Apple today introduced the iPhone 15 and iPhone 15 Plus, the iPhone 15 Pro and Pro Max, and the Watch Series 9. Also on stage was the new Apple Watch Ultra 2 with all the features of the original Ultra. What’s new, however, is the faster S9 SiP chip, a new double-tap gesture, Apple’s brightest display ever, an extended height range and faster switch-on times. Siri has also moved in and there is Precision Finding for iPhone and new functions for water sports enthusiasts.
Apple Watch Ultra 2 features a brighter 3,000 nits display. That’s 50 percent brighter than the first generation Apple Watch Ultra and the brightest display Apple has ever developed. In dark rooms or early in the morning, the display can now be lowered to just one nit to not disturb people nearby. According to Apple, the flashlight also benefits from the new display architecture. Turning the digital crown temporarily doubles the brightness to better illuminate the immediate surroundings.
The Apple Watch Ultra 2 also features the new S9 chip, which has 60% more transistors. This makes it 30% faster than the S8 chip from the original Apple Watch Ultra. In addition, according to Apple, the S9 chip has a quad-core neural engine for twice as fast neural tasks.
New UWB chip
The most durable Apple smartwatch also contains a new second-generation Ultra Wideband chip. The chip makes it easier to find an iPhone 15 and also supports precision finding. There is also a new gesture that only uses the hand with the watch. You can double-tap by tapping your index finger and thumb at the same time to, for example, answer a call, end a call, pause an alarm, play or pause music, and much more.
The new double-tap gesture is also made possible by the faster Neural Engine in the Apple Watch Ultra 2. It uses data from the accelerometer, gyroscope and optical heart sensor and uses a new machine learning algorithm. The algorithm detects the unique signature of tiny wrist movements and changes in blood flow when the index finger and thumb perform a double tap. According to Apple, Double Tap will be released next month
Modular Ultra
There is also a new Modular Ultra watch face. Modular takes advantage of the large display and the outermost edge to display real-time data. This includes seconds, altitude or depth. It offers the most data of any Apple digital watch face and can be customized for sports, outdoor activities and water sports. There is also a night mode on board, which now switches on automatically in the dark thanks to the ambient light sensor.
The Apple Watch Ultra 2 runs watchOS 10, which brings redesigned apps, the new Smart Stack, new cycling experiences, nature exploration features and the new Modular Ultra watch face. The battery life of 36 hours with regular use and up to 72 hours in energy saving mode remains unchanged.
“This year we’ve made our most rugged and capable Apple Watch even better, […] Apple Watch Ultra 2 is our most advanced Apple Watch, with great performance and feature updates. It’s perfect for anyone who wants our biggest, brightest display, longest battery life, and best GPS of any Apple Watch, all in a stunning design.”
Jeff Williams, Apple Chief Operating Officer.
Apple Watch Ultra 2 prices
The Apple Watch Ultra 2 costs $799. Customers in Australia, Canada, France, Germany, India, Japan, the United Arab Emirates, the United Kingdom, the United States and more than 40 other countries and regions can already pre-order the smartwatch. Deliveries start on Friday, September 22nd.
