The Apple Watch could be about to get its biggest upgrade in years

When it comes to the best smartwatches on the market, there is one model family which has reigned supreme for a while. The Apple Watch series has captured public imagination like no other, offering a stylish and useful suite of wrist-mounted insight for users.

Now, focus has turned to the next generation of the device. That's the Apple Watch Series 9, which is expected to launch later this year. And according to the most recent rumours, it could pack a serious processor upgrade inside.

That comes from Mark Gurman, a notorious Apple tipster with a good track record when it comes to leaks. According to Gurman, the S9 chip powering the new range of devices should offer a "sizable performance bump."

That chip should also make its way into the Apple Watch Ultra 2. The successor to the hugely popular premium device is also expected to arrive in the same window. One device which isn't slated to get an upgrade is the Apple Watch SE. That tends to see updates on a two-year cycle, so nothing is expected this time out.

If this rumour proves true, it could be great for the device. While the current Apple Watch Series 8 is a good watch, many were uninspired by the lack of upgrades it came with. Those kind of incremental updates are nothing new in the tech world, but a decent spec bump will surely make the difference for those on the fence.

It would come around the same time as rumoured chip upgrades to other Apple devices, too. The MacBook range is expected to take on the M3 chip later this year, while the top-spec iPhones are also slated to use a new A17 Bionic chip. Both of those are said to use a new 3nm architecture, for improved power and efficiency.

There's nothing to say that the S9 chip in the Apple Watch range will follow suit there. The current S8 chip uses a 7nm architecture in its design, so the jump down to 3nm may be too sizable for a single generation. It's reasonable to guess it might utilise something in between though – a 5nm chip would make sense.

There's currently no confirmed date for the launch of these products. However, based on historic release dates, we're expecting to see a new device around September.