The new S9 processor in the Apple Watch Series 9 and Apple Watch Ultra 2 means these wearables are the fastest ever. Meanwhile, the innovative double-tap gesture, which uses wrist motion and blood flow to execute commands with one hand, is pure cool.

However, there is one small change to the Apple Watch spec sheet that Apple did not acknowledge even at its unveiling at Wonderlust.

In both the Ultra 2 and Series 9, Apple doubled the onboard storage capacity from 32GB to 64GB. This is a big jump and the first time since 2019 that Apple has increased storage on the Apple Watch. That was when it went from 16GB in the Series 4 to 32GB in the Series 5, and has since been maintained in the Series 7 and Series 8.

If you're still using a 2017 Apple Watch Series 3 GPS model, you're behind by just 8GB.

The increased base level of storage in a wearable may not get as much attention as the equivalent jump in a cell phone, but it's a pretty important factor to me. one of the things I like about the Apple Watch is that when I go running, hiking, or biking, my cell phone I can leave it at home. The health tracking is one reason, but the ability to access locally stored offline audio content is a big one. I love listening to podcasts while I'm running.

And since the increased storage applies to all Series 9 models, it doesn't matter whether you get the $399 GPS-only model in 41mm or the $499 GPS + Cellular version. Just note that if you want the 44mm case size, the price increases to $429 and $529.

Depending on the amount of content you download or sync to your Apple Watch, you could easily run out of space. This is especially true if you have dozens of music playlists to accompany your workouts or podcast episodes that you hope to catch up on at some point.

As with all things in life, capacity is limited. No matter which model you choose, the Apple Watch will warn you when you are running low on remaining capacity. To check your storage status at any time, access the My Watch app on your iPhone and tap General > About.

This app provides a complete breakdown of your storage by showing you the total number of songs, photos, and external applications that are taking up room.

I use my Apple Watch's capacity primarily for audio content, but upgrading to a Series 9 or Ultra 2 might allow me to store more photos and install the best Apple Watch apps.

As for the new Apple Watch lineup, it has many of the same things as the previous generation; same screen resolution, same water resistance, same battery life. So it's nice to see Apple quietly sneaking in another improvement on top of the features we already know about, like increased screen brightness and updated ultrawideband chips.

Will it be enough to convince you to upgrade? To find out, you'll have to read our full comparison of the Apple Watch Series 9 and Apple Watch Ultra 2. But if you like to entertain your ears with podcasts during a phone-free workout, I think you'll be tempted.