Apple Watch Ultra 4 has the same external look as Ultra 3, but it’s packed with internal upgrades to the chip and health sensors that unlock new and improved features. Here’s everything new in Apple Watch Ultra 4 vs Ultra 3.
Apple often includes a new chip with its latest Watch models, but most chip updates include only minor changes and minimal performance gains. And last year, Apple opted to stick with the same S10 from 2024.
But Apple Watch Ultra 4 has a brand-new S11 chip. S11 unlocks exclusive new software features thanks to its more powerful capabilities.
Apple doesn’t give specific benchmarks to measure the improvements, only saying S11 is its “most powerful wearable chip.”
Apple Watch Ultra 4 also doubles the memory of Ultra 3, with 4GB versus the 2GB of last year’s model.
Apple Watch Ultra 4 has an all-new Health Sensing System that might be the biggest change ever to the Watch’s internal sensors. Apple says the new system “unlocks deeper health and fitness insights.”
Here’s the breakdown of feature improvements, per Apple:
One of Apple Watch Ultra’s best features is battery life, and Ultra 4 delivers noteworthy gains in that department. Here’s the comparison:
Apple Watch Ultra 4 can also provide 50% more battery life on a quick 15-minute charge. 15 minutes gets you 18 hours of runtime, versus only 12 on Apple Watch Ultra 3.
Readiness is a health feature that’s become common with other wearables, and now Apple has its own version with a Readiness app. Here’s what it does per Apple:
Apple Watch Ultra 4 introduces readiness, a new feature that analyzes a user’s recent activity, training load, vitals, and sleep score to offer insight into their capacity for the day ahead. Readiness provides a single 0-10 score each day with a clear, actionable recommendation: Recover, Pace Yourself, Ready, or Go For It. This helps a user decide how to take on their day, whether they’re headed into a workday or tackling their training plan.
Apple Watch Ultra 4 will also support a suite of Audio Intelligence features, some of which are coming in a software update later this year. Audio Intelligence includes:
Apple Watch Ultra 4 is now available to pre-order at $799. It ships Friday, September 18.
Which Apple Watch Ultra 4 features are you most interested in? Do you plan to upgrade? Let us know in the comments.
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Ryan got his start in journalism as an Editor at MacStories, where he worked for four years covering Apple news, writing app reviews, and more. For two years he co-hosted the Adapt podcast on Relay FM, which focused entirely on the iPad. As a result, it should come as no surprise that his favorite Apple device is the iPad Pro.
