Apple Watch Ultra 2

Read Cult of Mac’s latest posts on Apple Watch Ultra 2:

Save big on Apple Watch Ultra 2 refurbished by Apple

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Apple Watch Ultra 2 is designed for sports enthusiasts.
An Apple refurb is a great way to save.
Photo: Apple

Apple Watch Ultra 2 joined the official Apple Certified Refurbished store. This lets buyers save $120 on the top-of-the-line smartwatch that hit the market just a few months ago.

Buying refurbs from Apple is a popular way to save on used electronics that can be relied on.

Apple Watch Series 9 and Ultra 2 without blood oxygen feature go on sale in US

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Apple Watch Ultra with the Modular Ultra face
Buy a new Apple Watch and it will do so many functions. Just not Blood Oxygen monitoring.
Photo: Leander Kahney/Cult of Mac

With the Apple Watch sales ban back, Apple has decided to sell its latest smartwatches without blood oxygen monitoring in the U.S. The tweaked Apple Watch Series 9 and Apple Watch Ultra 2 models went go on sale starting January 18 across the company’s online and retail stores.

The Cupertino giant is not making any hardware tweaks to the wearables. Instead, it will turn off the blood oxygen sensor feature through software.

Apple Watch sales ban is back, but there’s a fallback option

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Apple Watch Blood Oxygen app
The Apple Watch Blood Oxygen app is at the heart of a sales ban for the wearable.
Image: Ed Hardy/Cult of Mac

Apple lost a court appeal Wednesday, which means Apple Watch Series 9 and Apple Watch Ultra 2 might once again get pulled from U.S. store shelves. The court agrees with previous rulings that the wearables are in violation of a patent held by a medical-device company.

But Apple has a workaround: it’s almost certainly going to remove the application at the center of the patent dispute.

Apple Watch Series 9 and Ultra 2 go back on sale … for now

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Apple Watch Ultra 2
Apple Watch Ultra 2 and Series 9 are on the ban's hit list.
Photo: Apple

After a federal court granted a temporary pause on the Apple Watch ban Wednesday, Apple returned Apple Watch Series 9 and Ultra 2 to select store shelves, with online store sales expected to resume Thursday — for a short time, at least.

The U.S. Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit granted a temporary stay until January 10. Apple requested the pause after the Biden administration confirmed Tuesday it won’t overturn the ban, put in place through a U.S. International Trade Commission (ITC) ruling.

It’s the last day to buy Apple Watch from Apple.com before US sales ban [Updated]

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Apple Watch Series 9
Apple Watch Series 9 is going fast. And not in a good way.
Image: Apple

Sales of Apple Watch Series 9 and Apple Watch Ultra 2 from Apple’s website will stop on December 21. So Wednesday is the last day to purchase these wearables from Apple.com.

Apple retail stores will continue to sell them until December 24, but then those also will halt because of a patent dispute over an important feature in the devices. Apple, which previously appealed the U.S. International Trade Commission’s ruling on the matter, asked for a stay on the ban on U.S. imports and sales of the smartwatches. But in a Wednesday filing, the ITC denied Apple’s request (.pdf).

Best Apple Watch: Choose the right model and best accessories

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Apple Watch buying guide: Choose the best models and accessories
Gifting an Apple Watch for the holidays? We'll help you find the perfect pick.
Image: Killian Bell/Cult of Mac

Apple Watch is almost an essential for any iPhone owner these days, so it makes the perfect gift for anyone who doesn’t already own one. It’s also one of the more affordable Apple devices you can buy with a range of options to choose from that start at just $249 (or even less if you shop around).

In this buying guide, we’ll help you choose the right Apple Watch for you or for someone else, help you find the best prices, and highlight some of the best Apple Watch accessories you can get.

watchOS 10.1 update brings new double-tap gesture for hands-free use

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Double tap lets users select the primary action in a variety of watchOS apps and notifications.
Double tap lets users select the primary action in a variety of watchOS apps and notifications.
Photo: Apple

One of the more exciting updates to Apple Watch lately is the new double-tap gesture now available in the watchOS 10.1 update. It allows Series 9 and Ultra 2 users to tap their finger and thumb together twice to launch a function without touching the wearable.

After appearing in the watchOS 10.1 beta — but in nonfunctional form — now it’s out for real with the public release.

Score lowest price yet on Apple Watch Ultra 2

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Why not grab Apple Watch Ultra 2 for $25 off?
Why not grab Apple Watch Ultra 2 for $25 off?
Photo: Apple

Apple Watch Ultra 2 only just started shipping, yet Amazon currently offers it at a new low price — $774 instead of $799. That’s a savings of just $25, but it beats paying full price.

And you can get $10 off some Apple Watch Series 9 models at Amazon, too.

This post contains affiliate links. Cult of Mac may earn a commission when you use our links to buy items.

Ultra 2 reviews: Small upgrades strengthen ‘ultimate’ Apple Watch

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Apple Watch Ultra 2 debuted with modest but welcome upgrades.
Apple Watch Ultra 2 debuted with modest but welcome upgrades.
Photo: Apple

Apple Watch Ultra 2 reviews are out, and they’re positive. Modest upgrades like a brighter display, double-tap gesturing and a faster processor might not make current Ultra owners shell out for the new one, but it’s highly recommended to anyone else who wants the best rugged smartwatch.

Elegant new 3-in-1 MagSafe charging stand is perfect for Standby Mode

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The premium charger is perfect for your nightstand, with an iPhone in Standby Mode like a classic alarm clock.
The premium charger is perfect for your nightstand, with an iPhone in Standby Mode like a classic alarm clock.
Photo: Twelve South

With the iPhone 15 series and new Apple Watches now out, the accessories floodgates are open. One of the first products through is an updated Twelve South HiRise 3 Deluxe charging stand. And it’s made for MagSafe and ideal for iOS 17’s Standby Mode.

So you can turn your iPhone into a classic bedside alarm clock or smart display with various widgets. And you can charge it alongside Apple Watch and AirPods.

Some Apple Watch Ultra 2 bands delay delivery to November

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Apple Watch Ultra 2 with Trail Loop band
Is this band worth waiting five or six extra weeks for an Apple Watch Ultra 2?
Photo: Apple

Those who want a new Apple Watch Ultra 2 as soon as possible need to think carefully about what band to get with it. With some bands, the wearable is available on launch day later this month. But with others the wait stretches out to November.

So do you really, really want that Trail Loop in Orange/Beige?