Apple Watch Series 6 Features U1 Chip for Ultra Wideband

Apple Watch Series 6 models are equipped with a U1 chip for Ultra Wideband support, according to tech specs on Apple's website.

f1600190370
Introduced in iPhone 11 models last year, the U1 chip enables improved spatial awareness. The distance between two devices that support Ultra Wideband can be measured precisely by calculating the time that it takes for a radio wave to pass between the two devices, with much more accuracy than Bluetooth LE and Wi-Fi.

Apple has so far only used the technology to power a directional AirDrop feature in iOS 13, but it has promised more exciting use cases in the future. One of those will likely be its rumored AirTags items trackers, which analyst Ming-Chi Kuo has previously said will support Ultra Wideband, allowing users to locate lost items with greater accuracy.

Earlier this year, MacRumors teamed up with repair site iFixit to confirm that the 2020 iPad Pro lacks the U1 chip, so the fact that it is included in the Apple Watch Series 6 provides reassurance that Apple is still committed to Ultra Wideband.

The lower-cost Apple Watch SE is not equipped with a U1 chip, according to Apple's tech specs.

Related Roundup: Apple Watch 11
Buyer's Guide: Apple Watch (Buy Now)

Popular Stories

streaming black friday 2025

Black Friday Streaming Deals Include Big Savings on Disney+, Hulu, Apple TV, and More

Monday November 24, 2025 8:03 am PST by
We've been focusing on deals on physical products over the past few weeks, but Black Friday is also a great time of year to purchase a streaming membership. Some of the biggest services have great discounts for new and select returning members this week, including Disney+, Hulu, Paramount+, Peacock, and more. Note: MacRumors is an affiliate partner with some of these vendors. When you click a...
Apple Foldable Thumb

Foldable iPhone to Debut These Three Breakthrough Features

Tuesday November 25, 2025 7:09 am PST by
Apple's first foldable iPhone is expected to launch alongside the iPhone 18 Pro models in fall 2026, and it's shaping up to include three standout features that could set it apart from the competition. The book-style foldable will reportedly feature an industry-first 24-megapixel under-display camera built into the inner display, according to a recent JP Morgan equity research report. That...
General Black Friday Deals 25 Red

Apple Black Friday Deals Available Now on AirPods, iPads, Accessories, and More

Friday November 21, 2025 8:48 am PST by
We're only a few days away from Black Friday, which will take place on Friday, November 28 in 2025. As always, this will be the best time of the year to shop for great deals, including popular Apple products like AirPods, iPad, Apple Watch, and more. In this article, the majority of the discounts will be found on Amazon. Note: MacRumors is an affiliate partner with some of these vendors. When...
General Apps Messages Redux

Singapore Orders Changes to iMessage by December

Tuesday November 25, 2025 6:39 am PST by
Singapore has ordered Apple to block or filter messages on iMessage that impersonate government agencies, requiring the company to implement new anti-spoofing protections by December as part of efforts to curb rising online scams, the Straits Times reports. Singapore's Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) said that it had issued an Implementation Directive to Apple under the Online Criminal Harms...
iOS 26

iOS 26.2 Adds These New Features to Your iPhone

Thursday November 20, 2025 10:50 am PST by
iOS 26.2 is currently in beta testing. The upcoming update includes a handful of new features and changes on the iPhone, including a new Liquid Glass slider for the Lock Screen's clock, offline lyrics for Apple Music, and more. In a recent press release, Apple confirmed that iOS 26.2 will be released to all users in December, but it did not provide a specific release date. Keep reading...
maxresdefault

The MacRumors Show: iPhone 18 Pro Looks Like a Huge Upgrade

Friday November 21, 2025 9:10 am PST by
On this week's episode of The MacRumors Show, we talk through all of the new features and improvements expected to come to next year's iPhone 18 Pro and iPhone 18 Pro Max models. Subscribe to The MacRumors Show YouTube channel for more videos Apple's next-generation iPhones are less than ten months away and we already have a good idea about what to expect based on corroborated leaks, rumors,...
iOS 26 on Three iPhones

iOS 27 Will Reportedly Have Two Key Upgrades

Sunday November 23, 2025 8:48 am PST by
iOS 27 will reportedly have two major elements: quality improvements and new AI features. In his Power On newsletter today, Bloomberg's Mark Gurman said that iOS 27 will be similar to Mac OS X Snow Leopard, in the sense that Apple is focused on improving "quality and underlying performance" over adding new features. Gurman said there is one exception to this rule, though, as he expects...
apple news banner

Apple News Loses CNN

Monday November 24, 2025 7:56 am PST by
American multinational news company CNN has abruptly pulled its content from Apple News, Semafor reports. CNN quietly removed its stories from Apple News over the weekend and there is no longer a feed from the network to subscribe to in the app. This effectively ends its distribution agreement with Apple while the two sides negotiate new terms. Discussions are apparently ongoing and CNN's...
Apple Foldable Thumb

Crease-Free iPhone Fold on Track for 2026 Launch as Development Advances

Monday November 24, 2025 10:25 am PST by
Apple is making progress on the development of the book-style foldable iPhone expected in 2026, according to a report from Chinese site UDN. The device has reportedly entered the engineering validation stage, and Apple is gearing up for mass production. Citing supply chain sources, UDN says that Apple has solved "the crease problem" that has plagued most foldable smartphones, and the...

Top Rated Comments

LFC2020 Avatar
68 months ago

So I know bringing this guy up anywhere near these forms gives some people spontaneous brain aneurysms but...
[MEDIA=twitter]1305953947157499906[/MEDIA]
So full of himself, it's not funny.
Score: 7 Votes (Like | Disagree)
Toratek Avatar
68 months ago

is it true they got rid of the sapphire glass on the front of the Apple Watch on the stainless steel models?
No, it is not true.




Attachment Image
Score: 7 Votes (Like | Disagree)
Crzyrio Avatar
68 months ago

Who really loses there watch
It's not about finding your watch. Its about telling other devices where exactly your watches is.

So when you go to open your front door, the opener knows your watch is EXACTLY 2 cms from the door handle and can unlock it as you reach for it.

Untill now smart locks had to make guesses when your going to open the door based on where you have been.
Score: 7 Votes (Like | Disagree)
farewelwilliams Avatar
68 months ago
hope Tesla implements CarKey. would be nice to just wave at the door to unlock instead of relying on sketchy bluetooth via iPhone for distance monitoring.

I believe CarKey will eventually use U1 for passive entry.
Score: 7 Votes (Like | Disagree)
DudeDad Avatar
68 months ago
Here's a screen shot from Apple's site comparing the Series 6 (left), SE (middle), Series 3 (right) - Looks like the front and back of all Series 6 watches are sapphire

Attachment Image
Score: 5 Votes (Like | Disagree)
Corsig Avatar
68 months ago
Dammit. They keep giving me reasons to buy it
Score: 4 Votes (Like | Disagree)