In general, refurbished products sold directly by Apple have a very good reputation. Like new Series 9 models sold directly by Apple in the U.S. currently, we expect that the Blood Oxygen app is deactivated on the refurbished models, due to a legal battle with medical technology company Masimo. Last year, the U.S. International Trade Commission (ITC) banned Apple from importing and selling Apple Watch models with blood oxygen sensing after it ruled that the feature infringed on Masimo's patents. Apple is appealing the decision, and could re-enable the Blood Oxygen app with a watchOS update if it is overturned. As a reminder, Apple began selling refurbished Apple Watch Ultra 2 models in the U.S. and select other countries last week.Related Roundup: Apple Watch Series 9Tag: Apple Refurbished ProductsBuyer's Guide: Apple Watch (Neutral) This article, "Apple Watch Series 9 Now Available on Apple's Refurbished Store in U.S." first appeared on MacRumors.com Discuss this article in our forums View the full article

Apple today began selling certified refurbished Apple Watch Ultra 2 models in the U.S. for the first time since the device was released in September. As of writing, refurbished Ultra 2 models with the Blue, Orange, or White Ocean Band are available for $679, compared to $799 brand new. Like new Ultra 2 models sold directly by Apple in the U.S. currently, we expect that the Blood Oxygen app is deactivated on the refurbished models, due to a legal battle with medical technology company Masimo. Last year, the U.S. International Trade Commission (ITC) banned Apple from importing and selling Apple Watch models with blood oxygen sensing after it ruled that the feature infringed on Masimo's patents. Apple is appealing the decision, and could re-enable the Blood Oxygen app with a watchOS update if it is overturned. Availability began in the U.K. and China earlier this week, and the Blood Oxygen app remains functional outside of the U.S. currently. There are no refurbished Apple Watch Series 9 models available on Apple's store in the U.S. yet.Related Roundup: Apple Watch Ultra 2Tag: Apple Refurbished ProductsBuyer's Guide: Apple Watch Ultra (Neutral)Related Forum: Apple Watch This article, "Apple Watch Ultra 2 Now Available on Apple's Refurbished Store in U.S." first appeared on MacRumors.com Discuss this article in our forums View the full article

Refurbished Apple Watch Ultra 2 units are now on sale in China – the first and only country in which the device is available refurbished directly from Apple. The refurbished models are discounted by approximately 15 percent compared to equivalent brand new configurations. Apple tests, inspects, cleans, and repackages all refurbished devices to ensure they are fully functional and in good condition, and they are covered by a one-year limited warranty and eligible for AppleCare+ coverage. The ‌Apple Watch Ultra 2‌ launched in September 2023, featuring the S9 chip, a brighter display, and the double-tap gesture. Apple is highly likely to soon begin selling refurbished ‌‌Apple Watch Ultra 2‌‌ models in other countries now that it has started to do so in China, but it is unclear if availability will expand to the U.S. due to Apple's ongoing legal battle with medical tech company Masimo over the Blood Oxygen app.Related Roundup: Apple Watch Ultra 2Tags: China, Apple Refurbished ProductsBuyer's Guide: Apple Watch Ultra (Neutral)Related Forum: Apple Watch This article, "Refurbished Apple Watch Ultra 2 Begins Rolling Out Outside U.S." first appeared on MacRumors.com Discuss this article in our forums View the full article

Rumors emerged this week that the Apple Watch 10 would arrive with a more power-efficient OLED display, which offers more control over the screen’s power draw than the Liquid Retina OLED displays used by the best Apple Watches in previous years. This could place much less demand on the battery than the current screen and might just lead to a longer-lasting battery. For me, that’s the single biggest change Apple could make that would convince me to take the plunge and wear an Apple Watch as my main timepiece. For context, I’ve worn many watches during my role as Fitness and Wearables Editor, but every time a review unit circulates off my wrist, I have just a few I tend to go back to as my standard picks. If I’m in the middle of an intense training block (at the time of writing, the London marathon is a little over a week away) I’ll wear a Garmin Epix Pro, which can last up to two weeks between charges, or even an Apple Watch Ultra 2 if I’m using an iPhone, which gives me 36 hours – just shy of two days. If I’m taking things easy – with training largely restricted to yoga, the gym, and the climbing center – I’ll probably revert to my beloved Casio digital watches, such as the one our editor-at-large Lance Ulanoff has been wearing recently. Cheap and cheerful with a timer, alarm, and stopwatch, they also crucially have a seven-year battery life. If I want to track sleep or other metrics, I’ll pair that with one of the best smart rings such as an Oura ring, which likewise lasts a full week between charges. (Image credit: Future) Notice anything here? It’s all about battery life. While testing the Apple Watch Series 9, I found the 18-hour battery life to be a bugbear compared to the Apple Watch Ultra 2. When testing an Apple Watch that isn’t an Ultra, I’ll often go to bed wearing it, and wake up cursing that my wrist-mounted squircle has transformed from one of the best smartwatches into a useless piece of metal and plastic. As someone who enjoys running, I use the battery-sucking GPS workout function four to five times a week during a training block, often for long periods, so keeping a spare charger at work has become a necessity during testing. If something makes you swear more than smile, it isn’t fit for purpose. It’s long past time the Apple Watch had a decent battery upgrade. The OnePlus Watch 2 can reach 100 hours with some clever dual-OS wrangling, and even the Samsung Galaxy Watch 6 range, Apple’s nearest Android rival, is now cresting 40 hours. Although the Apple Watch is still the best-selling smartwatch by a huge margin, having a battery performance still stuck at 18 hours simply isn’t good enough in 2024. (Image credit: Samsungh 6 ) Now the Samsung Galaxy Ring is on the horizon, alternative wearable formats are reaching the mainstream, and the era of peak smartwatch may very well be over. Wearable tech is getting slimmer and less obtrusive, and this trend lets them last longer, becoming less of an inconvenience to users. Health and wellness wearables are also redoubling their focus on sleep: the Galaxy Ring briefing I attended was almost entirely focused on rest and recovery, and Fitbit’s just redesigned the Sleep page on its excellent app. As it stands, Apple can’t compete in this arena, because so many users have to charge their watches overnight. To remain at the head of the pack, Apple needs to evolve. Bringing the Ultra’s 36-hour battery life to the flagship Apple Watch 10 would be the single biggest quality-of-life change an Apple Watch user could wish for. Every power-saving initiative Apple has implemented in previous years has been plowed right back into powering the watch’s new tricks, such as the Series 9’s double-tap functionality. This year, I don’t want anything flashy – I want Apple to focus on giving us more time with its watches. You might also like: Fitbit's redesigned its Sleep page to make it more useful: here's what's changingSamsung Galaxy Ring: the smart ring is now official, here's everything we knowFour months on, my super-cheap Casio watch is still the best $15 I've ever spent View the full article

The touch-related bug that was known to be impacting the Apple Watch Series 9 and the Apple Watch Ultra 2 also affects the Apple Watch Series 7, Series 8, and Ultra 1, Apple said in a memo shared with Apple Authorized Service Providers. Service providers have been told not to replace watches for the ghost touch problem, instead instructing customers to fix the issue through a force restart. A force restart can be initiated by simultaneously holding down the side button and the Digital Crown for 10 seconds. AASPs have also been asked to make sure affected Apple Watches are running the latest version of watchOS. Apple first began looking into the touch-related problem affecting some Apple Watch models in February. At the time, it was a bug that had been seen on the Series 9 and the Ultra 2. Apple Watch owners were experiencing "false" or "ghost" touches on the display, which could cause the screen to "jump erratically" or exhibit unexpected behavior without user interaction. A fix for the ghost touch issue was added in watchOS 10.4, so presumably that version of the software addresses the issue on all impacted models. If not, the wording of Apple's memo suggests a further fix will be coming in the near future. This article, "Apple Suggests Solution for 'Ghost Touch' Issue on Apple Watch Series 7 and Later" first appeared on MacRumors.com Discuss this article in our forums View the full article

The iPhone continues to be overwhelmingly popular with teens, according to Piper Sandler's biannual teen survey. 85 percent of U.S. teens surveyed own an ‌iPhone‌, and 86 percent plan to purchase an ‌iPhone‌ as their next smartphone. While the ‌iPhone‌ is still the most popular smartphone among teens, ownership is down from the October 2023 survey where 87 percent of teens owned an ‌iPhone‌ and 88 percent planned to purchase one.Both the 85% iPhone ownership and 86% intention to purchase an iPhone metrics are near record highs for our survey but down from record levels in 2021. We believe the elevated penetration and purchase intention are important given the mature premium smartphone market. Additionally, trends towards premium tier phones are encouraging as the company continues to introduce new iPhones proving the overall stickiness of the product portfolio. Finally, positive trends in services could follow, as the install base for Apple hardware continues to grow.Apple's dominance in the teen market is of particular interest right now because it is one metric that the U.S. Department of Justice is targeting in its antitrust lawsuit against Apple. The DoJ has suggested that Apple's ownership of the U.S. smartphone market causes "social stigma, exclusion, and blame" for non-iPhone users, with "green bubble" chats and issues between ‌iPhone‌ and Android message users cited as a specific example. The DoJ claims that this is "particularly powerful" for teenagers, and that "social pressure" causes teens to switch to the ‌iPhone‌. The antitrust lawsuit also suggests that Apple's marketshare among "key demographics" like "younger audiences" is an issue that gives Apple too much power over the smartphone ecosystem. As for the Apple Watch, 34 percent of teens reported using an Apple Watch, with no change from last fall. Intent to buy an Apple Watch was up three percent, however, with 13 percent of teens planning to buy one in the next six months. Only 39.4 percent of teens said they own a smart watch, so teens are also overwhelmingly preferring the Apple Watch to other smart watch brands. The Apple Watch was the top watch brand, with Rolex and Casio coming in second and third, respectively. Teens prefer Spotify as their music service, and nearly two-thirds of teens surveyed said Spotify is their preferred service. Just over 30 percent of teens said they use Apple Music. Apple TV+ is not popular with teen audiences, and less than five percent of teens said they watch it on a daily basis. Comparatively, over 30 percent of teens watch Netflix regularly, and close to 30 percent watch YouTube. Apple Pay was the most popular payment platform with 44 percent of teens using it in the last month, but Cash app and Venmo are preferred for peer-to-peer money transfers. Piper Sandler surveyed 6,020 teens across 47 U.S. states for its spring 2024 report. Tag: Teen Survey This article, "Teens Love iPhone and Apple Watch, But Not Apple Music and Apple TV+" first appeared on MacRumors.com Discuss this article in our forums View the full article

The Apple Watch Series 9 is now available in Apple's refurbished store in Australia and New Zealand for the first time since the device launched in September. These are the first countries where Apple offers refurbished Series 9 models. Availability will likely extend to Japan and the UK soon, as Apple recently added a grayed-out Apple Watch Series 9 search filter to its refurbished store in those countries. The search filter is only visible on these pages in a desktop browser, and it is possible that Apple will remove them following our report, as it has done in the past. Apple has yet to begin selling refurbished Apple Watch Ultra 2 models anywhere. It is unclear if and when refurbished Series 9 and Ultra 2 models will be available in the U.S. due to Apple's legal battle with health company Masimo. The U.S. International Trade Commission (ITC) last year banned Apple from importing and selling Apple Watch models with a functioning Blood Oxygen app after it ruled that the feature infringed on Masimo's patents. Apple recently appealed the decision in a 916-page court filing. Apple could opt to sell refurbished Series 9 and Ultra 2 models in the U.S. with the Blood Oxygen app deactivated, as it is currently doing for brand new models. Apple would be able to reactivate the app with a watchOS update if its appeal is successful, or if it eventually reaches a settlement with Masimo to end the dispute. Since the ITC's ruling applies to the U.S. only, the Blood Oxygen app is still functional on new and refurbished Apple Watch models sold in all other countries.Related Roundup: Apple Watch Series 9Tag: Apple Refurbished ProductsBuyer's Guide: Apple Watch (Neutral) This article, "Apple Watch Series 9 Now Available on Apple's Refurbished Store in Select Countries" first appeared on MacRumors.com Discuss this article in our forums View the full article

Apple plans to use new low-energy OLED panel technology in the next Apple Watch to further reduce the power consumption of its always-on display, claims a new report out of Korea. According to The Elec, Apple will adopt new low-temperature polycrystalline oxide (LTPO) thin-film transistor (TFT) technology for its upcoming Apple Watch, which is scheduled to be released in the second half of this year. LPTO TFT is a method of applying oxide on the driving TFT and the switching transistors behind each pixel. Switching transistors control the voltage applied to the liquid crystal cells, allowing precise control of the amount of light that passes through each pixel. Existing Apple Watch OLED displays use LPTO TFT in only a few switching transistors, and rely on low-temperature polycrystalline silicon (LTPS) technology for the majority of transistors as well as the driving TFT. Using oxide instead of LTPS for the driving TFT and more of the switching transistors means that oxide alone is responsible for the current running through the majority of transistors that connect directly to the OLED pixel. In the new LTPO OLED application, increased use of oxide means lower leakage current and more stable operation at low refresh rates, resulting in overall power savings. The downside is that the technique means more complication in the manufacturing of the TFT substrates. According to the report, LG Display is expected to take the lead in the development of the new LPTO OLED technology. Meanwhile, Samsung is participating in a development project that should see it join Apple's LPTO OLED supply chain in time for next year's Apple Watch. This has led to industry speculation that Apple is planning to expand the use of LPTO OLED technology to other products such as the iPhone. The current iPhone 15 and iPhone 15 Plus use LTPS panels, while Apple's iPhone 15 Pro models use the more advanced LTPO panels, which support variable refresh rates. Seven Reasons to Wait for Next Year's iPhone 17 Apple is expected to retain the use of the less advanced LTPS panels in this year's iPhone 16 and iPhone 16 Plus to maintain differentiation between its standard and Pro models. However, next year's iPhone 17 and iPhone 17 Plus are expected to adopt the same technology, which would mean Apple's 2025 iPhone series will be the first of its kind to feature ProMotion and always-on displays across the lineup.Related Roundup: Apple Watch Series 9Tag: The ElecBuyer's Guide: Apple Watch (Neutral) This article, "Next Apple Watch Could Feature More Power Efficient OLED Display" first appeared on MacRumors.com Discuss this article in our forums View the full article

A prototype of Apple's ill-fated AirPower wireless charger has been seen charging an Apple Watch for the first time. ‌AirPower‌ was an Apple-designed charging mat designed to charge Qi-based iPhones, the Apple Watch, and ‌AirPods‌ that the company announced in September 2017 alongside the iPhone X. ‌AirPower‌ was designed so that users could place an ‌‌iPhone‌‌, ‌AirPods‌, and Apple Watch on any part of the mat to charge them, which meant that multiple overlapping charging coils had to be included. It would have prompted devices to display a unique on-screen iOS animation when they were placed on the charging mat, as seen in Apple's early marketing materials. An ‌iPhone‌ on the ‌AirPower‌ charger would also have shown the charge of all of the devices that were placed on the pad. ‌AirPower‌ missed its original 2018 launch date goal, and after a large number of issues with its development, Apple outright canceled the AirPower project in March 2019. Images depicting ‌AirPower‌ prototypes first surfaced on social media in August 2020, showing a multi-coil design and the device's internal circuitry, and the first video footage of the device emerged in August 2021. Multiple other AirPower prototypes have appeared since then, but most are no longer functional. Prototype Apple AirPower with 16 coils (PROTO1) charging a Prototype Apple Watch Series 4 (DVT). It’s amazing that Apple Watch charging works, given wireless chargers today generally can’t charge Apple Watches. However, the Apple Watch on AirPower gets quite warm. #appleinternal pic.twitter.com/GfywG3KZS9 — Apple Demo (@AppleDemoYT) April 7, 2024 A new video from the X user "Apple Demo," who has showcased various Apple prototypes in the past, demonstrates the ‌AirPower‌'s ability to charge an Apple Watch. The device features 16 coils and can charge a DVT prototype Apple Watch Series 4, but it apparently gets quite warm. Late last year, a functional AirPower prototype from early on in its development exhibited some of the severe thermal problems, including burning or melting devices placed on the charging pad, that ultimately led Apple to abandon the project. ‌AirPower‌'s ability to charge an Apple Watch would have been special because Apple's smartwatch is only able to charge via its magnetic charging puck and does not support Qi. Simply placing an Apple Watch anywhere on the ‌AirPower‌ pad with no magnetic alignment would have been a unique charging experience. Rumors in subsequent years about Apple's work on a smaller wireless charger seem to have been related to MagSafe or the ‌MagSafe‌ Duo charger, rather than ‌AirPower‌. Nevertheless, a report from Bloomberg's Mark Gurman in 2022 said that Apple is still looking into AirPower-like charging solutions for the future.Tags: AirPower, Prototypes This article, "AirPower Prototype Seen Charging Apple Watch for First Time" first appeared on MacRumors.com Discuss this article in our forums View the full article

Apple this week added dedicated "Tech Specs" pages to its website for the Apple Watch Series 9, Apple Watch Ultra 2, and second-generation Apple Watch SE. The pages offer a variety of information about the latest Apple Watch models, including details about materials and finishes, size and weight, hardware, connectivity, battery life, health and wellness features, safety features, accessibility features, and more. The pages complement the previously-existing Apple Watch comparison tool. There is not much else to say about the pages, other than "finally."Related Roundups: Apple Watch Series 9, Apple Watch SE, Apple Watch Ultra 2Buyer's Guide: Apple Watch (Neutral), Apple Watch SE (Caution), Apple Watch Ultra (Neutral)Related Forum: Apple Watch This article, "Apple's Website Finally Has 'Tech Specs' Pages for Apple Watch Models" first appeared on MacRumors.com Discuss this article in our forums View the full article

Apple is currently offering its corporate and retail employees 40% off select Link Bracelet and Milanese Loop bands for the Apple Watch. In the U.S., the Link Bracelet is available for $209 on Apple's online store for employees, down from $349 regularly. The Milanese Loop is available for $59, down from $99. Both bands were introduced alongside the original Apple Watch in 2015. Apple is also offering employees 50% off various Black Unity and Pride Edition bands, as well as the Sport Band in the Midnight color only. Apple offers employees special discounts on a rotating selection of products, so it is unclear whether this is another routine sale, or if the company plans to discontinue the Link Bracelet and Milanese Loop in the future and is clearing inventory. It has been rumored that at least one next-generation Apple Watch model will not be compatible with existing Apple Watch bands. The new Apple Watch lineup is expected to be announced in September alongside the iPhone 16 series.Tag: Apple Watch Bands This article, "Apple Steeply Discounts Link Bracelet and Milanese Loop for Employees" first appeared on MacRumors.com Discuss this article in our forums View the full article

Apple will soon completely stop selling the Apple Watch 9 and Ultra 2 in the United States as a new ban takes place. If you’re not familiar with the situation, Apple has been engrossed in a year-long patent battle with medical tech company Masimo over the blood oxygen sensor on its smartwatches. A US judge ruled that the tech giant infringed on Masimo’s patent back in January. Apple has tried to fight back, but the International Trade Commission (ITC) ruled against them, effectively setting a ban on the wearables. Beginning today, December 21, the Apple Watch 9 and Ultra 2 will no longer be available for purchase in the company’s official store. The smartwatches will continue to be on sale at Apple Store locations until Christmas Eve, then they'll be pulled off the shelves. It will still be possible to buy the device through third-party retailers, however, keep in mind Apple will not be making any more units due to the ruling. So whatever is found online is all that’ll be left for the foreseeable future. We’ve collected multiple listings for the wearables into a couple of tables. If you’re interested, we recommend acting fast because once they’re gone, they’re gone. These platforms will not receive new stock after they’re sold out. Apple Watch 9 Apple Watch Ultra 2 These are the only two models affected by the ban. The Apple Watch SE lacks blood oxygen monitoring so it’s safe. Also, if you already own an Apple Watch 9, Ultra 2, or an older model, the tech will continue working as usual. There won’t be a patch that disables blood oxygen monitoring or anything like that. The plan moving forward So, what is Apple’s plan moving forward? Well first, the company says it will appeal the ruling to the Federal Circuit with the hope of getting it lifted. Bloomberg recently reported Apple is working on a software update that will tweak the feature so it can bypass the ban. Masimo CEO Joe Kiani told the publication the patent issue concerns hardware, not software so the patch won’t solve anything. But he is willing to work things out with them. Some have raised the point that President Biden could veto the ban. He has the authority to do so. Whether or not he actually will seems to depend on what US Trade Representative Katherine Tai decides. White House Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre told reporters Ambassador Tai is “considering all of the factors in this case [and] has the authority to decide” what happens to the Apple Watch models. One day, the devices could come back, but no one knows for sure at the moment. Be sure to check out TechRadar's list on the best Apple Watches for 2023. You might also like Apple could still rescue the Watch 9 and Ultra 2 from a ban with rare ...Apple Watch Ultra 2 and Series 9 sales ban: all your questions ...You'll still be able to buy an Apple Watch 9 after its ban, but Apple ...Apple is about to stop selling the Apple Watch Series 9 and Ultra 2 ... View the full article