Today, Apple unveiled the Apple Watch Ultra, an entirely new category of Apple Watch for explorers.
The new Apple Watch comes in a unique design that extreme activities inspired. As a result, it offers several features focused on exploration, adventure, and endurance.
These include a slightly larger 49mm aerospace grey titanium case and a flat sapphire crystal, making it the most rugged Apple Watch yet. At the center of the display, you’ll find the biggest and brightest Retina display on an Apple Watch, reaching up to 2,000 nits.
The device also promises up to 36 hours of battery life during everyday use — the best battery life of any Apple Watch. Besides, users can boost the battery life to 60 hours using a new optimization setting coming to WatchOS later this fall.
In other words, Apple created the new Apple Watch category for users looking to explore remote and extreme conditions. With that said, the Ultra model is not just a rugged watch; it also offers several capabilities.
Apple Watch’s chief operating officer, Jeff Williams, noted:
“Inspired by explorers and athletes from around the world, we created an entirely new category of Apple Watch designed for new and extreme environments — it’s the most rugged and capable Apple Watch yet.”
Here are some features of the new Apple Watch Ultra.
An Exclusive Apple Watch Ultra Watch Face
Apple designed the Wayfinder watch face specifically for Apple Watch Ultra’s larger display.
As the most technical watch face yet, Wayfinder offers several critical pieces of information and up to eight complications. There’s also a customizable compass built into the dial.
With the Wayfinder watch face, you can turn the Apple Watch Ultra’s digital crown to make the interface red for better visibility in the dark. That way, users can conveniently optimize their watch for evening conditions using the night mode.
A More Precise GPS
The Apple Watch Ultra comes with a new precision dual-frequency GPS solution that offers both L1 and L5 GPS frequencies. The new hardware uses custom positioning algorithms to deliver a more accurate GPS in dense urban conditions.
A New Temperature Sensor
The Apple Watch Ultra includes all the capabilities of the Apple Watch Series 7. These include the Blood Oxygen app, heart rate monitoring, and ECG.
However, it now comes with a new temperature-sensing feature for more insight into women’s health. For instance, it can help provide retrospective ovulation estimates and improve period prediction for women.
Other Features include a new customizable Action button and an Oceanic+ app exclusively for Apple Watch Ultra.
New Bands for the Apple Watch Ultra
Apple created three new bands for the Apple Watch Ultra — the Trail Loop, the Alpine Loop, and the Ocean Band.
The Trail Loop is a lightweight woven textile that Apple described as its thinnest Apple Watch to date. On the other hand, the Ocean Band is molded from a flexible fluoroelastomer and is ideal for extreme water sports and recreational diving.
Pricing and Availability
The Apple Watch Ultra costs $799. Users in more than 40 countries and regions can order the new smartwatch today. However, it will be available in stores beginning Friday, September 23.
