Apple Watch Ultra vs. Ultra 2 Buyer's Guide: 12 Differences Compared

[fwmireault]

You’d be crazy to upgrade from Ultra 1 to Ultra 2.

To be fair, that's the case for most year-on-year upgrades nowadays (and not just on the Apple Watch). If people have the money for such an incremental upgrade, good for them

 

[jetjaguar]

I did look into it just to see what it would cost to do a trade-in and purchase the Ultra 2. Trade-in for Ultra 1 is about $340, so one would be paying a little over half to upgrade to an Ultra 2. I'm a little surprised that the trade-in value was so good (or tell me my assessment is wrong. 🙂 )

My trade in was $380

 

[jetjaguar]

Apple are nuts not improving battery life, this doesn't compete with more advanced fitness watches, like Garmin epix or fenix. Apple Watch Ultra doesn't last long enough to track an ultra marathon and seems like an ultra waste of money.

That will be for the next model or redesign next year

 

[Mike Boreham]

Gestures are covered in accessibility.

I have seen this said a few times, but this article says “With the S9 chip, there's a new Double Tap gesture (coming in October)”. Which implies it is not the same as currently available in accessibility.

 

[msackey]

To be fair, that's the case for most year-on-year upgrades nowadays (and not just on the Apple Watch). If people have the money for such an incremental upgrade, good for them

True!

I still remember the times maybe like a little less than 10 years ago when the next iteration of a device a year later was actually so much better AND resolved many slowdown issues. But as a case in point, my MacBook Pro 13" from 2017 for the way I use it still feels very fast and I don't experience what feels like slowdown issues. So at this point, upgrading to a newer computer is unnecessary unless my computer breaks.

 

[vegetassj4]

It is a must to upgrade. It is the most Ultra watch they've ever created.

 

[sniffies]

I have seen this said a few times, but this article says “With the S9 chip, there's a new Double Tap gesture (coming in October)”. Which implies it is not the same as currently available in accessibility.

The difference between the Accessibility Double-Tap and the new Double-Tap is that the new Double-Tap is smart, adaptive and context-aware. The Accessibility Double-Tap isn't.

 

[satchmo]

That will be for the next model or redesign next year

Doubt that.
Maybe in year 5 of the Ultra's life cycle, but not year 3.

 

[iBluetooth]

> "the ‌Apple Watch Ultra‌ 2 is a very minor upgrade over the first-generation model"
No, it's not. There is a lot of difference with the brand new CPU, which will improve the battery life a lot. Also, double storage is also making a lot of change for people.

 

[thefredelement]

That will be for the next model or redesign next year

Yeah, the ultra 2 upgrade is more like capitalization and a lot less like innovation.

 

[George Dawes]

They improved Siri ?

That can’t have been too hard

 

[alexandr]

Apple are nuts not improving battery life, this doesn't compete with more advanced fitness watches, like Garmin epix or fenix. Apple Watch Ultra doesn't last long enough to track an ultra marathon and seems like an ultra waste of money.

I'm sure you're 100% right, but AW isn't just a fitness watch — it's a smart watch.

 

[SoftyEng]

One thing thats definitely not different; the color.

Sorry apple you coulda had like $900 from me if the ultra had been released in space grey, but instead i got the s9 and you only got $400. And I definitely will not being buying another watch for 4+ years. Brilliant job, Apple!

 

[alexandr]

They improved Siri ?

That can’t have been too hard

Yet somehow it has proven to be an extremely difficult task...

 

[alexandr]

One thing thats definitely not different; the color.

Sorry apple you coulda had like $900 from me if the ultra had been released in space grey, but instead i got the s9 and you only got $400. And I definitely will not being buying another watch for 4+ years. Brilliant job, Apple!

Your call is very important for us.

 

[DMinTX]

I really want to move to an Ultra for the extra outdoor activity features (I hike & backpack), but I can’t get past the size difference from my S6 40mm.

I prefer the device be as small as possible.

 

[YoToddy]

What the hell does "60% more transistors" mean ? Apple is rarely that technical about those things...
It sounds as if it's a marketing twist for us to think it's 60% faster.

Edit : On Apple.com, they basically just talk about transistors. Where did MacRumors find out about it being in fact 30% faster?

We can't wait to see what magical things you do with those extra transistors!
-Apple Employees

 

[HMFIC03]

I did look into it just to see what it would cost to do a trade-in and purchase the Ultra 2. Trade-in for Ultra 1 is about $340, so one would be paying a little over half to upgrade to an Ultra 2. I'm a little surprised that the trade-in value was so good (or tell me my assessment is wrong. 🙂 )

I sold mine ultra 1 this am on eBay for $525 +$39.38 tax ($564.38) minus $75.08 and shipping I net $440ish.. so military discount and two week wait I pay $322 for a new ultra 2 ($762.14) hopefully worth it and I know the ultra 2 will be worth $100 more this time next year so I said why not.

 

[Skyscraperfan]

As one YouTuber pointed out, the Apple Watch Ultra could become a bargain now. You might get it refurbished for $600 or less.

 

[Four oF NINE]

It is a marketing twist. No reason to upgrade, but you don't want to be that fool who has 60% less transistors, DO YOU?

I did look into it just to see what it would cost to do a trade-in and purchase the Ultra 2. Trade-in for Ultra 1 is about $340, so one would be paying a little over half to upgrade to an Ultra 2. I'm a little surprised that the trade-in value was so good (or tell me my assessment is wrong. 🙂 )

They offered me $380 for my Ultra Watch version 1.. I might be tempted if it were $580..

 

[Extoll]

Upgrading from my S6. wanted the Ultra last year and held off main reason i am going with the ultra 2 is just for the new chip. Figure it would last little longer the first ultra. Since i really don't upgrade my watch very much. owned first apple watch then the s6.

 

[Four oF NINE]

Will WatchOS 10 allow AWU to have some of these features that AWU2 has? Like is precision finding a backwards compatibility feature if the current hardware can handle it? Same with Double Tap, theoretically should owners of AW8 and AWU be able to do these with WatchOS 10? (Yes I know Apple usually doesn’t work this way often and saves new features for new device releases)

Considering the direction Apple has been moving lately, I would think the answer is probably not, even though they easily could accommodate those functions.

 

[alexandr]

They offered me $380 for my Ultra Watch version 1.. I might be tempted if it were $580..

Call the cops — these trade in prices are robbery!

 

[DesignTime]

The real question I have is, for $800 did Apple finally fix the issue with Mail on the watch to where it displays deleted emails no matter what you do? You know, this issue that has been around from their first watch. Or does no one use Mail on the watch so no one cares?

 

[Four oF NINE]

If you want to run a 100 mile race and gamble hoping that turning off watch radios is enough to track the whole thing - go for it. I'm sticking w/garmin.

Who the hell runs a 100 mile race?