{"id":790254,"date":"2022-09-07T11:32:32","date_gmt":"2022-09-07T18:32:32","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.cultofmac.com\/?p=790254"},"modified":"2022-09-07T14:18:11","modified_gmt":"2022-09-07T21:18:11","slug":"apple-watch-ultra-launch","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.cultofmac.com\/news\/apple-watch-ultra-launch","title":{"rendered":"Apple Watch Ultra is a big, bulky, beautiful beast"},"content":{"rendered":"

Apple took the wraps off Apple Watch Ultra — describing the sports-oriented smartwatch as the most rugged and capable Apple Watch yet — during Wednesday’s Far Out event<\/a>. Big, bulky and beautiful, it delivered on everything the rumor mill predicted and more.<\/p>\n

Apple Watch Ultra is huge, with a bulky exterior, chunky buttons and a massive display. It boasts a tougher case, designed to withstand knocks from extreme sports, and a battery that can last the distance for endurance races. It features a new Depth Gauge app for scuba and free divers, improved GPS for running and cycling, a redesigned compass app for exploring, and even an 86-decibel siren to let people know if you get lost. Like the new Apple Watch Series 8 models<\/a>, the Ultra comes with a temperature sensor.<\/p>\n

Retailing at $799, Apple Watch Ultra is the Apple Watch that hardcore fitness fans have long been craving. But will its quirky, uncompromising looks catch on with mainstream audiences? Or is the Ultra destined to occupy a niche in the lineup?<\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

Apple Watch Ultra:\u00a0The screen is big. Really big.<\/h2>\n

Measuring 49mm in height, the Ultra is a whopping 4mm taller than the largest Series 7. It boasts the largest watch screen Apple has ever made. And thanks to its flat surface and narrow bezels, it looks even bigger still. It\u2019s also brighter, at up to 2,000 nits, compared to 1,000 nits in the Series 7, so viewing it in direct sunlight shouldn’t be a problem. That makes it ideal for outdoor sports like triathlon, where you\u2019re constantly in motion and can\u2019t see the screen clearly.<\/p>\n

Improved GPS route mapping<\/h3>\n

The Ultra feature I’m most excited about is the improved GPS accuracy. This is an issue I’ve written about extensively before<\/a>. While it’s improved over the years, the route maps I get from Apple Watch still look less accurate than those I get from specialist sports watches. One possible issue is “concrete canyon syndrome.” When running through a city center, skyscrapers can attenuate GPS signals. The Ultra addresses this with new dual-frequency L1+L5 GPS.<\/p>\n

Bristling with buttons<\/h3>\n
\"The
The new Action Button is bright orange.
Photo: Apple<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Apple Watch Pro boasts an extra button \u2014 the bright orange Action button. The button layout has never changed on Apple Watch before. So this addition came as a surprise to many, but not Cult of Mac<\/em>. I predicted it<\/a> in a story way back in June.<\/p>\n

The advantage of more buttons is that you can operate the watch without using the touchscreen. This means you don’t need to raise your wrist or look down while you\u2019re running, which can be dangerous.<\/p>\n

The customizable Action button performs different functions in different apps. In the Workout app, you can use it to start workouts or mark segments. In the Compass app, you can mark waypoints.<\/p>\n

On the right side of the watch, the Digital Crown and side button now come with a hump to provide extra protection from unwanted input and damage while you\u2019re exercising. All the controls are bigger and chunkier, so they’re easy to use with gloves.<\/p>\n

More rugged aerospace gray titanium case<\/h3>\n

Unlike other Apple Watch models, the Pro only comes in one finish: aerospace gray titanium. But this is not the same as the Series 7 titanium model. This is a specially developed titanium alloy designed for enhanced durability.<\/p>\n

Better battery life<\/h3>\n

Apple is making good use of the extra space inside Apple Watch Ultra by jamming in the largest battery ever, with an impressive 60-hour life on low power setting, and 36 hours during normal use.<\/p>\n

Logging workouts drains the battery much faster because it involves continuous heart rate monitoring and GPS.\u00a0As I explained last week<\/a>, the extra battery life will be a boon to fans of endurance sports. A marathon can take up to six hours to complete. Ironman Triathlons take even longer.<\/p>\n

The battery in previous Apple Watches just wasn\u2019t big enough for a serious fitness watch. Apple claims the Ultra has enough juice to complete a marathon, but didn’t specify exactly how long the battery will last while logging a workout with GPS and heart rate monitoring enabled.<\/p>\n

Strapping new band designs<\/h3>\n

Apple Watch Ultra comes with one of three unique bands, designed specifically for extreme sports.<\/p>\n