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AW Ultra Series 2

dblissmn said:
I'm assuming it will be on a similar update path to other Apple products. So I would expect 3nm processors across the line this fall, including the Ultra, with the main benefit being improved battery life. I suspect we may be waiting another year for glucose monitoring.
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Better battery life would be a game changer, especially for the series AWs. Really crossing my fingers for that.

Glucose monitoring next year? Would surprise me. This will take a few more years, sadly. Technology in this area is still not mature enough and Apple would never release such a critical measurement without it being rock solid. People could base very bad decisions on measurements. This is different to the SpO2 where the only decision is to check back the values.
 
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NME42 said:
Better battery life would be a game changer, especially for the series AWs. Really crossing my fingers for that.

Glucose monitoring next year? Would surprise me. This will take a few more years, sadly. Technology in this area is still not mature enough and Apple would never release such a critical measurement without it being rock solid. People could base very bad decisions on measurements. This is different to the SpO2 where the only decision is to check back the values.
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I guess sny release would come with a disclaimer. I would expect ‘sketchy’ versions by other manufacturers eg. Samsung’s blood pressure app, before Apple release anything.
 
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NME42 said:
With yesterdays announcements of watchOS 10 features I am quite sure we will see an Ultra 2 this fall.
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Funny you say that. I had the opposite reaction based on the generally underwhelming nature of the upcoming changes. I've held off on upgrading to the Ultra to this point but rethinking that as it seems at least a year before something substantive comes along (I'm thinking).

If there is a processor upgrade though, I'd have to believe they'd at least refresh the Ultra.
 
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Mjoshea148 said:
Funny you say that. I had the opposite reaction based on the generally underwhelming nature of the upcoming changes. I've held off on upgrading to the Ultra to this point but rethinking that as it seems at least a year before something substantive comes along (I'm thinking).
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For me, the changes are not underwhelming. Ok, the navigation functionality would have been nice. But this will be either in watchOS 11 or we will even see this together with an Ultra 2 this fall.

If there would be no Ultra 2 this fall, I would wait another year though.
 
driekraaien said:
Of course the Ultra is a product ‘in development’, between quotes - The hardware is pretty solid, but yes - I do think Apple can do better on the software side to unleash more of the potential of the hardware and sensors. It shouldn’t have to take a company like Apple over 2 years to catch up on features like offline mapping and load & recovery metrics.
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💯

Coming from Garmin to Ultra, those two sore spots are the ones that unnecessarily diminish the value of otherwise perfect product. Almost like no-one at Apple product team would have been allowed to use competing products enough to understand those two critical missing features.
 
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jole said:
💯

Coming from Garmin to Ultra, those two sore spots are the ones that unnecessarily diminish the value of otherwise perfect product. Almost like no-one at Apple product team would have been allowed to use competing products enough to understand those two critical missing features.
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I have a theory about the load and recovery stuff. Apple tends to have a baseline for acceptable data, I think that currently it feels that there is a bit of bunkum involved in these kind of metrics eg. Garmin's sensor is more fallible than the AW as scientifically documented.

I would certainly only expect them to roll something out when the AW records HR/HRV non-stop. There is a possibility that it might be released on watchos10 alongside the AW9 with an improved HR sensor or more power efficient processor.
 
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parsnip_r said:
Why do you need a faster processor in a watch? The watch is only for checking notifications and tracking fitness.

The only advantage would be power efficiency for non-Ultra models.

So I think Apple will not update the Ultra this year. They will just launch Series 9 with S9 chip, which would improve battery life.
And Ultra will get an update next year with the rumored micro-LED display.
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The Apple Watch is not only for checking notifications and tracking fitness. Maybe in your use case but it does a lot more than just that for me. I regularly use it for navigation, controlling my smart home, asking Siri questions, text messaging, controlling my music and AppleTVs, etc... I would definitely welcome a faster processor.
 
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NME42 said:
Glucose monitoring next year? Would surprise me.
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Gurman mentioned fairly recently that they have a lab somewhere with lab sized equipment where they are working on it. Even if they have it working with full sized equipment now it would likely be 5 years or so before it could be miniaturized to watch size.
 
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Monkswhiskers said:
I have a theory about the load and recovery stuff. Apple tends to have a baseline for acceptable data, I think that currently it feels that there is a bit of bunkum involved in these kind of metrics eg. Garmin's sensor is more fallible than the AW as scientifically documented.

I would certainly only expect them to roll something out when the AW records HR/HRV non-stop. There is a possibility that it might be released on watchos10 alongside the AW9 with an improved HR sensor or more power efficient processor.
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If that’s the case and Apple thinks those kinds of metrics like load and recovery are not reliable, then all the apps they promote like training today gentler streak, and Athlytic are in the same category. Yet they are all supported by Apple.
 
Indianwin2001 said:
If that’s the case and Apple thinks those kinds of metrics like load and recovery are not reliable, then all the apps they promote like training today gentler streak, and Athlytic are in the same category. Yet they are all supported by Apple.
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I’m not sure they ‘support’ those apps any more than they do iOS tarot card reading apps. What I’m trying to say is until there is more accuracy (in their eyes) which is not possible without 24/7 hrv readings, I doubt we will see a native version. I happen to use training today myself and do find it useful as a loose guide.
 
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Monkswhiskers said:
I’m not sure they ‘support’ those apps any more than they do iOS tarot card reading apps. What I’m trying to say is until there is more accuracy (in their eyes) which is not possible without 24/7 hrv readings, I doubt we will see a native version. I happen to use training today myself and do find it useful as a loose guide.
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I don't know for sure but I thinking the same thing. It doesn't seem to be an endorsement, it seems to be advertising. But I don't buy many apps either.
 
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Monkswhiskers said:
I’m not sure they ‘support’ those apps any more than they do iOS tarot card reading apps. What I’m trying to say is until there is more accuracy (in their eyes) which is not possible without 24/7 hrv readings, I doubt we will see a native version. I happen to use training today myself and do find it useful as a loose guide.
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+1

Was using Garmin watches and now trying Athlytic since a few weeks. Well, I do not find any of them useful or accurate. Often their recommendations are ok, sometimes ridiculous. No need for such then.

Using Runalyze for a lot better analysis of my training. Higher level of granularity though.
 
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It’s not just about the number of (for example) HRV readings, it’s also about the way these are measured and correlated with (for example) sleep stage data. Even when HRV is measured constantly, it’s not as simple as calculating an average to produce a recovery metric. Apps like Athlytic and Gentler can only work with the data available in the health app. I still like both apps, but for different things. I’m general, my RHR together with how I feel provides an accurate enough indication of recovery.
 
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driekraaien said:
Ultra 2 before any meaningful updates to the current version will feel like a big middle finger from Apple.
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I don't understand this at all if you watch Apple? Apple releases a new Apple Watch every single year. The old versions get new features with the new update to WatchOS (and Ultra will too) but then there usually are a few new features reserved for only the "new" version of the watch that came out that year. I'm sure the Ultra watches will get new features, and I'm sure an Ultra 2 will have all that plus a few more.
 
NME42 said:
Mark Gurman says in his newsletter that there will be an Ultra 2 this fall:

9to5mac.com

Second-gen Apple Watch Ultra coming this fall, new big iMac 'in early development' with larger than 30-inch screen - 9to5Mac

In his Bloomberg Power On newsletter, Mark Gurman reported today on Apple’s upcoming product roadmap. Alongside the iPhone 15 lineup...
9to5mac.com 9to5mac.com

No specs or other info. For me still good news.
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Thanks for posting - though he states the obvious. We've gotten an update to the AW every year since first release, why would Apple break that pattern for the Ultra?
 
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jz0309 said:
We've gotten an update to the AW every year since first release, why would Apple break that pattern for the Ultra?
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For some products there is no recognizable pattern. AppleTV, iPad Mini, iPhone Mini, Mac Pro, iMac 27“.

Could have been the case for the Ultra too. Glad that the Ultra will hopefully come this fall, if Gurman is correct. Can’t wait to order one.
 
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I would think at a minimum we'd see a processor bump across the whole line, hopefully giving better battery life (as the speed seems fine). I think an action button on the Series 9 would be well-received, as would eliminating the border on the screen of the Ultra. But I could see both of those being punted to 2024 with Apple mostly just marketing the software updates in watchOS 10 this year.
 
I’m an old fart who doesn’t climb mountains, hike wildernesses, or dive into oceans. My primary exercise is cycling on a pedal-assisted bike on a nearby rail trail, usually between 30 and 45 miles at a time. The only bell and whistle I’d really use that I don’t already have on my series 7 is the extended battery life. But it’s *shiny* and I *wants* it.
 
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PatrickNSF said:
I would think at a minimum we'd see a processor bump across the whole line, hopefully giving better battery life (as the speed seems fine). I think an action button on the Series 9 would be well-received, as would eliminating the border on the screen of the Ultra. But I could see both of those being punted to 2024 with Apple mostly just marketing the software updates in watchOS 10 this year.
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based on the rumors from Mark Gurman and others, plus based on the Apple Watch history of keeping the same screen size / case shape for 3 years, it is very unlikely to see any body updates or new buttons until 2024 with the Series 10. the series 7/8/9 are "this" generation. I do think we finally see a major CPU update after 3 years of no real change and the Series 9 may use this new CPU to finally make some sizable battery life gains. since I also believe the Ultra will see a Series 2 this year with the same insides, perhaps its battery life also gets longer yet.
 
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