Apple has announced the Apple Watch Ultra 4, showcasing its latest advancements in sports and adventure wearables. This new model includes sophisticated health and fitness features and boasts an extended battery life.
With the introduction of the new Health Sensing System and the S11 chip, the Apple Watch Ultra 4 offers unparalleled heart rate monitoring accuracy in a wearable device. It provides higher-frequency measurements of heart rate and heart rate variability (HRV), alongside a readiness score to aid athletes. The watch is capable of tracking outdoor workouts for up to 45 hours, thanks to an enhanced battery life, and offers precise GPS capabilities.
Beyond health monitoring, the S11 chip supports new Audio Intelligence features, which will debut later this year. These tools are designed to help users remember significant moments from conversations and remain aware of important sounds, all while ensuring privacy and security. Apple’s watchOS 27 integrates Siri AI, providing users with personalized context and comprehensive knowledge directly on their wrist.
The Apple Watch Ultra 4 continues to support users with advanced workout tracking, sleep monitoring, and health features such as heart health notifications and the ECG app. It also offers safety features like satellite communications, reinforcing its position as a comprehensive health, fitness, and safety device.
Available in natural and black titanium finishes, the Apple Watch Ultra 4 can be pre-ordered now, with availability starting Friday, September 18. Kaiann Drance, Apple’s vice president of Worldwide Apple Watch Product Marketing, emphasized, “The new Health Sensing System and S11 chip elevate Apple Watch Ultra 4 — our most rugged and capable Apple Watch — with longer battery life, faster charging, and unmatched heart rate sensing capabilities.”
Health monitoring and battery enhancements
Apple Watch Ultra 4 has been redesigned to offer continuous, high-fidelity health monitoring through its Health Sensing System, which includes new optical and electrical heart sensors. A study involving over 1,000 participants confirmed its superior heart rate accuracy compared to other wearables.
The watch features larger, energy-efficient green LEDs on the optical heart sensor, allowing heart rate measurements every five seconds throughout the day. HRV is now measured up to 24 times more frequently, providing insights into stress and recovery.
Moreover, the watch introduces readiness scores, analyzing recent activity, training load, vitals, and sleep to help users plan their day. Battery enhancements mean the watch can last over two days with regular use, up to 50 hours, and extends to 84 hours in Low Power Mode. Charging is also faster, with just 15 minutes providing up to 18 additional hours of battery life.
Step tracking and audio intelligence features
The Apple Watch Ultra 4 offers the most accurate step tracking among smartwatches, thanks to a revamped pedometer model and machine learning algorithms. The new S11 chip also powers the Steps complication, allowing users to monitor their step count in real-time.
Audio Intelligence features keep users engaged with their surroundings and conversations, utilizing the S11 chip and Apple’s latest intelligence models. These features are designed with privacy in mind, ensuring audio data is processed in a secure enclave and immediately discarded after use.
Users have control over Audio Intelligence features, including opting in and out and managing when Siri Recap takes notes. These features aim to provide high-level conversation summaries while maintaining privacy.
In addition, watchOS 27 enhances Siri AI capabilities, offering a new Siri app with Apple Intelligence features and a Siri Modular watch face for easy access.
Apple Watch Ultra 4 is available in natural and black titanium, with new band colors and designs, including options from the Apple Watch Hermès collection, which are crafted with environmental responsibility in mind, using recycled materials and renewable energy.