Apple Watch Ultra Will Get Up to 60 Hours of Battery Life With Software Update Later This Year

With the 49mm case size and updated design of the Apple Watch Ultra, Apple was able to fit in a much larger battery. As a result, the Apple Watch Ultra is able to last for up to 36 hours on a single charge with normal use, and even longer with a new Low Power Mode and battery optimization options.

apple watch ultra 1
Apple defines "normal" use for the 36 hour metric as 180 time checks, 180 notifications, 90 minutes of app use, and a 60-minute workout with music playback from Apple Watch Ultra via Bluetooth over the course of 36 hours. It also includes a total of eight hours of LTE connection and 28 hours of connection to iPhone over Bluetooth.

Actual battery life will vary significantly depending on what the Apple Watch is used for. Workouts that exceed 60 minutes will drain battery quicker, as will being on a cellular connection for a longer period of time.

Apple plans to introduce a Low Power Mode in watchOS 9 that will work on all Apple Watch models that include the Series 4 and later. With Low Power Mode, the watch will disable or limit features that include the always-on display, autostarting workouts, and heart health notifications.

The Apple Watch Ultra also has specific battery optimization functionality that needs to be set up to get the maximum battery life, and this option is set to launch later in the year.

When battery optimization launches, the Apple Watch Ultra will last for an impressive 60 hours, and it will be the first Apple Watch to offer more than 24 hours of battery life to let people go multiple days without charging. Apple says that multi-day "adventure" battery life is based on Low Power Mode and with workout settings enabled for fewer heart rate and GPS readings (which may be what battery optimization does). Apple used the following to test:

  • 15 hours of workout
  • 600+ time checks
  • 35 minutes of app use
  • 3 minutes of talk time
  • 15 hours sleep tracking
  • 5 hours connected to ‌iPhone‌ via Bluetooth

Standard Series 8 models and the Apple Watch SE continue to offer "all-day" 18-hour battery life, which can be extended to 36 hours with Low Power Mode.

Low Power Mode is set to launch with watchOS 9 on September 12, while battery optimization does not have a specific launch date as of yet. The Apple Watch Ultra is available for preorder today, and it is set to be released on September 23.

Related Forum: Apple Watch

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Top Rated Comments

JGIGS Avatar
41 months ago
60 hours is still pretty weaksauce. Especially for the purpose of this outdoor adventuring device.
Score: 22 Votes (Like | Disagree)
sdf Avatar
41 months ago
As always, folks, buy software that's shipped.

It's easy for Apple to say 60 hours now but if you intend to rely on 60 hours you should wait until it's real.
Score: 19 Votes (Like | Disagree)
capamac Avatar
41 months ago
That's 87,540 fewer hours-per-charge than my Casio F91.
Score: 17 Votes (Like | Disagree)
joshuabeg Avatar
41 months ago
Still blown away at the price point for this! Thought it would be higher.

Makes me wish I was more adventurous... ?
Score: 16 Votes (Like | Disagree)
Mr. Dee Avatar
41 months ago

60 hours is still pretty weaksauce. Especially for the purpose of this outdoor adventuring device.
We all know the majority of people who buy this, the farthest they'll go is to the mall, their back yard or to the gas station. For people who need more the Apple Watch Ultra is likely never at the top of their list. But Apple has certainly carved out a lucrative space that will only keep growing. I can see the college guys and girls in my neighborhood walking around wearing it.
Score: 14 Votes (Like | Disagree)
HandsomeDanNZ Avatar
41 months ago

60 hours is still pretty weaksauce.
It depends on your use case.
For me a day of mountain biking without my iPhone would be perfect - especially knowing I can track my rides wile using cellular for messages and calls and not worry about the watch dying on me part way through the day.
Score: 12 Votes (Like | Disagree)