Apple Watch Ultra is here! First impressions and photos thread

[MallardDuck]

View attachment 2083251I also wish that I got a large now to move the hook further up.

I actually use the band the other way (easier to hook since my arm doesn't twist backwards)...might give that a go

 

[CaptMarvel]

I picked up an Ocean band earlier this week, and it just might be my favorite band to wear during workouts over the Nike Sport Loop/Apple Sport Loop. While the Sport Loops can probably get the most secure fit with velcro, the Ocean Band can still get pretty secure/flush against the wrist without causing discomfort. Not retaining sweat/water is another plus over the any of the Sport Loops.

 

[Boardiesboi]

View attachment 2085063View attachment 2085064

I picked up an Ocean band earlier this week, and it just might be my favorite band to wear during workouts over the Nike Sport Loop/Apple Sport Loop. While the Sport Loops can probably get the most secure fit with velcro, the Ocean Band can still get pretty secure/flush against the wrist without causing discomfort. Not retaining sweat/water is another plus over the any of the Sport Loops.

That white ocean band looks 🔥🔥🔥

 

[TheYayAreaLiving 🎗️]

View attachment 2085063View attachment 2085064

I picked up an Ocean band earlier this week, and it just might be my favorite band to wear during workouts over the Nike Sport Loop/Apple Sport Loop. While the Sport Loops can probably get the most secure fit with velcro, the Ocean Band can still get pretty secure/flush against the wrist without causing discomfort. Not retaining sweat/water is another plus over the any of the Sport Loops.

That white ocean band looks 🔥🔥🔥

Way too sleek. One of the best AW bands in the market.

I'm so happy I ordered the White Ocean Band. I still haven't unboxed it yet. Currently rocking the Yellow Ocean Band. Should be unboxing the White Ocean Band soon. I'm also pleased that it doesn't get dirty or pick up any dirt easily.

 

[IT Provisor]

Way too sleek. One of the best AW bands in the market.

I'm so happy I ordered the White Ocean Band. I still haven't unboxed it yet. Currently rocking the Yellow Ocean Band. Should be unboxing the White Ocean Band soon. I'm also pleased that it doesn't get dirty or pick up any dirt easily.

I've been enjoying mine: it's surprisingly comfortable and my favorite sport band from Apple!

 

[twyles]

I’ve had Series 0, 6 and 7, all aluminium. My first thoughts on the Ultra was it’s heavy! Not as chunky as I was expecting and I was expecting the orange button to be rubberised but it looks pretty smart.

I bought it to use as a dive computer - here it is against my old Suunto Stinger computer - sizes are similar.

View attachment 2077718

I used my AW Utra on a couple of shallow test dives yesterday.

I am qualified as a PADI Open Water Instructor and went to one of the lakes we use as a training location. Here in the UK it's cold, dark and visibility is usually measured in single digits of feet! Yesterday was no different, although at 16 degrees C the water was warmer than normal.

Obviously the Apple Depth app is NOT the dive computer software that will be available later in the year and as a result I used the AW Ultra in conjunction with my Stinger. However given the limited depth and risk I used the AW Ultra as the primary resource.

I had bought the extended strap so that it would fit over my drysuit sleeve. I don't know whose Hulk-sized wrists this is designed for but there was so much excess strap! I don't know what the design plan for it was either so I just reversed the direction and fed the excess strap back over itself and under the clasp. Once tucked away the strap was fine but it didn't feel it was being used as intended.

I then tried to use the watch, well of course there's no skin contact and the screen lock keeps reactivating. So I think this is Apple being typically Apple and assuming everyone operates in nice conditions where they dive in shortie wetsuits. Once the Action Button is activated however, or the watch is submerged, the Depth app triggers and the screen stays activated.

In the water, the screen is suitably bright and the depth, dive times and water temperature are easy to read. I couldn't tell though if there was a compass bearing showing or make out what the other figures were. (I do use reading glasses but don't use a prescription mask).

The depth figures were in line with the Stinger and seemed to be recorded every 2 - 3 seconds whereas the Stinger is only every 20s. However to view these you need to look at the Health app. Even then, there is just a list of figures - no visualisation of the profile which would be much more useful. I haven't yet worked out how to export these fgures from Health to something that can produce a graph.

I couldn't see any indication that a safety stop was required. Normally we advise a 3-minute stop at 5 m - this was triggered on the Stinger but not the AW Ultra. Again I put this down to the software not being a dive computer.

Once the dive was finished I could see some figure for the last dive - Max depth, underwater time and water temperature. I couldn't scroll through any history. Also and I think this is a bug, when viewing history the screen briefly flashes the detail screen and then switches to the summary showing the three stats above.

In terms of battery I had 84% when starting the first dive and 56 % when packing my kit away after the second. The first dive was 54 minutes and the second 39.

All in all for a casual diver I think, if you can export the data to a useful app it would be fine to use as a computer. For anyone wanting to use an enriched air mix or dive planning, you need to wait for the Oceanic (or others') app. BUT - I was relly impressed with the brightness of the display - nice and easy to read but not easy to access the data once committed to history.

 

[mikedis]

them some big bezels.

 

[blackNBUK]

I used my AW Utra on a couple of shallow test dives yesterday.

I am qualified as a PADI Open Water Instructor and went to one of the lakes we use as a training location. Here in the UK it's cold, dark and visibility is usually measured in single digits of feet! Yesterday was no different, although at 16 degrees C the water was warmer than normal.

Obviously the Apple Depth app is NOT the dive computer software that will be available later in the year and as a result I used the AW Ultra in conjunction with my Stinger. However given the limited depth and risk I used the AW Ultra as the primary resource.

I had bought the extended strap so that it would fit over my drysuit sleeve. I don't know whose Hulk-sized wrists this is designed for but there was so much excess strap! I don't know what the design plan for it was either so I just reversed the direction and fed the excess strap back over itself and under the clasp. Once tucked away the strap was fine but it didn't feel it was being used as intended.
View attachment 2085335

I then tried to use the watch, well of course there's no skin contact and the screen lock keeps reactivating. So I think this is Apple being typically Apple and assuming everyone operates in nice conditions where they dive in shortie wetsuits. Once the Action Button is activated however, or the watch is submerged, the Depth app triggers and the screen stays activated.

In the water, the screen is suitably bright and the depth, dive times and water temperature are easy to read. I couldn't tell though if there was a compass bearing showing or make out what the other figures were. (I do use reading glasses but don't use a prescription mask).

The depth figures were in line with the Stinger and seemed to be recorded every 2 - 3 seconds whereas the Stinger is only every 20s. However to view these you need to look at the Health app. Even then, there is just a list of figures - no visualisation of the profile which would be much more useful. I haven't yet worked out how to export these fgures from Health to something that can produce a graph.

View attachment 2085337View attachment 2085338View attachment 2085339

I couldn't see any indication that a safety stop was required. Normally we advise a 3-minute stop at 5 m - this was triggered on the Stinger but not the AW Ultra. Again I put this down to the software not being a dive computer.

Once the dive was finished I could see some figure for the last dive - Max depth, underwater time and water temperature. I couldn't scroll through any history. Also and I think this is a bug, when viewing history the screen briefly flashes the detail screen and then switches to the summary showing the three stats above.

View attachment 2085336

In terms of battery I had 84% when starting the first dive and 56 % when packing my kit away after the second. The first dive was 54 minutes and the second 39.

All in all for a casual diver I think, if you can export the data to a useful app it would be fine to use as a computer. For anyone wanting to use an enriched air mix or dive planning, you need to wait for the Oceanic (or others') app. BUT - I was relly impressed with the brightness of the display - nice and easy to read but not easy to access the data once committed to history.

Thanks for the detailed write up! I’m not a diver but it’s interesting to hear how the watch is working out.

Have you tried HealthFit for getting the dive data out? The last update says that support has been added.

 

[tmoerel]

Green Theme.....

 

[iPunish901]

Ordered Wednesday from AT&T, received today, fast turnaround. Really dig this watch/band combo.

I ordered Sunday. They are still “working on it”.

which band did you buy with it?

 

[macsplusmacs]

I am getting very use to the alpine loop. Putting it on so to speak, after years of using the solo loop, I'm good with the alpine for now.

But you people keep posting white ocean bands so that may need to be my next one.

 

[Dealmans]

I had my surf in the Ultra today, surf was about 5ft, very comfortable, much easier to see, the alpine loop is excellent and very secure.
I use a surf app that stores info in the activity app.
Used the dive app just to see water temp, 19c. Did show depth when I got wiped out and held under lol.
In winter I usually wear my watch under my wetsuit. In spring suits now.
Battery dropped about 20% in about 2 hours.
The green alpine is much darker when wet.

As a watch lover this is best apple product ever.

 

[parseckadet]

Finally got a chance to pick one up with the midnight ocean band and decided to post pictures with just about all the bands I have. Included are blue abyss, the first orange (I forget the original name), the first gen black leather loop, black woven nylon band (the only one that I think looks odd), and the original black sport band that came with my series 0 42mm stainless steel.

 

[guinness8878]

I ordered Sunday. They are still “working on it”.

which band did you buy with it?

Yellow was the only one that showed shipping right away, the others all showed late October.

 

[Furrr]

Need this band with titanium lugs!
This band was used for 2 years on a series 3 and is worn and way beyond what one would consider patina..

 

[tommyboy9996]

It's fine but it looks much better on my Series 7 due to going further to the edges and curving vs. the flat display on the Ultra. In particular it looks maybe a bit strange when in its dimmed state because of the increased bezels.

I agree, it looks as if it is not optimized on the Ultra. I always wanted this watch face having my AW6 SS and loving how the 7 brought it to the edges. When I got my Ultra I was excited for it until I noticed how it looked when dimmed. Hopefully they will alter it for the Ultra one of these days.

 

[tommyboy9996]

I also think that the brightness is too low in dark environments. Maybe this can be changed with software later on because the dimming is aggressive right now.

Actually, it is bright enough in very dark environments. The issue seems to more in low light where it is neither dark nor bright.

I see some people say there is an ambient light sensor and others say there is not. Do we know for sure if there actually is one? I’ve always been curious about this.

 

[Bazooka-joe]

I had my surf in the Ultra today, surf was about 5ft, very comfortable, much easier to see, the alpine loop is excellent and very secure.
I use a surf app that stores info in the activity app.
Used the dive app just to see water temp, 19c. Did show depth when I got wiped out and held under lol.
In winter I usually wear my watch under my wetsuit. In spring suits now.
Battery dropped about 20% in about 2 hours.
The green alpine is much darker when wet.

As a watch lover this is best apple product ever.

Autumn swells in the UK are just a couple weeks away so I shall be trying my watch out with the midnight ocean band. Which app are you using? Is it Dawn patrol?

 

[leebroath]

Pro and con impressions after a weekend of use:

- The ability to turn the crown to go to a red night mode only works on the Wayfinder face.

I actually didn't know this, wonder why?

 

[cannono]

I see some people say there is an ambient light sensor and others say there is not. Do we know for sure if there actually is one? I’ve always been curious about this.

There is absolutely. That’s how the Watches know when to use their highest brightness. They are much brighter in the sun, but not as bright indoors.

 

[cannono]

I actually didn't know this, wonder why?

Many of the faces would translate poorly to all red if they don’t manually adjust the scale it seems. Looks more complicated visually than “turn it grayscale and then tint red” so I assume they decided if they can’t achieve that for every face elegantly, it’s should be done well for the Ultra face itself.

 

[tommyboy9996]

There is absolutely. That’s how the Watches know when to use their highest brightness. They are much brighter in the sun, but not as bright indoors.

Understood, I was wondering if I should adjust the default brightness setting I have at about 66% and put it to max to utilize the screen brightness or leave it be. Thanks!

 

[Furrr]

I see some people say there is an ambient light sensor and others say there is not. Do we know for sure if there actually is one? I’ve always been curious about this.

100% sure!
Try shining a flashlight on your watch when indoors..

 

[tmoerel]

100% sure!
Try shining a flashlight on your watch when indoors..

Yep! And it is a great way to save more battery!

 

[pst23]

I called a store and they said it really doesn’t matter which Ultra band you change to, in size or color. All of them will mess up the SKU and trigger a messy inventory process, so it’s up to stores if they will help without taking the Watch back.







One Apple Store near me said they believe I’d need to return the Watch like the official policy and experiences here say. But a second store said that while it’s tough and there’s no official way, they can do it and it is just a tricky inventory marking setup. He wasn’t detailed but implied it does require the Watch in some manner being noted as return/exchange for a moment at least, and that he’d help me do it since they do know how at his location.

He said bring the Watch, the band I don’t like, the order info if placed online, and make sure the band I want is in stock or ordered ahead since they are out of most.

But then a hurricane arrived and he said they will be closed until Friday at the earliest so I’ll come back to y’all then lol.

Apple swapped my band. I made a post about it.