6 Features Coming to the Apple Watch Ultra 3

[QuarterSwede]

All the thousands/millions of Garmin users want is a battery that lasts a week of more, like our current Garmin…….. all the fancy hypertension crap is just crap. Decent battery - take my money.

I’m guessing there are a lot more people that would buy/upgrade for hypertension. My mom got an AW a few years ago and I know she’d upgrade just for that. She’s about as typical a person as you can get tech wise.

I exercise normally and have never once wanted longer battery life. I charge it when I’m showering on those days and when I sleep. It lasts all day even with the AOD on.

I understand there are people who are doing extreme exercise regimens that truly need these battery lengths but they pale in the amounts compared to people who have issues they want to track.

Can you imagine the flack Apple would get if the Ultra increased battery life but not include all of the non-Ultra new sensors and features. They’d get crucified. I mean, just look at the 16e heat they’re getting for it not having MagSafe (of all things).

 

[poofdadz]

I’m surprised no mention of battery life. Most people I know (and I know a lot) that moved to Garmin that was the main reason. It’s embarrassing having a battery life measured in hours when the competition measures in months on some models. Even the Fenix 8 lasts a good 10 days and that has a crazy bright flashlight built in.

If you actually used a Garmin, which I seriously doubt you have, you would know that their battery estimates are comically overinflated. Use it as it’s actually meant for, like a daily GPS workout while playing music, basic smartwatch features, that crazy bright flashlight once a day, etc., that battery life evaporates. Still better than an Apple Watch Ultra, but not the ridiculous battery life that is claimed.

 

[MrGimper]

I upgraded from an S7 to the black AWU2 and love it. Nothing that’s rumoured would make me upgrade.

I prefer the AWU2 screen. Going back to a Series watch makes me realise how reflective and annoying the curved edges were. The flat screen on the AWU2 is brilliant.

And of course battery life.

 

[eduardodfj]

All of them are "nice to have", but what the AWU needs is more battery life.

 

[Nimrad]

If you actually used a Garmin, which I seriously doubt you have, you would know that their battery estimates are comically overinflated. Use it as it’s actually meant for, like a daily GPS workout while playing music, basic smartwatch features, that crazy bright flashlight once a day, etc., that battery life evaporates. Still better than an Apple Watch Ultra, but not the ridiculous battery life that is claimed.

Seems like you haven’t read how Garmin presents their battery? They are super accurate in my limited experience so far. They provide estimates in 8 different modes. While I haven’t hiked for enough hours straight to deplete my battery totally I did do a 4 hour hike and it was spot on for remaining battery life in GPS Mode according to the manual: https://www8.garmin.com/manuals/web...UID-40B16F18-75A1-4B3E-8F1A-AB4919BC9E51.html

 

[SteveJobs2.0]

Where is the bigger screen or is that being saved for AWU5? Apple Watch still has massive bezels which make the screen smaller than Apple Watch 10

 

[I7guy]

Global Smartwatch Shipments Tracker by Model, Q4 2024

Overview: The global smartwatch market experienced a 9% year-over-year decline, primarily due to reduced shipments from major brands such as Apple and leading Indian brands. Conversely, Chinese brands like Huawei, Xiaomi, and BBK (Imoo) saw growth. Shipments in the China region increased by 29%...

www.counterpointresearch.com

What’s your source?

5 Biggest Smartwatch Companies in the World

Huawei, a Chinese multinational technology company founded in 1987, has become one of the world

www.insidermonkey.com

My source is not behind a paywall.

 

[Nimrad]

5 Biggest Smartwatch Companies in the World

Huawei, a Chinese multinational technology company founded in 1987, has become one of the world

www.insidermonkey.com

My source is not behind a paywall.

Well, as I said, premium segment where the Ultra belongs is another story. It’s no doubt at all that Apple is bigger than Garmin over all. Btw, latest numbers from 2024 actually show Huawei being bigger than Apple:

Huawei Beats Apple in Global Smartwatch Shares According to Latest Data

Apple's global dominance in the smartwatch front is now usurped by its Chinese rival, Huawei.

www.techtimes.com

 

[eduardodfj]

It blows me away that Apple won't design a hyper sport focused version with more buttons and an insane focus on battery life. For a lot of fitness/outdoor use cases, "way more battery life" is literally required feature #1, #2 and #3

I'm all in for more battery life and it is my only complain. Having said that, the cases where more battery life is really needed in fitness/outdoor use cases are quite limited. Endurance athletes, long hikes... It's not that much people.

 

[UnknownTechGuy]

as a AWU 1st gen usr, this looks very tempting to me.

 

[I7guy]

Well, as I said, premium segment where the Ultra belongs is another story. It’s no doubt at all that Apple is bigger than Garmin over all. Btw, latest numbers from 2024 actually show Huawei being bigger than Apple:

Huawei Beats Apple in Global Smartwatch Shares According to Latest Data

Apple's global dominance in the smartwatch front is now usurped by its Chinese rival, Huawei.

www.techtimes.com

Okay companies play flip flop. So I expect these estimates to play whack a mole. Btw you know these are estimates and have no actual way of proving they are correct. In fact due to errors in estimating Apple could be the leader in sales. They are the leader in profit though.

 

[Nimrad]

Okay companies play flip flop. So I expect these estimates to play whack a mole. Btw you know these are estimates and have no actual way of proving they are correct. In fact due to errors in estimating Apple could be the leader in sales. They are the leader in profit though.

They haven’t played whack a mole at all though. Apple has been in the lead for years now.

 

[satchmo]

Thinner and 45mm size. Thanks.

 

[turbineseaplane]

If you actually used a Garmin, which I seriously doubt you have, you would know that their battery estimates are comically overinflated. Use it as it’s actually meant for, like a daily GPS workout while playing music, basic smartwatch features, that crazy bright flashlight once a day, etc., that battery life evaporates. Still better than an Apple Watch Ultra, but not the ridiculous battery life that is claimed.

As a multiyear Garmin user, your account of this situation is totally inaccurate

 

[LlamaLarry]

We just ordered a "laser" blood glucose monitor for ~$100. I would think that there are quite a few diabetics out that would jump at the chance to have a "real time" non invasive glucose monitor.

What is a laser glucometer? Care to share a link as $100 is insanely cheap so I would be curious to know how it compares to the MARD of my traditional CGM.

For the people wishing the AWU/AWU2 users needing more battery life - What the heck are you doing with your watches? I go 2+ days without needing a full charge (even running dev builds). Do you guys bathe, or ride in cars, or literally never take your watch up until it is totally dead and just glare at it angrily until it is full?

 

[satchmo]

I hope they add another button so I can finally stop struggling with gestures when my hands are sweaty or when I’m wearing gloves. It’s a sports watch, for God’s sake.

Exactly. Also being able to disable touch based on activity would be nice. Garmin has a good implementation of this.

 

[turbineseaplane]

I'm all in for more battery life and it is my only complain. Having said that, the cases where more battery life is really needed in fitness/outdoor use cases are quite limited. Endurance athletes, long hikes... It's not that much people.

It's a matter of convenience and not having to "worry about it" for me

Nearly every day I track my sleep, a walk (sometimes 2) and some type of exercise at the gym and it's so delightful to go around a week without even having to think about it for a split second

I'm always ready to take advantage of "weather looks great right now, I'm going to get a run in" and "go" with no concerns at all on battery life

 

[drumcat]

I find myself going back to the S5 I have because of how annoying the Ultra can be on the wrist. I think any replacement won't be an ultra in this form factor. It's too much. The dull pain I get on the top of my wrist area is enough reason for me.

My APP hurt my ears, too… you'd think Apple could get the pain down...

 

[TechWhisperer]

I want faster charging and longer battery life. And oh yeah… a completely new watchOS. Lol.

 

[centauratlas]

We just ordered a "laser" blood glucose monitor for ~$100. I would think that there are quite a few diabetics out that would jump at the chance to have a "real time" non invasive glucose monitor.

Do you mind sharing which one? Since you just ordered it I presume you don't have an experience with it being good or bad. It would be cool to have for people I know.

 

[Howard2k]

It's a matter of convenience and not having to "worry about it" for me

Nearly every day I track my sleep, a walk (sometimes 2) and some type of exercise at the gym and it's so delightful to go around a week without even having to think about it for a split second

I'm always ready to take advantage of "weather looks great right now, I'm going to get a run in" and "go" with no concerns at all on battery life

With fast charge it's a non-issue in my experience. If I want to go for a run and somehow I'm under 30% then it's just a 5-10 minutes charge and then I'm confident that I have enough charge.

Usually I charge in the shower and every couple of days I do need to check the charge level and then will throw it on for a little while as needed.

There's never any situation where I suddenly find myself unable to use the watch because it has to sit and charge for two hours.

Not perfect, I'd like more battery life too, but again for me it's a non-issue.


The one key situation that is imperfect is a weekend (or longer) away. At the gf's place I keep a charger and will have to charge for a few minutes during the weekend, but going away somewhere then absolutely it's a case of packing the charger cable (along with a phone cable).

 

[Plutonius]

I think they are running out of features to put in new designs .

Maybe they should just concentrate on better battery life.

 

[xDKP]

Wish they’d bring the screen all the way to the edge and remove the black bezels. Looks somewhat dated as a result. Thinner metal border around screen would be nice, too.

Second that - smaller display bezel and better battery. All I would ask for.

To not drastically improve the battery is such a big miss for a ultra sports watch - but judging by the non-development of normal series battery life it seems they don’t agree

 

[dbwie]

Someone already mentioned it’s the best selling watch in the planet. Not to say it can’t be improved. However it seems to say they nailed their target demographic.



Everybody has their personal wish list for the Apple Watch.

Yes, and I have asked Tim Cook to add this feature. Apple has a history of telling us what we want, but every once in a while, we the customers do know what we want.

 

[MallardDuck]

wonder if the O2 sensor will come back....