Apple unveiled the Apple Watch Ultra 4 during its Wednesday “Surprise and Shine” event, maintaining the same $799 starting price as its predecessor while introducing meaningful upgrades. The new rugged smartwatch retains the design of the previous generation but incorporates a faster processor, extended battery capabilities, and enhanced health monitoring features. The device will become available for preorder today, with a September 18 release date scheduled.
The Ultra 4 features a new Health Sensing System that delivers more precise heart rate monitoring and heart rate variability measurements to track cardiovascular stress and recovery. The watch introduces a Readiness fitness score that assesses user preparedness for workouts based on historical performance data. These health capabilities will work alongside Apple’s revamped Health app, which incorporates artificial intelligence to evaluate movement metrics related to balance and flexibility. The same features will also appear on the standard Apple Watch Series 12.
Powering the device is Apple’s new S11 chip, which enables Audio Intelligence features launching later this year. These include Live Rewind for recording brief conversation transcripts, Siri Recap for summarizing discussions, and Sound Recognition alerts designed for users with hearing difficulties. Apple emphasizes that audio data is not stored or recorded, with processing occurring separately before deletion.
Battery performance represents another significant improvement, with the Ultra 4 offering up to 50 hours of typical use—an eight-hour increase from the previous model. Low Power Mode extends this to 84 hours per charge. The watch also features faster charging, delivering 18 hours of usage from just 15 minutes of charging time. The titanium case is available in black and natural finishes, with premium Hermès variants starting at $1,499.
Originally reported by Mashable →
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