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Apple Watch Series 6 Features U1 Chip for Ultra Wideband

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Apple Watch Series 6 models are equipped with a U1 chip for Ultra Wideband support, according to tech specs on Apple's website.

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Introduced in iPhone 11 models last year, the U1 chip enables improved spatial awareness. The distance between two devices that support Ultra Wideband can be measured precisely by calculating the time that it takes for a radio wave to pass between the two devices, with much more accuracy than Bluetooth LE and Wi-Fi.

Apple has so far only used the technology to power a directional AirDrop feature in iOS 13, but it has promised more exciting use cases in the future. One of those will likely be its rumored AirTags items trackers, which analyst Ming-Chi Kuo has previously said will support Ultra Wideband, allowing users to locate lost items with greater accuracy.

Earlier this year, MacRumors teamed up with repair site iFixit to confirm that the 2020 iPad Pro lacks the U1 chip, so the fact that it is included in the Apple Watch Series 6 provides reassurance that Apple is still committed to Ultra Wideband.

The lower-cost Apple Watch SE is not equipped with a U1 chip, according to Apple's tech specs.

Article Link: Apple Watch Series 6 Features U1 Chip for Ultra Wideband
 
Article Link
https://www.macrumors.com/2020/09/15/apple-watch-series-6-u1-chip-ultra-wideband/
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is it true they got rid of the sapphire glass on the front of the Apple Watch on the stainless steel models?
 
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Why doesn’t Apple integrate this into the iPad? Wouldn’t it help to precisely locate a lost iPad? What if someone left their iPad at school and was unsure of where in a crowded building or crowded coffee shop?

Id like to see them add this to Apple silicon based Mac portables as well.
 
Toratek said:
This is what is listed:

  • Aluminum Apple Watch case—7000 series aluminum, Ion-X glass (strengthened glass), composite back (plastic)
  • Stainless Steel Apple Watch case—Stainless steel, sapphire crystal, ceramic back
  • Titanium Apple Watch case—Titanium, sapphire crystal, ceramic back
Click to expand...
So the Aluminum models have gone back to composite back instead of ceramic?

Series 4 and 5 they switched to ceramic backs!
 
Kylo83 said:
Who really loses there watch
Click to expand...

It's not about finding your watch. Its about telling other devices where exactly your watches is.

So when you go to open your front door, the opener knows your watch is EXACTLY 2 cms from the door handle and can unlock it as you reach for it.

Untill now smart locks had to make guesses when your going to open the door based on where you have been.
 
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Toratek said:
This is what is listed:

  • Aluminum Apple Watch case—7000 series aluminum, Ion-X glass (strengthened glass), composite back (plastic)
  • Stainless Steel Apple Watch case—Stainless steel, sapphire crystal, ceramic back
  • Titanium Apple Watch case—Titanium, sapphire crystal, ceramic back
Click to expand...
Link? This doesn't seem true since the 4 and 5 had a ceramic back on the aluminum models.
 
Contemplating the Hermes one since it's the only model with black stainless steel, the bands are classic, and I'm fed up with the cheap-o screen of the aluminium AW4 that nicks and scratches with every surface it touches. But it would be QUITE an impulse purchase, so better sleep on it..
 
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Does it have a useful role in Covid-19 exposure tracking? Or is the number of UWB devices too small to even bother?
 
otternonsense said:
Contemplating the Hermes one since it's the only model with black stainless steel, the bands are classic, and I'm fed up with the cheap-o screen of the aluminium AW4 that nicks and scratches with every surface it touches. But it would be QUITE an impulse purchase, so better sleep on it..
Click to expand...

I love my SBSS S4 so much that if I have to buy a Hermes model to get the finish in a future watch, I might bloody well just do so.


Theyayarealivin said:
Graphite or Titanium??? which one is better?
Click to expand...

For scratch resistance, probably Graphite since it appears to have the same DLC coating the SB SS does and a fair number of people complained Titanium scratched easier than at least SBSS if not SS.
 
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I think I'm finally gonna pull the trigger on an Apple Watch...someone talk me out of it in the next 24 hours!
 
Here's a screen shot from Apple's site comparing the Series 6 (left), SE (middle), Series 3 (right) - Looks like the front and back of all Series 6 watches are sapphire
 

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