The Apple Watch Ultra will be available from Friday, September 23rd. In advance, selected media and YouTube channels have already published initial reviews of Apple's high-end watch.
Inspired by the “most extreme activities” like climbing and diving, the Apple Watch Ultra features a rugged design with a 49mm titanium case, a larger display with a flat sapphire crystal cover, new bands designed for outdoor use, water resistance up to 100 meters, a customizable bright orange “Action” button, up to 60 hours of battery life with a power saving feature, and more. Victoria Song of The Verge has her overall impression as follows: described:
The Apple Watch Ultra is big, a bit clunky, and offers a lot of features the average person doesn't need on a daily basis. And at $799, it's the most expensive watch in the current Apple Watch lineup (excluding the Hermès edition). After a week of testing, I don't think it's going to displace the Garmin, Polar, or Coros watches for Ironman, thru-hike, or deep-sea divers—at least not yet. But it's really good for weekend warriors and advanced athletes—and very tempting for people who aspire to that status, and for a whole lot of people who just want the biggest Apple Watch they can get.
Apple Watch Ultra battery life: Testers exceed Apple's specifications
Song tested the Apple Watch Ultra for a week and found that it regularly exceeded the stated battery life of 36 hours in standard mode. surpasses:
Last weekend, I charged the Ultra to 100 percent. Then I hiked for two hours and 15 minutes, made extensive use of the compass and GPS, and tracked my sleep at night. When I woke up the next morning, I still had 50 percent of battery left. Another day, I did a 30-minute GPS run and another 20-minute rowing workout. I also made a quick phone call to the watch and ended the day with 84 percent battery. Nilay, our editor in chief, managed 56 hours on a single charge and still had 14 percent left. Since he was mostly at home, he didn't use cell data or GPS. That should give you an idea of what you're getting if you need a few rest days or aren't interested in the Ultra's fitness features.
Lexy Savvides of CNET wrote about the prices compared to the Series 8 and Garmin's smartwatches:
Considering the 45mm stainless steel Apple Watch Series 8 costs almost the same at $749, I think the Ultra is a better value overall because you get extra hardware features like the action button (which I really appreciate), extra microphones to improve call quality, and more. It's also priced competitively with other sports watches that have similar titanium construction and OLED screens, like the $999 Garmin Epix 2. The Apple Watch Ultra's battery doesn't last as long, though, and it doesn't have nearly as many navigation features as the Epix 2. But it's easier to use, has cardiac features like an ECG app, cellular connectivity, and seamless integration with the iPhone. If you're looking for a true hybrid smartwatch and sports watch, the Ultra is the way to go.
Nicole Nguyen of the Wall Street Journal saidthat the Apple Watch Ultra is an "exciting update" but "not a Garmin killer" because it lacks features such as recovery data. Overall, the Apple Watch Ultra seems to be extremely robust, but is not suitable for every user. The new smartwatch will be available from Apple from Friday, September 23rd, for around 999 euros - Apple Watch Ultra at iJustine in video! (Image: Apple)
