Oh, look, it's a new Apple Watch Ultra! But… wait a minute. It looks the same, it feels the same, it even has 95% of the same features as the previous Apple Watch Ultra, so what's even new here? At the same time, we didn't even get the highly rumored Black Titanium color option that would have boosted the available Apple Watch Ultra colors by no less than 100%.
It seems that with the Apple Watch Ultra lineup, Apple has once again committed to yearly updates. Such often refreshments of the lineup surely keep things fresh in the minds of all potential buyers, but don't necessarily mean that we can get sensible upgrades every year.
The Apple Watch Ultra 2 is not very different from the original Apple Watch Ultra. One might say that's actually par for the course with the Apple Watch device family, as the lineup has been synonymous with incremental upgrades lately.
So, is the Apple Watch Ultra 2 worth it in comparison with the previous model, and should those who've skipped the first one actually consider the second device?
Let's tear the band-aid right from the get-go: if you've purchased the Apple Watch Ultra, then you surely would find little reason to splurge on the second-gen Apple Watch Ultra. The differences are minimal, so don't feel pressured to upgrade.
Okay, you might accuse us of simply copying and pasting the Apple Watch Ultra specs in the specs table for the Apple Watch Ultra 2 right below, but in our defense, the two are mostly identical. Aside from the faster Apple S9 chipset as well as the new darker color option, don't expect the Apple Watch Ultra 2 to be anything radically different from its predecessor, which is still a mighty fine smartwatch.
The Apple Watch Ultra 2 remains water-resistant up to 100M, or 10ATM, which means that the most capable recreational divers out there will be able to make good use of the wearable underwater.
Just like the first Apple Watch Ultra, the second generation is available in a single 49mm size. That's larger than your regular Apple Watch and only fits larger wrists; it certainly looks out of place on thinner wrists.
Image Credit - PhoneArena
An important new feature is the new and improved screen of the device. Yes, the display of the Apple Watch Ultra 2 is now much, much brighter than before. While the Apple Watch Ultra had a display capable of 2,000 nits of maximum brightness, the Apple Watch Ultra 2 can seemingly hit 3,000 nits of brightness. This makes it perfectly legible in just about any environment, even under the bright noon sun.
However, don't expect that you can head to the Settings app on your watch and manually boost the brightness to the eye-scorching 3,000-nit potential brightness. It doesn't really work that way: the feature kicks in automatically when it detects you're in strong ambient lighting conditions, even if you've manually set the brightness to a lower setting. This boosts legibility depending on your surroundings.
Apple Watch Ultra 2 Bands
New colorways
Changing the Apple Watch Ultra 2 bands requires just a gentle button press (Image Credit - PhoneArena)
We got a slight refresh of the existing watch bands with the Apple Watch Ultra 2. The three special Apple Watch Ultra watch bands that were announced last year are now available in different colors. This makes the design more interesting.
In particular, the durable Alpine Loop is now available in blue, indigo, and olive hues, while the ultra-light Trail Loop comes in orange/beige, green/gray, and blue/black color combinations that will surely look as classy as it gets. Meanwhile, the ocean band is now available in blue and orange, completing the Apple Watch Ultra 2 watch band refresh.
Of course, you're free to use whatever watch band with the Apple Watch, as long as it's listed as compatible with Apple's 44mm, 45mm, and 49mm smartwatches. Watch bands intended for the smaller 38mm, 40mm, and 41mm Apple Watches aren't compatible with the new Apple Watch Ultra 2.
Apple Watch Ultra 2 Hardware, Software & Features
Apple WatchOS 10 is a great leap forward
New on the Apple Watch Ultra 2 is the new Apple S9 SiP, which not only delivers a system-wide performance boost across the board, but also allows for new features and functionalities.
WatchOS 10, which comes preloaded on the Apple Watch Ultra 2, is a radical redesign of the Apple Watch software and significantly alters how you interact with the device. There's now a so-called Smart Stack of widgets that expand the information you can access at a glance.
There's a new app library arrangement that makes a bit more sense than the chaotic grid of old. There's also a host of new watch faces. With widget support, new interface layout, and tons of other features, watchOS 10 finally shakes up the existing state of affairs and brings excitement to the Apple Watch.
Image Credit - PhoneArena
Recreational scuba diving is supported up to 40 meters, which is already well beyond the capabilities of most people. Diving, the exclusive dive computer functionality is making a comeback, and it will now keep your dive logs.
Speaking of watch faces, Apple has come up with a new and rather functional watch face for the Apple Watch Ultra 2. Dubbed Modular Ultra, it makes good use оf the large display by displaying real-time data, like seconds, altitude, or depth, as well as up to 6tg customizable complications, the most of any Apple Watch Ultra watch face.
Other minor new features include a redesigned topographic that shows specific trail details like points of interest, trailheads, elevation and contour lines. The essential Compass app has also gotten some well-deserved love and will be displaying your current elevation in real time as well as a virtual 3D view of the waypoints and your custom orientation points. Finally, an update to the cycling functionality will be able to measure up your cadence, speed, and power once you pair a compatible Bluetooth accessory.
When it comes to the regular roster of health and wellness features, the Apple Watch Ultra 2 comes along with all the basics you've come to expect, like heart rate monitoring, ECG, and blood oxygen. Surely, it lacks some fun features like the Galaxy Watch 6 Classic's BioActive sensor that measures your body composition, but honestly, nobody has probably used this feature more than once.
You can now employ precision finding to locate your iPhone with the Apple Watch Ultra 2 thanks to the new ultra-wideband chip on board. The smartwatch will be providing visual, haptic, and audio guidance to your “misplaced iPhone”, as Apple puts it. Overall, a decent quality-of-life improvement.The new Double Tap feature of the Apple Watch Ultra 2 and Watch Series 9 series gives you yet another way of interacting with your watch. You can control the main feature of any app on your Apple Watch Ultra with a single improvised tap of your index finger against your thumb twice. Answering calls, accessing the widget Smart Stack, taking photos with the Camera Remote app, and many others are just a double tap away, which might come as especially useful when your other hand is busy.
The Apple Watch is likely one of the better consumer-grade sleep trackers available, however, not without its flaws. While the measurements are surely accurate, the philosophy behind the Apple Watch requires the user to have the Sleep Mode enabled. Still, unlike the Galaxy Watch 6 Classic, the Watch Ultra 2 can't automatically detect that you're having a mid-day nap, for example, which is a shortcoming worth mentioning.
What's more, some might find it a bit awkward to sleep with this large and bulky smartwatch on. While the size of the smartwatch didn't feel particularly cumbersome to me during sleep, many will likely find it weird to wear it while they catch some zzz's. I much prefer the smaller Apple Watches when it comes to sleep tracking and uninterrupted wear.
Image Credit - PhoneArena
Apple Watch Ultra 2 Battery and Charging
Some changes, but actually no changes
Despite the zero differences in terms of overall design, the Apple Watch Ultra 2 comes with a slightly bigger 564mAh battery in comparison with the 542mAh one on the first Apple Watch Ultra. Naturally, this ever-so-slight increase can't really have a noticeable effect on the battery life of the smartwatch, so it still comes with the same awesome battery life as its predecessor.
With a more sparing use without taking it off, I can reach three full days of battery, which involves many time checks, but not so many notifications, some message responses, and sleep tracking, as well as some walkie-talkie action. For example, inspecting the Apple Watch Ultra 2's battery stats, it says I've last charged it to 67% around 5pm last Saturday, and by Monday noon, the device is in the single digits of battery life.
So, I'm completely satisfied with anything past the standard one-day battery life that most regular smartwatches provide. Charging the Apple Watch Ultra 2 every other day is a perfectly viable strategy.
Speaking of charging, the Apple Watch Ultra 2 charges just as fast (or just as slow) as its predecessor, so expect a full top-up to take around 90 minutes. While that's certainly too long, a perfectly usable 80% charge can be achieved in roughly an hour, which is a more realistic everyday scenario.
Apple Watch Ultra 2 Models and Prices
Similarly to the first device, the Apple Watch Ultra 2 is only available in a single 49mm version that starts at $799. The Apple Watch Series 9, on the other hand, offers some additional models that you might be tempted to pick from, which could ultimately be better value than this here super-premium Apple Watch. I mean, titanium and sapphire are nice, but regular Apple Watch devices are wonderful as well, you just need to charge them more often.Apple Watch Ultra 2 Competitors
Truthfully, the biggest rival of the 2 Apple Watch Ultra ironically came from the same ZIP code: the Apple Watch Ultra, Apple Watch Series 9, and Apple Watch Series 8, and even most previous Apple wearables are all more than adept alternatives that can run watchOS 10 and share most health-centric and other functionalities. Samsung's line of Galaxy Watch 6 devices, like the newly released Galaxy Watch 6 and Galaxy Watch 6 Classic, are also more than excellent alternatives, though they only work with Galaxy devices and don't play well with iPhones. In fact, they don't play at all, but the same applies to the Apple Watch Ultra lineup, which can't be paired up with an Android device. Apple Watch Ultra 2 Summary and Final Verdict
To be honest, the Apple Watch Ultra didn't feel stale or outdated, so the Apple Watch Ultra 2 is likely aimed at those who decided to skip the first generation due to one reason or another.
It doesn't seem like people who got the first Apple Watch Ultra will be in any way tempted to get the Apple Watch Ultra 2. Quite the contrary: it's still one of the better wearables you might consider. Frankly, Apple could have waited a year or two and come up with a follow-up to the wearable that boasts more upgrades, both on the software and the hardware level. It seems the Apple Watch Ultra is now an annual refresh.
The slow but steady evolution means the Apple Watch Ultra 2 is stealthily better than its predecessor in more ways than meet the eye, for sure. With better responsiveness, a much brighter screen that surely makes a difference in direct sunlight, and finally, slightly better battery life make the Apple Watch Ultra 2 an important second chapter in the Apple Watch Ultra book.
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