The Apple Watch’s biggest changes typically involve new health tracking capabilities, like the temperature sensor in last year’s Series 8. But something different happened in 2023. The Apple Watch Series 9’s headlining new feature didn’t have anything to do with health at all.
Instead, Apple debuted a new way to interact with the watch through a gesture called Double Tap, which arrived on the company’s new watches through a software update on Oct. 25. Simply tap your index finger and thumb together twice, and you’ll be able to dismiss notifications, answer calls and summon your widget stack. The gesture essentially adds an invisible button to your Apple Watch.
At face value, Double Tap may not seem like a monumental change. But when you take into account other additions Apple has made in recent years, like the Apple Watch Ultra’s Action button and WatchOS 10’s widgets, it’s clear the company has been rethinking what it means to interact with the Apple Watch. The first Apple Watch went on sale more than eight years ago, and in that time, Apple has learned a lot about the difference between how a mini computer that sits on your wrist should behave compared with a larger one that fits in your pocket.
I’ve been using Double Tap since it arrived on the Series 9, and I’m starting to understand the promise behind it. The less you have to rely on touch-based interactions like tapping, typing and scrolling, the easier it should be to use the Apple Watch’s tiny screen. However, the version of Double Tap that exists today feels like a starting point. Using it for several days, and previewing it back in September when I reviewed the Series 9, left me wanting more customization options and other improvements.
Watch this: Apple Watch Series 9 Review: A Slightly More Convenient Watch
Double Tap isn’t meant to replace primary gestures like tapping…
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