watchOS 9 will arrive on September 12th

Just before the new generation of Apple Watches (including the fancy Apple Watch Ultra) arrives later this month, current smartwatch owners will be able to upgrade to watchOS 9. Apple says it will roll out the operating system on September 12th, the same day that iOS 16 will arrive.

You'll need an iPhone 8 or later or second-gen iPhone SE or later running iOS to install watchOS 9. Apple Watch Series 3 owners will miss out on the upgrade, which is compatible with Series 4 and later devices. It's worth noting that not all of the watchOS 9 features will be available on every Apple Watch and in every region. 

There are notable upgrades to the fitness features, including heart rate zones for sleep and workouts, multisport workouts and a way to monitor your personal best performances. You'll be able to track atrial fibrillation events and receive alerts when it's time to take medication. Other new features include a new-look Siri, a revamped Calendar app, Quick Actions gestures and more watch screens. 

Meanwhile, we've already had a chance to go hands-on with the Apple Watch Ultra. You can check out our first impressions now.

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