APPLE WATCH ULTRA 2: ONE MINUTE REVIEW
The original Apple Timepiece Ultra represented the most radical redesign of a timepiece ever attempted by Apple. It was completely novel, a significant innovation, one that was celebrated, and the finest Apple Watch we had ever seen. The Apple Watch Ultra 2 is also excellent, as it is largely identical to the Apple Watch Ultra.
It has a brighter display (Apple's brightest display ever), but Apple's new S9 SiP processor and watchOS 10 operating system introduce the most significant changes. Similar to the Apple Watch Series 9, the S9 processor enables a variety of new features, such as the remarkable hands-free Double Tap control. This inventive new gesture enables you to begin routines, dismiss alarms, answer phone calls, and more without using your hands.
Other features, including Siri, are no longer required to connect to the cloud, and a couple of modifications to the Depth app round out the modifications. It has also improved its eco-credentials by incorporating recycled materials inside and outside the watch. This ethos is shared by new bands, whose increased emphasis on sustainability inspires new design.
When it comes to the Apple Watch Ultra 2's primary function, which is to be worn in the wilderness and underwater, very little has changed. With watchOS 10, there are no battery life enhancements, new workout features, or navigation enhancements that are not also available on the original Ultra. It's still an incredible Apple Watch—arguably the best in terms of specifications and a strong contender for our guide to the best smartwatches—but it's falling into the same pattern of minor annual enhancements as the standard Apple Watch models.
APPLE WATCH ULTRA 2: PRICE AND AVAILABILITY
- $799 / £799 / AU$1,399
- Only one model
- Available now
The Apple Watch Ultra 2 is immediately available. In comparison to the Apple Watch Series 9, your purchasing voyage is relatively straightforward, whereas the Apple Watch Series 9 comes with a multitude of options (which color? What size? Which group? GPS or mobile phone?) There is only one Apple Watch Ultra 2 model available.
There is only one size, 49mm, and one color, standard titanium, despite rumors that a black or midnight version would be released. It comes standard with LTE cellular connectivity. The only meaningful choice you must make when purchasing it is which band it comes with, which we will discuss in greater detail in the design section below.
If the Watch Ultra 2's price tag of $799, £799, or AU$1,399 is too steep for you, or if you don't need the additional adventure-focused features, you can instead consider the Apple Watch 9 lineup. It is priced similarly to the original Ultra, so there is no significant depreciation of value.
It's an expensive device, but with its premium titanium construction, LTE connectivity, and sophisticated features you won't find outside of the Ultra series, it's not terrible from a value standpoint, costing roughly the same or less than a number of other premium Garmin devices designed for the same types of excursions.
APPLE WATCH ULTRA 2: DESIGN
- Recycled Titanium casing
- 3,000 nit Retina Display screen
- Otherwise identical
Similar to the Series 9, the Apple Watch Ultra 2 is virtually identical to its antecedent at first glance. Both have the same robust titanium body, protruding casing that houses the digital crown and side button, and now-iconic orange action button. The microphone and speaker placement are also identical to the original.
The primary distinctions involve the display and the bands. In the first place, the screen is even more aesthetically pleasing than on the previous model, with a maximum luminosity of 3,000 nits. It has Apple's brightest screen ever, a refresh rate that makes water run off a duck's back, and represents Apple at its absolute pinnacle. Purely from a technical standpoint, this is the most impressive smartwatch display I've ever seen.
This world-beating display is brought to life by a new customizable Ultra-exclusive watch face, which displays the seconds passing around the screen in a very ingenious manner. Moreover, your preferred complications, such as movement rings, a weather indicator, temperature, and compass settings, can be combined and displayed on the watch face.
It's a clever alternative to last year's Wayfinder watch face, and it looks especially fantastic in Night Mode; however, if I had to choose right now, I'd still go with the Wayfinder.
However, that's pretty much all we can say about the software design, as the majority of the present innovations are part of watchOS 10, which is also available on other Apple Watch models. It's unfortunate that watchOS 10 and the Ultra 2's Action button don't offer anything new or thrilling: the button is still programmable and capable of mapping to various functions, but there is no exciting new feature using the button this time.
The same environmentally conscious message that permeated Apple's releases this year motivates the artists. Similar to the original, the Ultra 2 comes with three straps: an Alpine strap with a g-hook closure, a nylon Trail strap, and a fluoroelastomer Ocean band for diving.
I was able to manage the Trail strap, and its design has been modified to have a more rounded, tidy end. Similar to the Series 9's sport loops, the nylon band now contains recycled wool. On the packaging of the Alpine and Trail bands, a circle of green leaves indicates that they are part of Apple's carbon neutral program; this will also be made explicit online. The titanium casing of the watch is also composed of 95% recycled titanium, an impressive figure if nothing else.
APPLE WATCH ULTRA 2: FEATURES
- Last year's excellent adventuring suite
- New Double Tap gesture
- Night Mode switches on automatically
The Apple Watch Ultra 2 retains the same outstanding adventuring features as its predecessor, including advanced GPS tracking, the ability to emit a distress signal by pressing the Action button, resistance to extreme temperatures, and the Oceanic+ app, which transforms the watch into a functional dive computer. If you're interested, we had an actual diving instructor evaluate the Apple Watch Ultra to determine its performance.
The Depth app, which is distinct from Oceanic+ because it is Apple's in-house dive function, now enables easier access to dive recordings on the watch. It also supports free diving, though I'm unlikely to attempt it before completing a thorough review of the watch. The original Ultra's sleek, infrared-looking Night Mode had to be manually activated with the digital crown; now, ambient light sensors beneath the screen activate it automatically.
Regarding other new features, the double-tap gesture is the most notable addition. Although it won't be available until October and I wasn't able to test it on the Apple Watch Ultra 2, I was able to test it on the Apple Watch Series 9, which employs the same chipset and sensor array.
By elevating the watch as if to check the time and pressing your fingertips together twice, you can activate any widget or app that is currently active. If you have a workout installed, for instance, you can begin or complete it. I tried using this feature to answer a phone call, terminate a timer, and browse through the new watchOS 10 module stack, and I found it to be both remarkable and simple to master. This could have easily been a pointless novelty, but Apple has made it a feature you'll likely use every day.
Other novel features include the S9's use of ultra-wideband technology to enhance the Find Devices feature. Using an iPhone 15 equipped with Ultra Wideband, you can determine not only the direction of your phone but also its distance from you in feet. My live demonstration was excellent, but it is currently contingent on your having access to both new devices. Ultra Wideband can also be used to control audio on your adjacent Apple HomePod, which is useful, but this is not a watch for lounging around the house. This is an outdoor watch, and I would have wanted to see a bit more innovation.
With so many exceptional features from last year's Ultra and previous Apple Watches, it's difficult to criticize an Apple Watch for being "more of the same."
APPLE WATCH ULTRA 2: PERFORMANCE
- Battery performs as expected
- Brighter screen a pleasure
- Accurate and fast GPS
Since publishing my Ultra 2 hands-on review, which was based on only a few hours of use, I've put it through its paces by wearing it on multiple runs, during strength training workouts, while sleeping, and otherwise putting it through its paces while paired with an iPhone 13 running iOS 17. As I did in my review of the Apple Watch Series 9, I won't delve too deeply into the watchOS 10 changes, except to say that I'm a little disappointed that the Action button hasn't been given a new function.
Instead, I'd like to highlight what the watch does well, which is virtually everything you ask of it. It is larger, more durable, and has a longer lifespan than the standard Apple Watch. If it weren't for the size and weight of the watch, I'd say that sleep monitoring is a viable option, but not everyone will want to wear this monstrosity while sleeping. It monitors my sleep adequately and provides an accurate summary of my sleep trends, but it does not convert this data into actionable advice like Fitbit and Garmin devices do with their readiness scores.
Activity monitoring is a genuine delight. Automatically logged on my activity and movement rings are brisk treks, and the rings themselves make it simple to see at a glance whether I've met my daily activity objectives. The Apple Watch's workout modes can be configured so that you can start a workout with the Action button, which is great for runners and skiers wearing gloves or anyone with sweaty hands that aren't conducive to using a touchscreen, but for me, the real joy is using the Strength Training workout profiles to create custom workouts with rest and work segments.
With the Action button, you can alternate between segments without cleaning your touchscreen with damp digits. This is the first fitness-oriented smartwatch I've worn; with others, strength training is an afterthought.
The watch retains last year's more accurate GPS and watchOS 9's running battery innovation, making running a delight. The ambient light sensor automatically transitioning to Night Mode, a change from last year, is particularly effective for preventing eye strain during winter evening jogs. The brighter screen is also a pleasant feature, although I've never needed more than 2,000 nits from a watch to see it clearly, even in direct sunlight.
The battery life is as advertised, lasting 36 hours or even longer, with a 45-minute run included. It'll be a delight to use if you're transitioning from a standard Apple watch, but a two-day charge is a stark contrast to some of the sportier Garmins, with which the Ultra shares so much genetic material. The battery life is still insufficient for multi-day camping or trail events, unless the watch is set to low-power mode.
The main improvements made possible by the S9 chip are the Double Tap and the new Find Devices function. I tried them out in Apple's facilities, but at the time of this writing, they're not accessible for use; they'll be available on the Watch Ultra 2 and Apple Watch 9 later this year. The enhanced Find Devices feature utilizing the Ultra Wideband frequency is incredibly accurate and user-friendly, and although it's currently only compatible with the iPhone 15 series, it feels futuristic.
Double Tap, on the other hand, has the potential to alter the way you currently use your Apple Watch daily. This straightforward gesture will be very useful if you're in a situation where you don't want to contact your watch, such as when you're cooking, working out at the gym, or even skiing. Similar to the action buttons, the multiple applications of this feature (it activates whatever the primary action is on whatever complication you have open) make it extremely useful, and my initial experiments revealed that it was quick and responsive.