Apple Watch Ultra Review: Design and Build Quality (2024)

FAQs

Is the Apple Ultra watch worth buying? ›

So, this is a considerable advantage over other Apple Watches. So, coming back to the question: Is Apple Watch Ultra 2 worth buying in India at Rs 89,900? If you have money, absolutely. It's the most premium watch experience you can get right now, regardless of what your priority is.

Apple Watch Ultra review: a big, exciting, overwhelming success. “The Apple Watch Ultra's expertly made special features give it surprisingly wide appeal, with the long battery life and characterful, luxurious design making it a fantastic choice even for those not planning any daring adventures.”

That's harder to tell because much of what sets the Ultra apart from the regular Series watches are its exclusive fitness and outdoorsy features. Things like dual-frequency GPS, the Action Button, an extra water temperature sensor, diving capabilities, and the siren.

When you start a swimming workout, your Apple Watch Ultra automatically locks the screen with Water Lock to avoid accidental taps.

Apple Watch Ultra Has Some Drawbacks

The main drawback of the Ultra is the problem with navigation (1). To fix it, you have to install the Footpath app. “This is still a little more clunky than using navigation on Garmin, but it does help make the Apple Watch Ultra finally feel like an actual sports watch.”

While the device might keep working and can still be paired to an iPhone after Apple ends support, a lack of updates makes it a security risk. That means the end of life should really be thought of as three to five years, even if the Apple Watch is in perfect condition.

Apple Watch Ultra and later have a water-resistance rating of 100 meters under ISO standard 22810:2010 and is EN13319-compliant. Apple Watch Series 7 and later are rated IP6X dust resistant.

​ The discontinuation is a response to a ruling by the U.S. International Trade Commission, which found that Apple's blood oxygen feature infringed on the patent rights of medical technology company Masimo.

Apple supply chain analyst Ming-Chi Kuo had previously indicated that the chances of an Apple Watch Ultra refresh in 2024 were dwindling. However, Kuo now reveals that the Apple Watch Ultra 3 is indeed on its way, with minimal hardware changes from the current model.

The Apple Watch Ultra 2 will be released on September 22, 2023. It was made available to pre-order from September 12, 2023, but the actual release is on the 22nd. It's priced at $799 / £799 / AU$1,399, which is the same as the previous model in the US, is £50 cheaper in the UK, and AU$170 more expensive in Australia.

Can you text on an Apple Watch Ultra? ›

Create a message on Apple Watch Ultra

at the top of the screen. Tap Add Contact, tap a contact in the list of recent conversations that appears, or choose an option: Tap. to search for someone in your contacts or to dictate a phone number.

With Apple Watch Ultra, you can also participate in high-speed water sports and recreational scuba diving up to 40 metres. Apple Watch Series 1 and Apple Watch (1st generation) have a water-resistance rating of IPX7 under IEC standard 60529.

If you forget to turn on Water Lock before going into the water, the water resistance of your Apple Watch doesn't change (just your ability to interact with the screen). You can clear the water from the speakers by manually turning Water Lock on and off once you're out of the water.

You should avoid diving with your Apple Watch Ultra if it has visible cracks on the front display or back crystal. Cracks in the display or crystal can allow water to enter and damage your watch, especially if it's subjected to high water pressure.

The Apple Watch Ultra 2 is our favorite rugged smartwatch. And, the Apple Watch SE (2nd Gen) is one of the best sports watches on the market. We'd buy all of three of these before dipping into the back catalog of Apple Watch Series 8 or earlier.

With a similar overall feature set, including Double Tap and on-device Siri, the main differences between the Apple Watch Series 9 and Ultra 2 comes down to size, price and battery life. The Series 9 is less expensive, has a slimmer design and two size options compared to the Ultra 2.

The Apple Ultra Watch 2 is our go-to recommendation for fitness enthusiasts seeking prolonged battery life and robust connectivity features in an Apple Watch. It's elevated by the user-friendly Apple Health app, which efficiently organizes exercise, sleep, and daily heart rate data.

Pure titanium (not titanium "coated") metal is considerably more expensive and is probably one of the main reasons why the Apple Watch Ultra is so much pricier. The size of the case is also larger at 49mm (compared to 41mm-45mm for the Series 8) so it looks more substantial on your wrist.