Darker Apple Watch Ultra Prototype Shown in FCC Filing Images

[indychris]

Talk about the beauty/ugly, different material options, misleading marketing, size...and the bottom line is, you can't get it...

 

[brofkand]

When you don't have anything new, just make different colors.

 

[Jaymes]

Looks nice, but I wonder how it holds up under a sunny sky? As in does it overheat or make your wrist hot?

 

[victorvictoria]

As Marquess pointed put the reason for not making a dark version probably were possible scratches that would look bright, if they just applied a black coating. So before they release a dark model they would need to get the actual titanium dark. Not sure how that would be possible. Could you melt the titanium and than mix some colour into it?

The same way they do it on the current iPhone Pros.

 

[msackey]

Now THAT is pretty.

Yeah it looks good. I do, however, prefer the current design of the Action button than what’s presented in the prototype.

 

[xgman]

I'm not so sure now after I see this pic. Maybe I like the natural titanium look better?

 

[kemal]

Is it possible the original intent was to only offer the AW in dark Ti? Why put out a dark one to the FCC?

 

[windywalks]

The problem with Apple ever releasing an Ultra in that color is that existing bands just won't match, since the adapters are in the natural titanium color. And they'd have offer a second variant of their Ultra bands ...

Do any other bands than black stainless steel and black fluoroelastomer match black stainless steel and aluminum Apple Watches?
I don't think this was the issue at hand.

 

[corinthos]

This is an instant upgrade from Ultra 2.

 

[the future]

The Ultra is meant to be used for extreme sports though, so the coating being damaged by scratches is just a non-starter.

Search the threads. The space black Ti Edition was/is very scratch-resistant.

Also, a „rugged“ Watch is first and foremost meant to keep working in (more) extreme conditions; scratches have nothing to do with that.

 

[twocents]

This isn’t black, it’s dark grey. Same with everything else Apple calls space black. Very annoying, misleading marketing imo

Different shades of propaganda. I mean how ironic was it that Schiller, who was the head of worldwide marketing and job it was to push more sales, sounds awfully close to shiller.

 

[jz0309]

As Marquess pointed put the reason for not making a dark version probably were possible scratches that would look bright, if they just applied a black coating. So before they release a dark model they would need to get the actual titanium dark. Not sure how that would be possible. Could you melt the titanium and than mix some colour into it?

there was a SB Ti version of AW 5-7, it was DLC coated, and there was and still is a SB SS DLC coated model, they are almost scratch-free, I think there was 1 poser over the years showing a scratch that went thru the coating

 

[docbop]

Apple appears to have originally designed an Apple Watch Ultra with a dark ceramic back, according to documents filed with the United States Federal Communications Commission and spotted by @ParrotSWD on X, formerly Twitter (via 9to5Mac).

When releasing a new device, tech hardware companies must share details with the FCC, which Apple did for the Apple Watch Ultra prior to its release in September 2022.

In the document, Apple appears to have used an Apple Watch Ultra with a darker, almost black ceramic rear case – similar to Apple Watch Series models – and a plastic-looking Action button with no indent. These design attributes did not make it into the final release.

Often in filings of this type, external photos and other sensitive details are subject to a confidentiality clause with an expiry date, so it is likely that the clause in this one recently expired, hence why the images have only just come to light.

Apple currently offers the Apple Watch Ultra 2, released in September 2023, in the same natural titanium color as the first-generation model. Prior to launch, some rumors suggested Apple could release a new darker color option that was originally tested for the previous model but ultimately canceled. It didn't happen.

Article Link: Darker Apple Watch Ultra Prototype Shown in FCC Filing Images

That orange button screws up a good looking watch.

 

[jz0309]

The problem with Apple ever releasing an Ultra in that color is that existing bands just won't match, since the adapters are in the natural titanium color. And they'd have offer a second variant of their Ultra bands ...

would be a nice contrast ...

 

[jz0309]

I’d love to see the market research on how this watch is actually used. My very unscientific guess is that the number of people who use this with any sort of regularity for some of the prescribed “extreme” reasons (scuba diving, rock climbing, etc) is low.

just like everyone who drives a Corvette, a Porsche or any performance car is using those cars to their potential on a regular basis ... and sure, those who own a traditional dive watch are diving every day/week ...

 

[jz0309]

Space Black in Ultra 3 to lure sales in 9 months because sales are stagnating.

do you have data to support that?

 

[t0rqx]

do you have data to support that?

Do you even read the financial reports? It shrank 3%.

 

[jz0309]

Do you even read the financial reports? It shrank 3%.

since when does Apple publish AW Ultra sales???

 

[svish]

Might be released sometime in the future

 

[miketcool]

The question is; if we are going to cover the underlying material with DLC, why bother with Titanium? Just use Aluminium and apply DLC to achieve the desired color and the surface protection.

There are other properties worth considering in a device such as conductivity, resistance to corrosion, and thermal expansion. Titanium is found in high-end dive watches while aluminum isn’t for these reasons. Besides, how Ultra can a watch be if it’s made out of recycled Bud Light cans?

 

[cdrider]

Product Red Ultra or we riot.