Apple Watch Ultra 4 with S11 chip and Audio Intelligence is here
Apple today unveiled the Apple Watch Ultra 4, which features a new S11 chip, a redesigned health sensor system, and a larger battery that Apple says provides two days of battery life.
Thanks to improved energy efficiency, the Apple Watch Ultra 4 offers up to 18 hours of workout recording with full GPS and heart rate monitoring, or 45 hours in maximum enhanced workout mode.
Apple Watch Ultra 4 with new health sensor system
The redesigned health sensor system features a larger electrode surface for improved skin contact during ECG measurements, ring-shaped photodiodes for more efficient light detection, and larger, more energy-efficient green LEDs for heart rate measurement.
More frequent heart rate readings are displayed in an updated heart rate app and new complications on the watch face. According to Apple, the system offers the most accurate heart rate measurement of any wearable. The company cites a study with hundreds of participants who ran, cycled, and performed HIIT workouts. An ECG chest strap served as the reference.
Readiness
The Apple Watch Ultra 4 also debuts a new feature called “Readiness,” which analyzes recent activity, vital signs, and sleep every morning. It then calculates a score that indicates whether users should recover, slow down, or increase their activity levels.
Apple has revamped the Health app, now offering personalized recommendations using Apple Intelligence. The new “Health Age” feature combines Apple Watch metrics like VO2 max and sleep with blood test results to compare users’ health indicators to their chronological age. The “Longevity” tab brings together insights into sleep, exercise, heart health, and other areas.
Apple states that users can now manually enter lab results or sync their medical data with the new Health app. In the US, Apple is also offering a Quest blood profile with over 50 biomarkers for $119. A new VO2 max test uses the iPhone camera along with the Apple Watch to analyze users’ performance during various exercises. Apple promises instant results. The redesigned Health app will be released later this year.
The S11 chip’s energy-efficient always-on processor enables new audio intelligence features, such as noise detection, which identifies sounds like alarms, doorbells and baby cries, and Live Rewind, which displays a transcript of what was said in the previous 15 seconds.
Additionally, “Siri Recap” generates titles, summaries, and key points from conversations, which users can view in the Siri app. According to Apple, users can schedule the automatic note-taking feature or activate it in Control Center. The audio features do not create or save audio recordings. Siri Recap will launch as a beta version later this year, initially in English; other languages will follow.
Apple Watch Ultra 4 Pricing
The Apple Watch Ultra 4 will be available in titanium black and natural titanium, complemented by new band colors and a new Hermès titanium band. It is available for pre-order now – starting at €899/$799 – and will be available from September 18th.
