Apple Watch Ultra: Really ‘Ultra’?
Introduction
In its September 2022 event, Apple has launched Watch Ultra, along with Watch 8. Apple has claimed it to be the most ‘rugged and capable Apple watch ever’. Priced at $799, it shatters practically any competition in terms of price by a huge margin, even from its own predecessors. Along with Ultra, Apple has released Watch 8, which is priced at a more expected $399 (the base model, prices vary depending on specifications). This double strike reminds us of 2017, when within a couple of months, Apple released iPhone 8 and iPhone X. The plan had seemingly backfired, at least in terms of the prospects of iPhone 8’s future. Will Apple be able to justify co-releasing Watch 8 and Watch Ultra?
Understanding what Apple Watch Ultra offers
In order to understand where Ultra stands, it’s important to understand what it offers. Let’s look at all of its features and dig deeper into how ‘capable’ it is:-
- Size and look: Watch Ultra offers a 49mm case size, the largest so far. Also, Apple has sought to tinker with the look of watch a little. Its display and buttons seem to have gotten an uplift and unlike previous versions of Apple watches, rugged band is a default.
- Water resistant: Ultra is water resistant upto 100m and swimproof. Having obtained the EN11319 certification (meaning that it may be used for shallow-water activities like swimming in a pool or ocean, in addition to high-speed water sports like kitesurfing and wakeboarding), it is perfect for recreational diving upto 40m2.
- Cycle tracking with retrospective ovulation estimates: Apple Watch Ultra offers a sophisticated temperature sensing tracker that helps study a female user’s menstrual cycle. When women use it effectively, they can get a retrospective analysis of when they ovulated. These parameters are very helpful especially when women are considering family planning. However, Apple has categorically warned its users to not use these parameters as an alternative for birth control.
- Health Emergency notifications: Ultra offers highly accurate sensors that notify the user of abnormally high or low heart rate, irregular rhythmic contractions of the heart as well as information about other parameters of cardio fitness. Ultra also constitutes Fall and Crash detection sensors. These are essentially life saving since the watch is capable of sensing that the user has been in a severe car crash or fall from a considerable height.
Comparing Apple Watch Ultra with Apple Watch 8
When we look at Apple Watch 8, it does not seem to be very far behind its competitor from the same family, Ultra. It retains the old Watch look and gives the users to choose between a 41mm and 45mm watch case. Unless someone is too picky on the size (hard to imagine someone worrying about a 4mm difference), Ultra does not stand out.
The water resistant features in Ultra do seem to have an edge over Watch 8 since water resistance is double that of the former, in the latter. Also, Watch 8 does not qualify for the EN11319 certification and hence not suitable for recreational scuba diving, at least not claimed to be by Apple. So Ultra wins the battle.
Apple Watch 8 seems to do the exact same job for women when it comes to temperature sensing and cycle tracking as its counterpart. Ultra does not bring something new to the table. So it’s a stalemate again, but it is of course Watch 8’s victory.
Apple Watch Ultra does have some amazing sensors that work like magic during health emergencies. However, Apple Watch 8 turns out to do the exact same thing, at an of course lesser price. There is absolutely no difference between the two in this aspect.
For those who really go through each and every minute detail, Watch Ultra does edge Watch 8 on certain parameters. For instance, the depth gauge with water temperature sensor and 86-decibel siren are 2 features which Watch 8 doesn’t offer but their absence should not significantly impact a user.
Verdict
In my opinion, anyone looking to upgrade should ditch Apple Watch Ultra and choose Watch 8 instead. The base model of Watch 8 is half the price and actually does almost everything its $799 competitor is capable of doing. Apple has been going through this phase of stagnancy where almost all of their products are not showing any signs of incremental development. Apple Watch Ultra is another example of that scenario and seems a desperate attempt to break the shackles.
The public opinion has not been encouraging at all. First up, Apple Watch 8 does not provide a breakthrough solution to all problems in previous versions but it still brings in a few features that can make the users think about buying it, given it in a way, justifies its price tag. However, Apple Watch Ultra cannot justify its cost, and I think Apple cannot do it either.
I believe 2022 for Watch Ultra is replicating 2017 for iPhone 8. Releasing the two models together without much difference between the two seems to backfire again. And so far, you haven’t heard significant noises about upgrading to Ultra. This model is going to sell among many extreme athletes, however, its not going to be popular among most people.
I would have personally liked if Apple would have waited for an year at least to release Ultra. They should have understood how people respond to Watch 8 and based on the issues, they could have made additions to Ultra and then sold it as a signature product. It could have replicated the legacy of Apple iPhone 1st generation and later Apple iPhone X, both products one of their kind. However, by co-releasing it with Watch 8, Apple seems to have dug the grave for Ultra itself. There will still be sales that may not look too bad on paper, but given what Apple strives for and what it has achieved over the years, Apple Watch Ultra seems to have failed.
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