Apple Watch Ultra: 10 New and Noteworthy Features

Apple on Wednesday unveiled the new Apple Watch Ultra, a larger, more advanced smartwatch aimed at athletes, explorers, and swimmers. The Apple Watch Ultra shares the same features as the new Apple Watch Series 8, but there is a whole lot more to the watch than meets the eye. Here are just some of the more notable differences that are worth highlighting.

apple watch ultra 1

Operating Temperatures Are Extreme

apple watch ultra snow
iPhones can get so hot or so cold that they can become non-functional, but the Apple Watch Ultra is very unlikely to, even in the harshest of climes. Apple says the watch has been designed to accommodate the most extreme environments in outdoor exploration, with an on-wrist operating temperature from –4° to 131° F (–20° to 55° C).

Larger Display, More Complications

Apple Watch Ultra Yellow Beige Trail Loop Wayfinder face 220907 inline
Apple has created a new Wayfinder watch face that's been designed especially for the larger Apple Watch Ultra display. It includes a compass built into the dial, and has space for up to eight complications on screen at the same time. The Wayfinder watch face can also be customized for mountain, ocean, or trail expeditions.

Customizable Action Button

Apple Watch Ultra Orange Alpine Loop Action button 220907 big
Where previous Apple Watch models have had just two physical controls, Apple Watch Ultra has a third on the left side of the screen called the Action button, which is colored in "international orange" and can serve a range of functions.

As it's customizable, what the Action button does is up to the user, so one push can let you track race segments during a workout, find a way out when using Backtrack, drop a Compass Waypoint, or start up a dive computer, depending on your needs.

Brighter Screen

Apple Watch Ultra lifestyle adventure 220907 big
Under the flat sapphire front crystal is a Retina display that is not only the biggest yet on an Apple Watch, but it can also output contents at up to 2,000 nits, which is two times brighter than any other Apple Watch display.

Night Mode

Apple Watch Ultra Orange Alpine Loop Wayfinder face Night Mode 220907 inline
To optimize for evening conditions when using the Wayfinder watch face, a turn of the Digital Crown engages Night Mode, which turns the interface red and removes retina-altering blue light from the display to ease strain on your eyes in the dark.

Emergency Siren

ultra siren watch
If you ever become lost, injured, or have some other emergency situation and want to draw attention to your location, Apple Watch Ultra includes an 86-decibel siren that can be enabled by holding the Action button.

Apple says the siren uses a unique sound signature that incorporates two distinct alternating patterns, which can repeat for several hours. The first pattern suggests distress, while the second mimics the universally recognized SOS pattern, and the siren can be heard up to 600 feet or 180 meters away.

Best-in-Class GPS Positioning

ultra watch gps
Apple Watch Ultra uses a precision dual-frequency GPS that integrates both L1 and the latest frequency, L5. Apple says that in combination with new custom positioning algorithms, this provides users with the most accurate GPS of any smartwatch on the market, and should help trail runners and other athletes who often find themselves in amongst dense trees or high buildings.

Redesigned Compass App

compass utra
In watchOS 9, the Compass has been redesigned for Apple Watch Ultra and now has three different views. The app displays a new hybrid view that simultaneously shows both an analog compass dial and a digital view, while turning the Digital Crown reveals an additional view that includes latitude, longitude, elevation, and incline, as well as an orienteering view showing Compass Waypoints and Backtrack.

Waypoint Marking and Backtrack

Apple Watch Ultra Green Alpine Loop Compass Waypoints 220907 inline
In the Compass app, you can press the Action button or tap the Compass Waypoint icon to drop a waypoint and mark the location you are in. Waypoints can be edited by tapping the icon, and the Compass Waypoint complication updates automatically in real time showing both the direction of the waypoint as well as its approximate distance.

Meanwhile, with the help of GPS, a new Backtrack function creates a path showing you where you've been, like a breadcrumb trail, which you can use if you get lost or disoriented and want to retrace your steps.

Water Temperature Sensor and Depth Gauge

depth gauge ultra watch
Apple Watch Ultra is certified to EN 13319, which is an internationally recognized standard for dive accessories, including depth gauges. The Apple Watch Ultra even incorporates a depth gauge into a new Depth app, which can display time, current depth down to 40 meters, water temperature, duration under water, and max depth reached.

When underwater, the Apple Watch Ultra automatically opens the Depth app, making it quick and easy to get critical information without needing to open it manually. Alternatively, you can assign the Depth app to the Action button to launch it when needed.

Availability

apple watch ultra 2
The Apple Watch Ultra costs $799 and was made available for pre-order after Wednesday's "Far out" event. It comes in a silver titanium casing and is available with three different bands: Trail, Alpine, and Ocean. The Apple Watch Ultra will begin shipping to customers on Friday, September 23.

Related Roundup: Apple Watch Ultra 2
Related Forum: Apple Watch

Popular Stories

iPhone 17 Pro Iridescent Feature 2

iPhone 17 Pro Clear Case Leak Reveals Three Key Changes

Sunday August 31, 2025 1:26 pm PDT by
Apple is expected to unveil the iPhone 17 series on Tuesday, September 9, and last-minute rumors about the devices continue to surface. The latest info comes from a leaker known as Majin Bu, who has shared alleged images of Apple's Clear Case for the iPhone 17 Pro and Pro Max, or at least replicas. Image Credit: @MajinBuOfficial The images show three alleged changes compared to Apple's iP...
iPhone 17 Pro 3 4ths Perspective Aluminum Camera Module 1

New iPhone 17 Pro Details: Brighter Display, Best Battery Life, and More

Wednesday September 3, 2025 5:33 am PDT by
Apple's iPhone 17 Pro and iPhone 17 Pro Max models will feature a number of significant display, thermal, and battery improvements, according to new late-stage rumors. According to the Weibo leaker known as "Instant Digital," the iPhone 17 Pro models will feature displays with higher brightness, making it more suitable for use in direct sunlight for prolonged periods. The iPhone 16 Pro and...
iphone 16 pro ghost hand

iPhone 17 Pro: 5 Reasons Not to Upgrade This Year

Monday September 1, 2025 4:35 am PDT by
Apple will launch its new iPhone 17 series this month, and the iPhone 17 Pro models are expected to get a new design for the rear casing and the camera area. But more significant changes to the lineup are not expected until next year, when the iPhone 18 models arrive. If you're thinking of trading in your iPhone for this year's latest, consider the following features rumored to be coming to...
iPhone 17 Pro Iridescent Feature 2

iPhone 17 and iPhone 17 Pro Prices Estimated Ahead of Apple Event Next Week

Tuesday September 2, 2025 1:50 pm PDT by
Just one week before Apple is expected to unveil the iPhone 17 series, an analyst has shared new price estimates for the devices. Here are J.P. Morgan analyst Samik Chatterjee's price estimates for the iPhone 17 series in the United States, according to 9to5Mac: Model Starting Price Model Starting Price Change iPhone 16 $799 iPhone 17 ...
iPhone 17 Pro Dark Blue and Orange

iPhone 17 Release Date, Pre-Orders, and What to Expect

Thursday August 28, 2025 4:08 am PDT by
An iPhone 17 announcement is a dead cert for September 2025 – Apple has already sent out invites for an "Awe dropping" event on Tuesday, September 9 at the Apple Park campus in Cupertino, California. The timing follows Apple's trend of introducing new iPhone models annually in the fall. At the event, Apple is expected to unveil its new-generation iPhone 17, an all-new ultra-thin iPhone 17...
iOS 18 on iPhone Arrow Down

Apple Preparing iOS 18.7 for iPhones as iOS 26 Release Date Nears

Sunday August 31, 2025 4:35 pm PDT by
Apple is preparing to release iOS 18.7 for compatible iPhone models, according to evidence of the update in the MacRumors visitor logs. We expect iOS 18.7 to be released in September, alongside iOS 26. The update will likely include fixes for security vulnerabilities, but little else. iOS 18.7 will be one of the final updates ever released for the iPhone XS, iPhone XS Max, and iPhone XR,...
iPhone 17 Pro on Desk Centered 1

Survey: Nearly 70% of Users Plan to Upgrade to iPhone 17

Monday September 1, 2025 8:24 am PDT by
A new survey has found that nearly seven in ten iPhone owners in the United States plan to upgrade to an iPhone 17 model, signaling strong demand ahead of Apple's expected unveiling of the devices at its September 9 keynote. Smartphone price comparison platform SellCell surveyed over 2,000 U.S.-based iPhone users in August to assess upgrade interest and brand loyalty before Apple's event....

Top Rated Comments

saturn88 Avatar
39 months ago



The bezel is way too wide on Ultra. The display area on Ultra, according to Apple specs is 1164 sq mm vs 1143 sq mm on a regular Watch 8: basically the same size just ultra has bigger bezels. Shame
Score: 14 Votes (Like | Disagree)
Salty Pirate Avatar
39 months ago
Score: 13 Votes (Like | Disagree)
mdriftmeyer Avatar
39 months ago

I had to laugh.

Extreme temperatures as low as -4? In many parts of the USA, that's a fairly common winter Monday.
It means that it’s performance doesn’t degrade in such conditions. Your own body temperature would have to plummet to keep the phone from reaching below -4. Odds are you’re wearing a full length shirt, parka, etc at even lower temps.
Score: 12 Votes (Like | Disagree)
macsplusmacs Avatar
39 months ago
2,000 nits!

Take that stupid sun.
Score: 10 Votes (Like | Disagree)
kjvmartin Avatar
39 months ago
I had to laugh.

Extreme temperatures as low as -4? In many parts of the USA, that's a fairly common winter Monday.
Score: 10 Votes (Like | Disagree)
DrV Avatar
39 months ago

Area is a quadratic function. So the Ultra has 1164 - 1143 = 21 sq mm more area than the 8. Since the aspect ratio is roughly square, that means that the Ultra has roughly sqrt(21) = 4.6 mm more linear space in each direction. That’s more than an eighth of an inch.

Grab your ruler, and you’ll see that that’s a non-trivial length for something to go on your wrist.

Yes, it would be nice were the bezels as thin as on the 8 — whether because the case was smaller or the display area was bigger. I’m sure we’ll see that no later than mid-decade.

But the display itself actually is bigger, plus it’s got a much larger battery, plus it’s got the extra speakers and microphones, plus it’s got … well, an improved but not as much improved as you might have hoped for display seems a reasonable compromise for all the other leaps ahead in the Ultra.

Nobody’s yet commented on the substantial increase of thickness of this watch; that’s likely to be much more annoying day-to-day. But I’m hoping / expecting to be pleasantly surprised … by the numbers, my S4 would seem to be a behemoth, but it actually looks and feels like nothing. I’m guessing that, by the end of the second day of wearing the Ultra, it’ll feel perfectly natural.

b&
Back to Maths 101...

If you have a square with 1164 mm2 area, its side is 34.11 mm.
If you have a square with 1143 mm2 area, its side is 33.80 mm.

So, the difference is around 0.3 mm. Not very much, I'd say.
Score: 10 Votes (Like | Disagree)