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Gurman: No Apple Watch Ultra 3 Tomorrow, Ultra 2 in Black Likely

If an Apple Ultra Watch 3 would come out today, it's going to be the same watch as the Apple Ultra Watch 2. Because Apple rarely updates the chip inside the watch.

My super old Apple Watch Series 6, is basically the same watch as the Apple Watch Series 7, Series 8 and Apple Watch Ultra 1 as they all have the same chip from the Series 6 inside.

And thus I predict that the Apple Watch Ultra 3 and Ultra 4 will use the same chip from the Apple Watch Ultra 2 too.
 
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Fatboy71 said:
Considering the Ultra is the flagship model (and is a popular choice) I cannot see the standard model getting updated without the Ultra getting updated too.
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Maybe our assumption that the Ultra is the flagship model is wrong? Maybe it is just a special product line for special users.

Not that I am happy that there is most probably no update today. Would have bought an Ultra 3 if there was a significant update, even as I own an Ultra 2.
 
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Zest28 said:
Apple rarely updates the chip inside the watch. My super old Apple Watch Series 6, is basically the same watch as the Apple Watch Series 7, Series 8 and Apple Watch Ultra 1 as they all have the same chip from the Series 6 inside.
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You‘re mistaking „chip“ for CPU. Every new Apple Watch got a new „chip“, i.e. SiP, even if the CPU wasn’t always updated. (The CPU was updated yearly up to the S4, then again for S6 and S9.) Because of this - and other reasons - it is very misleading to call subsequent iterations „basically the same watch“. There were hardware and feature improvements with every generation of the Watch.
 
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So, if true the new AW being released will have newer tech and updated features, but the current AW Ultra 2 will not? Seems odd, when that is your flagship model.
 
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****, they're doomed...

But seriously, it'll make the Apple Watch X better than the AWU2 in some aspects. They'll have a hard time upselling this one for the next year. They should at least upgrade the chip and call it AWU3.
 
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Drecca said:
Apple has a pattern. Same design for 3 to 4 generations, depending on device (phone, ipad, watch vs laptops)

Once on the third generation, release a black color that everyone wanted from the beginning.

With absolutely no sources at all, I’m pretty sure AWU3 will come in a black color with minimal other changes, since the internal changes were done last year.
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From July - I, a total peon and a nobody, with no sources, said this :)

If I'm right, I am the new Gurman.

If I'm wrong, I didn't get paid for my baseless info, so no biggie

Apple is an iterative company, it's easy to predict what they'll do, for better or worse.
 
Maybe the new 49mm is the ultra and the new series 10 only comes in 1 size with the 45mm.
 
This is not a shocker to me, there have been NO 'real' rumors about the Ultra 3. And as far as the sleep apnea feature, I can see it skipping the Ultra because the Ultra is promoted as an outdoor watch and the normal watch as an everyday watch.

As far as the processors go, The S6-S9 have basically been the same processor with just a name change and a few MHz more. They're not really changing anything from year to year.

Personally I have a Series 8 that is down to 83% battery health. I decided to upgrade to the Ultra this year and now I don't have to wait for preorders I guess. I can just go after the show and get an Ultra 2 if the report is true and for the most part these reports this late in are usually true.

And I can see Apple doing with the Ultra the same as the iPad Pro and doing a 18-24 month cycle. I believe there was a rumor of Apple doing this last year when some people thought the Ultra 2 wasn't going to come. So it seems some of the 'rumors' from last year are just happening a year later.
 
LenardG said:
It makes no sense to me if they release a new chip for the S10, but leave the Ultra with the previous chip. I mean, not unheard of, but usually you want your flagship product to be distinctive somehow.

Even stranger is the thing that Apple seems to be updating EVERY PRODUCT they have so they would support Apple Intelligence. They need the A18 in the iPad Mini and so on. I would assume at this point that the S10 would be getting some sort of AI treatment as well. Not upgrading the Ultra, even with just a chip for the sake of AI would be really strange. IMHO.

Of course it might be that the watch is left out of the AI upgrades, as it is unlikely it would be running any sort of real AI task on the watch itself, probably offloading it to the phone or the cloud anyway. In this variation it would be ok to not make an Ultra 3 this year, as it would not be a real upgrade without sensor updates anyway.

But if there indeed would not be an Ultra 3, I would take that to mean a bigger upgrade is in the works (assuming a 2-3 year product cycles Apple usually does) for next year. No sense in getting an Ultra now in this case, even in a cool new black color. 🤷🏻‍♂️
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Who says the Apple Watch doesn't have AI already or the ability to use it? I mean most of the stuff just mirrors from your iPhone anyways. I doubt true AI would ever come to Apple Watch because the processors used in AW likely are not powerful enough. Also who ever said the iPad mini update was coming soon or would also support AI.
The Ultra 3 not coming this year is NOT a shocker. Even if the Series 10 gets the sleep apnea and the S10 processor. The Ultra is advertised as an outdoor watch while the normal AW is the everyday watch. Maybe this is being done on purpose. I think the Ultra will go to 18-24 month cycle like the iPad Pro. If not the delay is likely due to new screen tech coming next year and Apple not wanting to redesign or release a blank update this year.
 
vbctv said:
As far as the processors go, The S6-S9 have basically been the same processor with just a name change and a few MHz more.
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Wrong, S9 got a new CPU and is noticeably snappier.

IMG_3759.jpeg
 
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A black version is definitely long overdue for the AWU but I totally doubt that apple will not do internal upgrades for the AWU that mimics the Series 10 upgrades.
 
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Then I hope this new rumored X watch or thinner high end model, whatever that is, will then come out before another whole year..
 
xgman said:
Then I hope this new rumored X watch or thinner high end model, whatever that is, will then come out before another whole year..
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I remember a rumor a few weeks ago that the Ultra will be a harder sell than ever before after the show. So no AWU3 makes sense. But watch the rumor about the Series 10 being 45 & 49 be true and then the one more thing be a Series X which is ceramic or something again. Hence making the Ultra a harder sell.
 
they should just scrap the Ultra (not right now). it makes no sense anymore and it's damn ugly 🤮 apple obviously isn't interested in it.

I think what they should do is bring out the s10 which is a standard update of the s9. leave the ultra alone maybe a new colour but keep selling it for now because you'll get people who think it's worth buying. take their money off them.

next year bring out the s11 and get rid of the ultra. replace it with a completely new design. slimmer/new bands/better display with less bezel/even better battery life and exclusive features. call it the Watch X.
 
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Seoras said:
I can just see all the recent EBay listings for AWU2 now looking like bargains to some and a nightmare to sellers.
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True that.

The Game 161 said:
Sold mine for £455 as well
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I sold my AWU2 in advance of today's announcement.

I think I was very fortunate with my sale. Sold in August for £575. And since I had it with eBay's 80% Off listing fees I maxed the profit.

So now I wait to see what comes out today.
 
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