Apple wants to reduce its reliance on sourcing displays for its products from Samsung and LG. So, the company is working on its own custom displays that it intends to use as early as 2024.
This would mark another move from Apple to develop more components it uses on its devices in-house.
Apple will bring a microLED screen to its wrist wearable, according to a reliable source of insider info. This would replace the OLED displays currently in Apple Watch.
A switch to microLED would bring an improved type of screen: brighter and less prone to burn-in.
This week on Cult of Mac’s podcast: We’re talking about all the Apple gear we’re certain will arrive in 2023 — and some we just hope will materialize.
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Some rugged, outdoorsy types might hesitate over the Apple Watch Ultra’s $800 price tag. But what if they could get a lookalike watch for less than $50?
The Indian company Pebble — no relation to the Pebble smartwatch outfit acquired by Fitbit — said it will ship just such an option soon. And the Pebble Cosmos Engage looks just like the real thing. But it probably doesn’t function like a real Apple Watch Ultra.
Alongside iOS 16.2, iPadOS 16.2, and macOS Ventura 13.1, Apple also dropped watchOS 9.2 for all compatible Apple Watch models. Besides packing several new features, the update improves the Apple Watch Ultra’s battery life.
Interestingly, Apple does not mention this improvement in the watchOS 9.2’s release notes.
This week’s giveaway will let five lucky winners get their hands on a sturdy Apple Watch Ultra Titanium Band from Lululook. The band matches the new Apple Watch Ultra perfectly, thanks to its sleek titanium finish.
Enter below for your chance to win this gorgeous titanium band, which retails for $33.99.
Apple made a splash Monday in the world of scuba diving, noting that divers can now add the Oceanic+ Dive Computer App to their Apple Watch Ultra and use a companion app for iPhone.
Designed by Huish Outdoors in collaboration with Apple, Oceanic+ takes advantage of Apple Watch Ultra’s depth gauge and water temperature sensors to provide divers crucial information on forays up to 130 feet beneath the surface.
The Apple Watch Ultra has dropped to its lowest price for Black Friday. You can grab the watch with an Alpine Loop wristband for $739, down from its $799 MSRP.
The rugged titanium case and multi-day battery life make the Apple Watch Ultra ideal for fitness and outdoor enthusiasts.
There are plenty of nylon and canvas Apple Watch bands out there, but they don’t all have Fortitude. Tefeca Fortitude, that is. It’s a line of extra-tough and handsome bands that are super-comfortable — especially the Ultra Wide versions, which are as wide as an Apple Watch Ultra case.
And a wide band isn’t just comfortable. It offers a distinctive, masculine look — like you’re on a mission.
And if you act fast, you can get a great discount on the bands in a variety of styles, colors and sizes. See below.
This week on Cult of Mac’s podcast: Erfon returns from his Florida vacation just in time to rave about the Apple Watch Ultra and share some tips on how to use the iPhone 14 Pro’s Dynamic Island.
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From the three bands Apple designed especially for the chunky Apple Watch Ultra to several other worthy options, you have plenty to choose from when it comes to a rugged band that can handle whatever you throw at it and Apple’s toughest timepiece.
In our roundup below, we cover Apple’s best options for bands to pair with the high-performance Apple Watch Ultra. Plus, we found other great (and more-affordable) choices from brands like Carterjett, Kordiz, Mifa, Nomad, Pinnacle and Spigen.
Facing problems with the microphone on your Apple Watch Series 8 or Apple Watch Ultra? Apple has acknowledged the issue and is working on a fix.
The company recommends restarting your Apple Watch as a temporary fix. A potential software update to address the problem is seemingly also in the works.
To find out what’s inside the new Apple Watch Ultra, you could smash it with a hammer. Or you could do what iFixit did, which is carefully disassemble the new wearable.
Among the items found is a battery that dwarfs the one in Apple Watch Series 8.
A YouTuber has put the Apple Watch Ultra through an intense test to determine its durability. The wearable was dropped multiple times, repeatedly hit with a hammer, and even put in a jar of nails.
The watch emerged unscathed from the ordeal. While not an ideal replica of real-world use, the test gives a good idea of the Apple Watch Ultra’s durability.
The big and rugged Apple Watch Ultra is a very different beast than the “normal” Apple smartwatches that came before it. With so many new features, there’s still a lot we don’t know about it.
But over the past couple of weeks, I have discovered nine fascinating factoids that most reviewers haven’t picked up on yet. So to celebrate Ultra’s launch day, I’m sharing them with you now.
The Apple Watch Ultra and AirPods Pro 2 are now on sale in more than 30 markets globally. The Ultra is the largest Apple Watch yet, while the new AirPods offer better sound and stronger noise cancellation than the originals.
Apple announced these products at its Far Out event on September 7, and started accepting preorders for the second-gen AirPods Pro immediately afterward. The Apple Watch Ultra went up for preorder alongside the new iPhones later that week. Now customers are receiving them, and the products are in stores.
When the Apple Watch Ultra launches September 23 there’ll be a software update waiting for it. Apple on Thursday released watchOS 9.0.1 specifically to fix bugs in the new wearable.
Other Apple Watch models are expected to get their own update in the near future.
The first reviews of the Apple Watch Ultra praise the rugged smartwatch’s large display, its new Action button and its longer battery life. But a debate brews about whether the wearable is too big — there seems to be no agreement on this.
Anyone considering whether Apple’s sports-oriented smartwatch is right for them should read on. As the reviewers point out, this isn’t just for fans of outdoor adventure.
This week on Cult of Mac’s podcast: We can’t figure out which is more exciting, the brawny new Apple Watch Ultra or the brainy new Dynamic Island. Will the rugged new smartwatch prove too big for Erfon’s skinny wrists? Or does its bold size and styling elevate it to “big enough” status?
Also on The CultCast:
Brace yourself for our breathless reactions to Apple’s Far Out event — which was actually pretty far out!
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.
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Apple is introducing a new Low Power Mode in watchOS 9 to boost your Apple Watch’s battery life further. The company claims the new mode will double the Series 8’s battery life to 36 hours, and let the new Apple Watch Ultra last up to 2.5 days.
You will have to sacrifice some of the advanced features of your wearable to get the longer runtime, though.
Apple definitely over-delivered with Wednesday’s Far Out event. The rumor mill’s constant churn of leaks and speculation gave us a solid framework for our expectations, but Cupertino’s hardware and software wizards still whipped out a few surprises.
Here’s everything you need to know about the iPhone 14 lineup, second-gen AirPods Pro and the 2022 Apple Watch models — including that hot new Ultra version for extreme athletes (and couch potatoes with solid credit ratings).
If you’re in a severe car accident, your iPhone 14 will be able to tell and it can contact emergency services if you’re unconscious.
The feature will also be incorporated into the most recent Apple Watch models.
The three Apple Watch Ultra bands unveiled Wednesday look suitably rugged for the new smartwatch designed for extreme athletes. And if you want to inject a little bit of the Ultra’s rugged sensibility into your regular old Apple Watch, you’re in luck … kinda sorta maybe.
The new $99 bands fit some regular Apple Watches, according to Apple’s website. However, a caveat from Cupertino makes it seem like an Ultra band on a Series 7 or 8 watch might not look as seamless as usual.
Apple took the wraps off Apple Watch Ultra — describing the sports-oriented smartwatch as the most rugged and capable Apple Watch yet — during Wednesday’s Far Out event. Big, bulky and beautiful, it delivered on everything the rumor mill predicted and more.
Apple Watch Ultra is huge, with a bulky exterior, chunky buttons and a massive display. It boasts a tougher case, designed to withstand knocks from extreme sports, and a battery that can last the distance for endurance races. It features a new Depth Gauge app for scuba and free divers, improved GPS for running and cycling, a redesigned compass app for exploring, and even an 86-decibel siren to let people know if you get lost. Like the new Apple Watch Series 8 models, the Ultra comes with a temperature sensor.
Retailing at $799, Apple Watch Ultra is the Apple Watch that hardcore fitness fans have long been craving. But will its quirky, uncompromising looks catch on with mainstream audiences? Or is the Ultra destined to occupy a niche in the lineup?
