Apple Watch Ultra 2nd Gen (2023): news, rumors, expectations
In 2022, Apple forever changed the landscape of the Apple Watch ecosystem with the introduction of the Apple Watch Ultra, a rugged super-premium version of the Apple Watch that was mostly geared towards adventurous individuals that require more of their smartwatch. With a complete titanium and sapphire build, exceptional water resistance and the promise to work in extreme temperature conditions, the Apple Watch Ultra certainly your regular Apple Watch wearable.
Although nothing in particular is known for a potential follow-up to the Apple Watch Ultra, one could be certain that Apple is certainly prepping a second generation of the awesome smartwatch that could potentially see the light of day in late 2023... or 2024, depending on who you ask. One thing is mostly certain: we'd see the next-gen wearable unveiled alongside a new crop of iPhones, though it remains to be seen which upcoming generation, exactly.
In this article, we'll be summarizing everything we know about the upcoming Apple Watch Ultra 2 and continuously update it as we stumble upon relevant new information. Have in mind that most of that will be based on rumors and leaks, so some things will undoubtedly change as we inch towards the actual release of the smartwatch.
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Apple Watch Ultra 2 rumored release date
It's too early to have any particular expectations, but if Apple doesn't break away from its established traditions (and we have no reason to believe it would), then we should probably expect the Apple Watch Ultra 2 sometime in September 2023, where it could be announced the next generation of iPhone, the iPhone 15 and iPhone 15 Ultra. Apple usually holds its hardware events on the second Tuesday of September, though last year it opted for the first Tuesday of the month. So, the specifics may vary until we get hold of the coveted Apple event invitation.
| Device family | Announcement | Market release |
|---|---|---|
| Apple Watch Ultra | September 7, 2022 | September 23, 2022 |
| Apple Watch Ultra 2 | September, 2023 (2024) rumored announcement period) | September - October, 2023 (2024) (rumored release period) |
Apple Watch Ultra expected price
The super-premium Apple Watch Ultra pushed the price all the way up to $799, a stark departure from the more stomach-able price of $399 for the Apple Watch Series 8 and the way more affordable $249 for the Apple Watch SE 2nd Gen, which share the majority of their internal hardware with the Apple Watch Ultra. Now, we don't really see Apple raising the price of the top-tier smartwatch for now, which makes us believe that the Apple Watch Ultra second and possibly even third generation could gravitate around that $799 price tag.
| Apple Watch model | Price |
|---|---|
| Apple Watch Ultra | $799 |
| Apple Watch Ultra 2 | $799 (rumored price) |
Apple Watch Ultra 2 rumored design & display features
The Apple Watch Ultra shook up the design language of the Apple Watch lineup a lot. The smartwatch became larger at 49mm, more masculine, with flat, rigid lines, a full titanium case and a sapphire screen to protect it from scratches and scuffs, a secondary action button, and a Digital Crown wheel with more pronounced grooves.
The Apple Watch Ultra is simply made differently, with more sensor apertures around the shell and exposed screws at the bottom allowing easy access to the watch's internals. The titanium body and sapphire glass give the watch a comforting sense of solidity and longevity, as well as a reassuring heft.
The Apple Watch Ultra 2 will most likely reuse the same rugged titanium-sapphire design for the most part, with possible revisions here and there. Something we can definitely see is more variation in terms of color options.
Now, the original Apple Watch Ultra is available in a single color, which is great, but we could definitely enjoy some more diversity in this regard, hopefully delivered by additional paintjobs. Some extra variety in the strap department in the form more rugged watchbands could also be a great thing to see on the Apple Watch Ultra 2nd Gen.
On the other hand, the possible use of micro-LED in lieu of LTPO OLED as display technology could bring higher brightness (up to 1,000 nits) and better durability and efficiency. However, recent rumors point out that this change could have been postponed to 2025. Regardless, the change to microLED is most certainly happening.
With a 49mm display, the Apple Watch Ultra is the largest Apple Watch wearable ever released, with a screen that's nearly a whole centimeter larger than the original Apple Watch that was announced back in 2015.
Apple Watch Ultra 2 rumored battery and charging specs
So far, we've heard nothing about the Apple Watch Ultra 2's battery. Judging by the awesome battery life of the Apple Watch Ultra, which weighed in at a massive 542mAh and can easily last you two days, even three with more sparing use. Hopefully, the Apple Watch Ultra 2nd Gen would be able to beat that thanks to improved efficiency should Apple opt in to use a newer chip utilizing a more efficient manufacturing process.
Apple Watch Ultra 2 anticipated software features
We could definitely see Apple develop and implement even more software features that separate the Apple Watch Ultra 2nd Gen from the rest of the Apple Watch lineup. Some enhanced navigational features and other software goodies would definitely improve the utility of the premium smartwatch and improve the case for it.
One feature that we keep hearing about and could very well be destined for the second-gen Apple Watch Ultra is the long-rumored non-invasive glucose reader, which will be able to take a reading of your blood sugar without pinching you with a needle thanks to an optical absorption spectroscopy process. Still, rumors have it that Apple managed to fit all the necessary hardware in a device as big as an iPhone, so there's still a long way to go. Apple will have to make really big strides in the miniaturization of the hardware necessary for this super-advanced biometric stint.
By the way, Apple has just announced watchOS 10, the new watchOS that will be available in the fall. Check out our article to learn more.
Apple Watch Ultra 2 rumored hardware specs
Apple held off on upgrading the chipset inside the Apple Watch Ultra, which is essentially the same one that powers the Apple Watch Series 8, Series 7, and even Series 6. The S8 SiP inside the Apple Watch Ultra is a 1.8GHz dual-core 64-bit silicon built on a 7nm manufacturing node, which is fast enough to crunch through any of the apps and features you might use on the wearable.
As we've certainly peaked as far as smartwatch performance goes, Apple is now expected to improve efficiency by moving to a smaller processor manufacturing node, which would do wonders for the overall efficiency. A jump down to 5nm, for example, would result in a ton of extra battery life that could potentially be eked out of the battery cell inside the Apple Watch Ultra 2.
With 32GB of storage, the Apple Watch Ultra can store tons of music tracks, podcasts, as well as your favorite photos. This amount of storage is more than enough on a smartwatch these days, so we don't really see the need for more storage space. Of course, a jump to 64GB might be beneficial to some extreme power users, but we don't really see that as a possibility for the Apple Watch Ultra 2.
Should you wait for the Apple Watch Ultra 2?
- You should wait for the Apple Watch Ultra 2 if you haven't bought an Apple Watch Ultra and are using a much older Apple Watch. At this point, if the first-gen Apple Watch Ultra hasn't succeeded on enticing you, it's worth waiting to see if Apple's second try could win you over. Who knows, it might just be the best wearable to fit your needs.
- You should not wait for the Apple Watch Ultra 2 if you've got yourself a first-gen Apple Watch Ultra and are generally happy with it. You should probably not wait for the second iteration of the Apple Watch Ultra, whenever it may come, if you're relatively satisfied with your current Apple Watch, however old this one might be.
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