Everything you need to know about the Apple Watch Ultra
“Made for exploration, adventure, and endurance.”
The new high-end Apple Watch is larger and more durable than the standard Apple Watch Series 8, which was also announced at the event, with features made for scuba divers, outdoor adventurers, and endurance athletes like marathon and triathlon runners. Unlike past Apple Watches, which have robust fitness features but are primarily “lifestyle” watches for all kinds of people, the Apple Watch Ultra is a more niche “outdoor” watch for people who want specialized support. And with a much higher price—$799, versus $399 for the GPS-enabled Series 8—it’s the kind of gear that you should learn a little more about before picking one up. We’ll eventually have a full review of the Apple Watch Ultra, but here’s an early look at the advanced tech inside.
Bigger and tougher The Apple Watch Ultra is bigger and more durable than the Apple Watch Series 8.
Apple Watch Ultra is big. While the difference between the 45mm chassis of the Watch Series 8 and the 49mm Watch Ultra may not sound substantial, it should feel positively huge to standard Apple Watch users. Keep in mind: Apple expanded the case size by 1mm with the Watch Series 7, and that made a very noticeable difference.
It’ll also have a much thicker chassis to incorporate new components, including a larger, louder speaker and a three-microphone array to improve voice clarity when making calls on the watch in less-than-ideal conditions. The Watch Ultra only comes in one hardware configuration, which includes cellular connectivity, so the expectation is that people will want to use the Watch Ultra to make calls at any time.
Presumably, the larger case also allowed Apple to give the Watch Ultra a bigger battery, which it estimates will last up to 36 hours on a single charge, or up to 60 hours with a low-power feature (available later in the fall).
The Apple Watch Ultra has a new "Action" button and a redesigned Digital Crown.
The redesigned watch will also feature some design tweaks for the sake of durability, and usability in extreme conditions. The titanium case extends up to cover the edges of the sapphire crystal display to minimize cracked edges. The Watch Ultra is rated to operate on-wrist at temperatures as low as minus 4 degrees Fahrenheit, or as high as 131 F. It’s also IPX6 and MIL-STD-810H certified—a military-grade durability rating used for many “rugged” tech products—indicating it's prepared for some conditions, including rain, humidity, immersion in sand and dust, freezing, shock, and vibration, among others.