Apple Watch Series 9 and Apple Watch Ultra 2 were launched by the company alongside the iPhone 15 series of smartphones at the company’s September launch event on Tuesday. While Apple’ did not introduce major improvements related to health measurement this year, the company teased support for a new Double Tap gesture that will allow users to perform certain actions on the latest smartwatch models. These include stopping timer, snoozing an alarm, or pausing music. However, you can also use the same gesture on some Samsung Galaxy Watch and Apple Watch models.
Both Apple and Samsung offer different features that allow users to use a few hand gestures to perform certain tasks. It is called Universal Gestures on compatible Galaxy Watch models, as 9to5Google points out, while on an Apple Watch, the feature is called AssistiveTouch. Both features can be used on recent smartwatch models from the two companies, and require the use of updated software for the wearables.
You can use these finger and wrist-based gestures on any Apple Watch that is running Watch OS 8 — which means it will work on the Apple Watch Series 4 and newer models, as well as the first-generation Apple Watch SE. You can open the Settings app on your Apple Watch and tap on Accessibility > AssistiveTouch > Hand Gestures. You can then select from four options: Clench, Double Clench, Pinch, Double Pinch and customise the actions that will be performed when using these gestures.
Similarly, if you have any smartwatch launched as part of the following series: Samsung Galaxy Watch 6, Galaxy Watch 5, and Galaxy Watch 4, you will have access to the Universal Gestures feature. You can visit the settings section on your Galaxy Watch that is running One UI Watch 5 and tap on Accessibility > Interaction and dexterity > Universal gestures. Once the feature is enabled, you can choose from pinch and double pinch gestures, making a fist and making a fist twice, to perform certain tasks. You can also shake your writs to enable the universal gestures feature.
Apple Watch owners can further customise the actions to perform tasks like launching Siri, Apple Pay, showing all installed apps, switching to the previous app, and even holding the side button which can be used to turn off the watch. We will learn more about how the new Double Tap gesture works with the existing accessibility features on the new Apple Watch Series 9 and Apple Watch Ultra 2 models when the devices are available to consumers later this month.