Teardown experts iFixit have released a video dissecting Apple’s latest smartwatches, the Apple Watch Series 9 and Ultra 2.
The teardown aimed to explore the new “Double Tap” feature and other hardware components.
The video begins by questioning why the new watches didn’t launch with the Double Tap feature. As the teardown progresses, it becomes clear that there is no new visible hardware for this feature, suggesting it might be enabled by a microscopic accelerometer.
Both watches underwent a meticulous teardown process, from removing external screws to prying open the hard shell of the battery.
The Apple Watch Ultra 2 battery has a new model number and measures at 2.18 Wh, compared to last year’s 2.09 Wh. The sapphire crystal glass on the Ultra 2 was tested for scratch resistance and scored about an 8 on the Mohs hardness scale.
The Series 9 Apple Watch was also examined for the Double Tap tech, but no new hardware was found. The teardown revealed that the newest feature appears to be a spongy ring of foam, rather than individual pieces found in other models. iFixit speculates this could be cushioning for the Double Tap feature.
“In all seriousness, the Apple Watch is loads nicer than it used to be, particularly on the adhesive and cable management fronts. But this year’s big feature is Double Tap, something that duplicates existing accessibility features and doesn’t require any fancy new hardware,” said the iFixit team.
The video concludes by questioning the need for yearly watch upgrades, especially when the new features don’t require new hardware.
Check out the full Apple Watch teardowns below:
