Source: Apple
Apple has officially taken the wraps off the long-rumoured rugged premium smartwatch, the Apple Watch Ultra. It sports a new look with a larger display and a slew of features built for outdoor use.
The Watch Ultra gets a new button guard on the side, a redesigned crown, and a new Action button. The Action button is customizable for everything from workouts, compass waypoints that lets you map points of interest on a map, and its new trackback feature to help you retrace your steps. You can use these physical buttons even if you're wearing gloves, which some outdoor athletes/enthusiasts use.
All of these features are kept in a 49mm titanium case. A sapphire crystal protects the watch display, going up to an impressive 2,000 nits of brightness.
The new Night Mode for the Apple Watch Ultra (Source: Apple)
Apple improves the multi-band GPS on this watch, including the new L5 frequency alongside the L1 frequency. If you find yourself lost, it even has a siren that helps others pinpoint your location.
For watersports, it supports kiteboarding and has WR 100 water resistance. It'll launch the new depth app when you're underwater to show time, depth, and temperature. It's also EN 13319 certified for scuba divers and supports a diving depth of up to 40m.
If you need to take a call on the Apple Watch Ultra, this model gets cellular support and has three built-in microphones for better sound quality and reduced ambient noise.
Source: Apple
It can get up to 60 hours of extended battery life if you use its new low-power setting mode, which is coming later this fall, or up to 36 hours with regular use. According to Apple, the Ultra has enough battery life to complete a long-course triathlon with a 2.4-mile swim, a 112-mile bike ride, and a full 26.2-mile marathon.
Apple introduces three new bands for the Watch Ultra: Alpine, Trail, and Ocean. The Alpine loop gets two layers of high-strength yarn with a G-hook fastener. The Trail band is a lightweight and thin option for runners. And the aptly named Ocean is built for water activities.
The Apple Watch Ultra is available for pre-order, with in-store availability starting September 23. It retails for $1,099.