The Apple Watch Ultra is Apple’s most rugged and capable smartwatch, designed for endurance athletes and outdoor adventurers.
It features a large aerospace-grade titanium case that meets MIL-STD‑810H military standards and certified for 100 m water resistance (WR100 and EN 13319), making it suitable for scuba diving, surfing, and extreme weather.
The 49 mm always‑On Retina LTPO OLED display delivers up to 3000 nits (in the Ultra 2 version) for exceptional visibility in direct sunlight, yet capable of dimming to just 1 nit for low-light conditions.
The Apple Watch Ultra includes a customizable orange Action button (to start workouts, mark waypoints, or launch the Depth app), an extra speaker, three-mic array, precision dual-frequency GPS, depth and water-temperature sensors, and a powerful S‑series chip — S8 in Ultra 1, S9 in Ultra 2.
The wait for Apple’s latest gear is over. The iPhone 18 Pro and iPhone 18 Pro Max hit retail stores Friday alongside the Apple Watch Series 12, Apple Watch Ultra 4 and AirPods 5.
Crowds lined up outside Apple Stores around the world, even as a highly unusual launch cycle took place for the latest iPhones.
The Apple Watch Ultra 4 is tipped to arrive next month, with fresh leaks pointing to the biggest under-the-hood upgrade the rugged wearable has seen in years.
Apple already locked in a September 9 event, and the Ultra 4 is widely expected to headline the wearables side of that show. Rumors disagree on how much the watch’s exterior will change. But they do agree on one thing: A faster chip is on the way.
This week on the Cult of Mac podcast: New Apple CEO John Ternus steps into his role with a wealth of hardware experience and a supremely promising product pipeline. And he’ll lead his first Apple event next week.
What will he hit us with during the Surprise and Shine event? And how will he change Apple going forward? There’s lots to ponder.
Also on the Cult of Mac podcast:
Listen to this week’s episode of the Cult of Mac podcast in the Podcasts app or your favorite podcast app. (Be sure to subscribe and leave us a review if you like it!) Or watch the video version, embedded below.
When Apple unveiled watchOS 27 at WWDC26 on Monday, it also revealed that the new version drops support for several Apple Watch models. That leaves many users wondering what this means for their wearable — did it just become rubbish?
Here’s what’s really going on, and why you should be able to keep using the device for years to come.
On the latest episode of the Cult of Mac podcast: Apple might go back to the iPhone future, thanks to some metallurgical magic that involves a special titanium alloy.
We discuss the pros, the cons and the possible timeline for such a retro upgrade.
Also on the Cult of Mac podcast:
Listen to this week’s episode of the Cult of Mac podcast in the Podcasts app or your favorite podcast app. (Be sure to subscribe and leave us a review if you like it!) Or watch the video version, embedded below.
Apple is reportedly developing an advanced high blood pressure notification feature for the Apple Watch. And the Apple Watch Ultra 4 might be the first to get the improved hypertension monitoring feature.
If true, it could turn the upcoming smartwatch into a serious cardiovascular health tool. Combined with a much-rumored hardware refresh, the Apple Watch Ultra 4 may be hard to resist for both new and existing users.
The latest sale on the Apple Watch Ultra 3 cuts the price of the rugged smartwatch to just $699.99.
Apple unveiled the Ultra 3, which retails for $799, last September during its Awe Dropping event. It’s a high-end wearable aimed at extreme athletes (and people who just like its rugged looks and long battery life).
What do the buttons on the Apple Watch do? The Apple Watch borrows a lot from the iPhone, but the biggest difference between the two devices comes down to the way their buttons work. Each individual button does different things, depending on whether you click, double-click or hold them down.
Apple changed a lot of these features a few years ago with watchOS 10. The software update added a new Widgets view, reassigned Control Center to the side button, and changed what double-clicking the Digital Crown does. (For older devices, see our article about what Apple Watch buttons do in watchOS 9.)
Here’s a guide to the buttons on the Apple Watch.
Apple Watch Cyber Monday 2025 deals are live, featuring significant price drops on entry-level models and premium variations.
The best deal so far is the newest Apple Watch Series 11, which has dropped to its lowest price to date — just $339 (regularly $399). Another great buy is the entry-level Apple Watch SE 3, on sale from just $199 (save $50 or 20% off). This is a superb starter watch and perfect for kids (and you can use it to track the little darlings). And even the Apple Watch Ultra 3 is on sale (although not by much).
Plus, if you want to save even more, you might be able to grab a previous year’s model before the clearance sales in effect decimate the inventory forever.
Apple unveiled the Apple Watch Ultra 3 at its Awe Dropping event Tuesday, showcasing a bigger display, a faster chip and satellite connectivity.
“Apple Watch Ultra is our most advanced Apple Watch, designed to take users from sports and adventure to the rest of their life, and help them stay active, healthy, connected, and safe, wherever they are,” said Eugene Kim, Apple’s vice president of Apple Watch hardware engineering.
After a very modest refresh last year, rumors indicate the Apple Watch Ultra 3 — set to launch this September alongside the iPhone 17 series — will mark Apple’s most ambitious wearable update yet.
Here’s what we’re expecting in 2025’s major overhaul of Apple’s rugged smartwatch. Keep reading or check out our latest video.
Confused about which Apple Watch to buy? With Apple Watch Ultra 2, Apple Watch Series 10 and Apple Watch SE currently vying for your wallet’s attention, it all depends on what you want out of a smartwatch — and how much you’re willing to pay.
This buying guide breaks down what each Apple Watch does best, helping you match your needs (and budget) with the right device, whether you’re a fitness enthusiast, an outdoor adventurer or simply looking for a reliable, everyday smartwatch.
Odds are, you’re not taking advantage of all the useful things your Apple Watch can do for you. That’s because we all tend to grab our iPhone, even when it’s not the best option. I started using my smartwatch much more after I began asking myself one simple question whenever I grab my iPhone: “Would this be easier on my Apple Watch?”
You should try it, too.
Apple and the National Hockey League forged a partnership that puts Apple Watch at the center of game officiating, according to reports Friday. The collaboration introduced a custom-built NHL Watch Comms app designed specifically to assist on-ice officials during games, and it will see its first outdoor use Saturday.
“We wanted to make sure that the officials had really good awareness and were able to keep their eyes on play,” explains Andres de Corral, vice president of digital services at Presidio, the technology firm that developed the app. “So by enabling haptic responses, we were able to provide non-visual cues to the officials.”
Apple Watch Ultra 3 reportedly will let hikers and other travelers send texts via a satellite connection when cellular communication isn’t available. Anyone who gets into trouble in a remote location could turn to Apple’s top-tier smartwatch to ask for help — a potential lifesaver.
In addition, Apple is still working to add blood-pressure monitoring to the wearable.
Rather than Apple Watch Ultra 3, we got the Ultra 2 in a “satin black” titanium finish. This might be more disappointing if early reviewers weren’t raving about the new color.
“It looks sick as hell,” said The Verge reviewer.
watchOS 11 is a smaller update with a few great features people have wanted for years. You can pause your Activity streak without losing it, customize the beautiful new Photos face and set different Activity goals for each day of the week. It comes with some new apps, as well — Vitals, Tides, Translate and a new training load feature.
Apple released watchOS 11 on Monday. After you update, here’s the big list of things you can check out.
This week on Cult of Mac’s podcast: We’re basking in the afterglow of Apple’s “It’s Glowtime” event. Time to discuss what we like most (and least) about the new iPhone 16 lineup, Apple Watch Series 10, AirPods 4 and more.
Also on The CultCast:
Listen to this week’s episode of The CultCast in the Podcasts app or your favorite podcast app. (Be sure to subscribe and leave us a review if you like it!) Or watch the video live stream, embedded below.
The Apple Watch Ultra 2 now comes in a new black titanium finish — apparently the only change to the popular sports-focused smartwatch at the “It’s Glowtime” event. Dubbed “satin black,” the new finish joins the existing Ultra 2 with a natural titanium finish.
In addition, Apple showed a fancy Milanese Loop watch band to complement the satin black watch, plus a new Hermès model.
Apple might not launch the Apple Watch Ultra 3 at its iPhone 16 event Monday. Instead, the company supposedly will simply refresh the Apple Watch Ultra 2 with a new black color option.
The second-gen Apple Watch Ultra packed modest upgrades over its predecessor. But this year, Apple will take an odd approach and not update its Ultra smartwatch at all.
Both Apple Watch Series 10 and Apple Watch SE 3 could be among the many products on the agenda for Apple’s “It’s Glowtime” event on September 9. The situation with Apple Watch Ultra 3 is a bit more murky, however.
And speaking of murky, we don’t know whether any of these will offer blood oxygen monitoring in units sold in the United States.
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.
Like clockwork, Amazon bargain site Woot! comes out with great deals on Apple gear, including refurbished Apple Watch deals. So now it’s time for what looks like the lowest price we’ve seen on Apple Watch Ultra and a bunch of other deals on older Apple Watches for those who don’t want to pay typical Apple prices.
“Well, movies taught me that I’d have a wrist communicator in the far future but they didn’t say anything about ten F&F movies, that’s cray …” the site joked, apparently name-dropping the Fast & Furious movie franchise.
The Apple Watch Ultra is famously rugged and great for endurance sports. But no wearable is truly indestructible. So if you want to make your Ultra even tougher, put it in the Elkson Quattro Pro 2.0 bumper case with band for Apple Watch Ultra.
The case/band combo, which now comes in six colors, is available in the Cult of Mac Store for just $23.99.
Apple Watch is a serious tool, but that doesn’t mean all its accessories need to be straight-faced. Elago excels at making lighthearted and charming retro-style accessories for Apple products, and its W9 Stand for Apple Watch is no different. It makes your wearable look like an old-school Mac.
Compatible with all Apple Watch series, from Ultra down through the smaller sizes, the W9 stand is available now in the Cult of Mac Store.