Image: Apple · source
Apple Watch Ultra
A rugged titanium watch built for endurance and diving.
Overview
Ultra was Apple's first watch aimed squarely at extreme sports. The 49 mm titanium case, raised bezel and flat sapphire front protected the display, and a customisable Action Button gave quick access to workouts, stopwatch or a dive profile without touching the screen.
The screen reached 2,000 nits, the brightest Apple had ever made, and a new night mode turned the face red for low-light use. Dual-frequency L1 and L5 GPS improved accuracy among tall buildings and canyons, while three microphones and an 86 dB siren helped with calls and emergency signalling.
Water resistance rose to 100 metres with certification for recreational diving to 40 metres, and the Oceanic+ app added dive planning. Battery life extended to 36 hours, or 60 hours in a low power mode that came a little later.
Why it mattered
Opened a new premium rugged tier of Apple Watch and rivalled dedicated outdoor GPS watches.
At a glance
- Announced
- September 7, 2022
- Released
- September 23, 2022
- Discontinued
- September 12, 2023
- Launch price
- $799
- Chip / processor
- Apple S8
- Display
- 1.92"
- Storage
- 32GB
- Status
- Discontinued
Highlights
- 49 mm titanium case with flat sapphire
- Customisable Action Button
- 2,000-nit display
- Up to 36 hours battery
- Dual-frequency GPS and 86 dB siren
Tech specs
Specifications as published at launch. Some values (like battery life) are manufacturer estimates.
Display
- Case sizes
- 49 mm
- Type
- Always-On LTPO OLED Retina, flat sapphire
- Brightness
- 2,000 nits
- Resolution
- 410 x 502
Chip
- Chip
- Apple S8 64-bit dual-core, U1 Ultra Wideband chip
Memory
- Storage
- 32GB
Health
- Sensors
- Temperature sensors, blood oxygen, ECG, optical heart sensor, depth gauge, water temperature sensor, compass, always-on altimeter, high-g accelerometer
Battery
- Battery life
- Up to 36 hours (60 hours in Low Power Mode)
Connectivity
- Cellular
- LTE and UMTS with eSIM (all models)
- Wi-Fi
- Wi-Fi 802.11b/g/n (2.4 and 5 GHz)
- Bluetooth
- Bluetooth 5.3
- GPS
- Precision dual-frequency GPS (L1 and L5)
Design
- Materials
- Titanium case, flat sapphire crystal
- Water resistance
- 100 metres; EN 13319 diving to 40 metres
- Dimensions
- 49 x 44 x 14.4 mm
- Weight
- 61.3 g
- Durability
- MIL-STD 810H tested
Audio
- Speaker
- Three microphones, 86 dB siren
Software
- Launch OS
- watchOS 9
How it compares
More in the Apple Watch Ultra family
Apple Watch Ultra 2
The brightest Apple Watch yet with a faster chip and Double Tap.
Apple Watch Ultra 3
Satellite messaging and a larger display on the rugged watch.
Apple Watch Ultra 4
The rugged watch moves to S11 with a 50-hour battery.