Apple just announced the Apple Watch Ultra 4 alongside the Apple Watch Series 12, iPhone Duo, and iPhone 18 Pro at the September 9th "Surprise and Shine" event in Cupertino, California.
Boasting loads of new wellness tools, improved heart rate tracking, better battery life, an upgraded processor, and a handful of cool AI features, here's everything you need to know about the Apple Watch Ultra 4.
Apple Watch Ultra 4: Upgrades cheat sheet
- Price and release: The Apple Watch Ultra 4 is available for preorder starting today and will be available on September 18; the price is $799, the same as the Ultra 3
- Design: The Apple Watch Ultra 4 looks similar to its predecessor; available in Black or Natural Titanium
- Health features: Updated health sensing system; improved heart rate and heart rate variability (HRV) tracking; HRV reflected in Vitals app; new Readiness metric; new Health Age score; redesigned Health app with improved recovery insights and personalized AI health/fitness guidance that updates dynamically; Health app now supports personal health data and lab results
- AI features: Support for Siri AI voice assistant; Live Rewind lets you ‘go back in time’ up to 15 seconds; Sound Recognition can auto-alert users to common sounds like sirens and alarms; Siri Recap takes high-level notes of conversations and generates summaries
- Under-the-hood: Upgraded S11 processor
- Battery life: Improved battery performance lasts up to 50 hours per charge; up to 18 hours when recording a workout with heart rate and GPS tracking
The Apple Watch Ultra 4 is a substantial upgrade over the Apple Watch Ultra 3, which is currently one of the best smartwatches you can buy.
Apple Watch Ultra 4: Price and availability
The Apple Watch Ultra 4 costs $799 / AU$1,349, the same as all the Apple Watch Ultra models that came before it. Available for preorder on launch day (September 9), the Apple Watch Ultra 4 will be available globally starting on September 18 in your choice of Black or Natural Titanium.
Apple Watch Ultra 4: Health upgrades
Improved heart rate tracking
The Apple Watch Ultra 4 and Series 12 boast “the most accurate heart rate tracking in wearables.” That is, of course, according to Apple’s own internal testing. To be fair, Apple completely overhauled the sensor array on the underside of the watch, making a number of significant improvements to its functionality.
Both the optical and electrical components have been reworked for more precise, efficient performance. More powerful LEDs measure your heart rate every five seconds, a 60-fold increase in sampling frequency over prior models.
Heart Rate Variability (HRV) is now measured every 15 seconds, a 24-fold increase compared to before. Speaking of HRV, users can now view that dynamic metric from the Heart Rate app. HRV is also logged in your overnight vitals report.
Dynamic Readiness score
Apple is finally adding a daily Readiness metric to the Health app, something nearly every other smartwatch brand has long offered. Based on a scale from one to ten, your Readiness Score updates dynamically and is based on recent workouts, sleep quality, training load, and vitals.
The score is accompanied by a brief, actionable, AI-generated recommendation for how to best tackle the day.
Improved step count tracking
The Apple Watch Ultra 4 should be Cupertino’s most accurate step counter, thanks to a completely overhauled pedometer that uses machine learning to more accurately log your steps and distance covered. There’s also a new step count complication to more easily stay on top of your efforts.
Redesigned Health app focused on trends and actionable advice
A totally overhauled Health app is expected to debut later this year with a greater focus on long-term health trends and personalized wellness and fitness advice, courtesy of Siri AI. The refreshed app is expected to offer new Longevity and Insights tabs. The former features a new Health Age feature that compares your physical fitness to others in your age range.
The Insights tab, meanwhile, is where you’ll find dynamic Siri AI-generated health briefings, workout suggestions, and more.
Finally, the updated Health app will better support the integration of a user’s personal health data, including notes from doctor’s visits and lab test results.
Siri AI with Siri Recap
The Apple Watch Ultra 4 supports Apple Siri AI voice assistant, but AI integration powers much more than just that. Siri Recap, for example, can be set up to listen in on important conversations and meetings, and then automatically generate a report with an overall summary along with key talking points. User control when this feature is active, either manually, via a schedule, or based on location.
Apple Watch Ultra 4: New AI features
Live Rewind and Sound Recognition
One of the more exciting new Siri AI features is Live Rewind. Let’s say you just met someone new at a dinner party, but their name “went in one ear and out the other.” With Live Rewind, I can double-tap the digital crown on the Ultra 4 and relisten to the past 15 seconds of ambient audio anytime I like.
It’s worth noting that Apple doesn’t identify people when using this feature or save any recording. Moreover, any logged audio is end-to-end encrypted.
Finally, the Ultra 4 supports Apple’s Sound Recognition feature, which can alert those who are hard of hearing when sounds like fire alarms, doorbells, sirens, or crying babies are registered.
Apple Watch Ultra 4: Battery life
Battery life on the Apple Watch Ultra 4 has been increased to 450 hours per charge, up from 42 hours per charge for the Ultra 3. When using the Ultra 4 to log an outdoor workout with continuous GPS and heart rate tracking, users can expect about 18 hours of use.
Extended workout tracking mode bumps that number to 25 hours per charge, while a new Max Extended mode increases battery life to an impressive 45 hours per charge.
The Ultra 4 charges a little faster than its predecessor. Apple says a 15-minute charge should provide up to 18 hours of use.
Apple Watch Ultra 4: Outlook
The Apple Watch Ultra 4 isn’t exactly a massive upgrade over the Ultra 3 —externally, the two are identical — but the combination of better health tracking tech, new AI features, improved battery life, and updated holistic tools galore… all for the same price as before, is pretty darn compelling.
Stay tuned for my full Apple Watch Ultra 4 review, coming soon. Until then, what new Apple Watch Ultra 4 features are you most excited about? Let me know in the comments.
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