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I have an AW S7 and am interested in getting an Ultra.
Same for me. I have an S7 and will upgrade to an Ultra 2. The Ultra 2 will be at minimum as good as the Ultra 1. Most likely better. The best Ultra so far.

So whenever the AW X is released, next year or the year after, I will either upgrade then or one year later. And it will be the best Apple Watch then. ;)
 
I’d wait, the OG Ultra will be even cheaper when the new ones arrive. I have the Ultra and it’s great, and will be for years. My last watch was the S5, which I would have kept if the Ultra didn’t start to exist. The Apple Watch last many years, maybe with a battery change. My S5 needed one after two years, the Ultra is still at 100% almost a year later, the battery is of course larger and will last even longer (fewer cycles).
 
Sorry I think I wasn’t clear causing many of you to misunderstand. I have already decided to wait until the new watches this September despite the current Ultra being heavily discounted. However my concern is that the NEW watches this year will be a risky buy due to Apple’s plan to shake up the line (and band connector) in September 2024
 
Here is my somewhat different perspective:

I had an S5 for a couple of years and was happy with it.
A few weeks ago I bought the Ultra.
A week later I returned the Ultra and bought me a S8. Happy again.

Why did I return the Ultra:

it didn't feel practical in daily use. The additional side button makes it fiddly to not press it when pressing the dock button, and vice versa. Also, pressing the crown without mistakenly pressing the action button needs some special attention. A (smart) watch should be operable without thinking, imho.
Size-wise, the Ultra is a heavy and clunky brick that I didn't like.
The battery didn't last as long as I expected, after 1.5 days I already nervously started to look out for chargers as it got near 10%. How mountaineers or expedition members will cope with that is not understandable. I'm not one of these but am still disappointed with the battery.

None of these issues might be relevant for many others who like the Ultra. For me they are. I personally would wait for what Apple releases in the near future.
 
It’s quite pointless to hesitate on this issue unless you don’t have any Apple Watch yet, which you do, and s7 would be supported for quite some time.
After all, what you buy is a tool, not an investment.
True! I was almost thinking my s4 still would work sometime more, but its 4 years and lately i noe battery struggles too much for me.
 
look at it this way. can wait to do it. If not, enjoy the moment you buy it.

My series 4 is 87 percent battery
 
Sorry I think I wasn’t clear causing many of you to misunderstand. I have already decided to wait until the new watches this September despite the current Ultra being heavily discounted. However my concern is that the NEW watches this year will be a risky buy due to Apple’s plan to shake up the line (and band connector) in September 2024

Do you think Apple will stop making Watch bands for MILLIONS of existing Watch owners? Did Apple stop selling MagSafe chargers when MagSafe 2 was a thing? Did they stop selling Thunderbolt 2 cables when Thunderbolt 3 was a thing? No, because Apple isn't stupid.
 
how so? Ultra design is nowhere close to what was "leaked" back then, except the flat glass
When the flat display leaked from the supply chain, a bunch of the usual suspects just extrapolated a flat case to go with it. They were also a year early.
 
Clearly it is too risky, but only on Tuesdays. Seriously, the tech world changes, things get better every year. Just because some things change does not mean that your purchase will stop working or do what you bought it for in the first place. do what I do, buy the item that does what you want but was released last year or the year before, you still get all the same benefits, but at a lower price
 
Do you think Apple will stop making Watch bands for MILLIONS of existing Watch owners? Did Apple stop selling MagSafe chargers when MagSafe 2 was a thing? Did they stop selling Thunderbolt 2 cables when Thunderbolt 3 was a thing? No, because Apple isn't stupid.
Actually yes I think this is exactly what is going to happen. Once they move to the new connector that will be it. Sure they may sell the odd default white / black band with the old connector , but their focus will be on the new. And I quite like changing up my watch band , Which is why to me I’m uncertain whether it’s worth getting anything until the new connector is established.
And yes technology changes all the time but this is slightly different, not to mention that news of the new connector was a blatant controlled leak authorised by Apple, most likely to test the waters of response.
 
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Actually yes I think this is exactly what is going to happen. Once they move to the new connector that will be it. Sure they may sell the odd default white / black band with the old connector , but their focus will be on the new. And I quite like changing up my watch band , Which is why to me I’m uncertain whether it’s worth getting anything until the new connector is established.
And yes technology changes all the time but this is slightly different, not to mention that news of the new connector was a blatant controlled leak authorised by Apple, most likely to test the waters of response.
I mean, do what you believe and wait until next year.
it's always better with tech to wait until the next big thing is released cause it will meet your needs better (/s).

As to "news of the new connector" - there is no "news", simply a rumor.
and "blatant controlled leak authorised by Apple" - show proof of that please. certainly it could be but you phrase it as reality, which you either should prove or call it what it is - a rumor
 
Do you think Apple will stop making Watch bands for MILLIONS of existing Watch owners? Did Apple stop selling MagSafe chargers when MagSafe 2 was a thing? Did they stop selling Thunderbolt 2 cables when Thunderbolt 3 was a thing? No, because Apple isn't stupid.
Chargers and cables aren’t updated seasonally, last I checked.
 
Actually yes I think this is exactly what is going to happen. Once they move to the new connector that will be it. Sure they may sell the odd default white / black band with the old connector , but their focus will be on the new. [...]
Well, if you argue that way, I honestly do not think there has ever been - or will ever be - a good moment to buy a certain product from any product line Apple offers. This holds true also for any other similar tech company.
Progress just cannot predicted - sometimes the tech companies try to establish a certain new thing within a year and succeed, sometimes it takes years or even decades until they succeed, or it ends without a successful outcome.

Rest assured: as soon as you buy any tech product, you immediately and surely expose yourself to the risk of the product being outdated in a short period of time. This holds true to any product at any time, no matter what analysts say (and whose interests are behind certain leaks).

So, my recommendation would be to just not care too much. If you like what is being offered, buy it - otherwise leave it.
No one will ever be able to forecast when exactly it will be outdated, not even someone from within the inner circles of Apple Management (because even they don't know if their plan for the next years will succeed).
 
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Actually yes I think this is exactly what is going to happen. Once they move to the new connector that will be it. Sure they may sell the odd default white / black band with the old connector , but their focus will be on the new. And I quite like changing up my watch band , Which is why to me I’m uncertain whether it’s worth getting anything until the new connector is established.
And yes technology changes all the time but this is slightly different, not to mention that news of the new connector was a blatant controlled leak authorised by Apple, most likely to test the waters of response.
They'll probably keep whatever the series 9 ends up being or some version of the SE in the lineup, so they'll most definitely keep bands available for those. There will also be zillions of 3rd party options for years to come. There are almost 10 years worth of these things out there on peoples' wrists and you can see one just about everywhere you look now. I don't think you need to worry about accessories becoming extinct overnight.
 
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They'll probably keep whatever the series 9 ends up being or some version of the SE in the lineup, so they'll most definitely keep bands available for those. There will also be zillions of 3rd party options for years to come. There are almost 10 years worth of these things out there on peoples' wrists and you can see one just about everywhere you look now. I don't think you need to worry about accessories becoming extinct overnight.
Thank you(and TheGeneralist)
for providing the only serious response in this thread. I guess many others (based on their sarcastic responses) become automatically hostile the second anyone veers towards criticising the Almighty Apple.
 
Well, if you argue that way, I honestly do not think there has ever been - or will ever be - a good moment to buy a certain product from any product line Apple offers. This holds true also for any other similar tech company.
Progress just cannot predicted - sometimes the tech companies try to establish a certain new thing within a year and succeed, sometimes it takes years or even decades until they succeed, or it ends without a successful outcome.

Rest assured: as soon as you buy any tech product, you immediately and surely expose yourself to the risk of the product being outdated in a short period of time. This holds true to any product at any time, no matter what analysts say (and whose interests are behind certain leaks).

So, my recommendation would be to just not care too much. If you like what is being offered, buy it - otherwise leave it.
No one will ever be able to forecast when exactly it will be outdated, not even someone from within the inner circles of Apple Management (because even they don't know if their plan for the next years will succeed).
Thanks for the reply. Totally agree except for the fact that the replacement of the band system makes this a little different. Not sure about others but I’ve amassed quite a collection of official Watch bands over the years and so that’s part of my concern about investing further in a system that has all but been concerned (via a controlled leak) as almost obsolete.
 
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I bought the original watch on day 1 in 2015 and used it for 4 years until series 5 came out. Always on display was one of my most requested features so it felt like the perfect time to upgrade. Series 6 to 8 haven't offered any reason for me to upgrade and if the rumours turn out to be true, neither will Series 9.

If there is a redesigned Series X I know I'll want to upgrade immediately when that comes out. But I've had my S5 for 4 years at this point and I've found out that the larger screen of S7 makes a bigger difference than I thought so I don't feel like using the S5 for another year. Especially not when iOS 10 comes out which seems to take even more advantage of the larger screen.

So I'm waiting for the announcement in September after which I'll pick up an S7 or S8. Either on sale or second hand even. If there are any surprise compelling features of S9 then I'll get that instead. Whenever the X finally comes out I'll resell whichever watch I'm on at the time and upgrade.
 
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Thanks for the reply. Totally agree except for the fact that the replacement of the band system makes this a little different. Not sure about others but I’ve amassed quite a collection of official Watch bands over the years and so that’s part of my concern about investing further in a system that has all but been concerned (via a controlled leak) as almost obsolete.
You're really doubling down on this controlled leak narrative ey 😆. That's quite an assumption to parade around as truth without anything to back it up. As requested earlier in this thread; please provide some proof of this. So far as I'm concerned there is nothing to suggest this was a controlled leak.
 
Thank you(and TheGeneralist)
for providing the only serious response in this thread. I guess many others (based on their sarcastic responses) become automatically hostile the second anyone veers towards criticising the Almighty Apple.
The sarcasm was I think borne from the way you worded the question, no offence intended. Personally I have a few criticisms if the AW.
To answer you original post, I would be surprised if the Ultra changed the secure current band design tbh. I don't think a magnet would be a good idea for the advertised extreme sport usage.
The AWX is pretty much guaranteed to have a refreshed makeover as it fits with the previous timeline, it is an anniversary year so whether the band stays the same who knows?

I have an S7 which I will be keeping until next year as the 8 adds little and the 9 leaks offer nothing for me. I’m more bothered about microLED over band design going forward as this has the potential to significantly extend battery life. That might be yet another year away though.
It’s all conjecture though, only Apple know what they have in store for us!
 
Actually yes I think this is exactly what is going to happen. Once they move to the new connector that will be it. Sure they may sell the odd default white / black band with the old connector , but their focus will be on the new. And I quite like changing up my watch band , Which is why to me I’m uncertain whether it’s worth getting anything until the new connector is established.
And yes technology changes all the time but this is slightly different, not to mention that news of the new connector was a blatant controlled leak authorised by Apple, most likely to test the waters of response.
Why would Apple deliberately leak a future band design a few weeks prior to the release of updated watches with the current band design? That makes no sense.

Given how much the resale market for AWs plummets once new models are released, I don’t see the harm in buying an Ultra 2 or Series 9 in September.
 
Sorry I think I wasn’t clear causing many of you to misunderstand. I have already decided to wait until the new watches this September despite the current Ultra being heavily discounted. However my concern is that the NEW watches this year will be a risky buy due to Apple’s plan to shake up the line (and band connector) in September 2024
I’d definitely stick with your current Watch and wait to 2024.

Especially considering that you own a S7.

-Knowing Apple’s strategy for most of its products, 7, 8 and 9 will all be a part of the same 3-year product cycle that Apple sticks to for most products.

It’s the same for iPhones -Going from 12 to a 14 is a decent upgrade. But going from 12 to 15 is where you’ll really see substantial changes.

However, Apple does sometimes stretch the product cycles to 4 years. But even then, I’d definitely stick with a 7 for another year even if you have to wait to 2025.

AWX is where it’s at.
 
Sorry I think I wasn’t clear causing many of you to misunderstand. I have already decided to wait until the new watches this September despite the current Ultra being heavily discounted. However my concern is that the NEW watches this year will be a risky buy due to Apple’s plan to shake up the line (and band connector) in September 2024
Still, there’s no point to worry about what “could come” next year. I would not be bothered by band connector change because band collection to me would be about style and color, not connector.
On top of the usual pattern that first gen Apple product never runs too well (maybe except first iPhone).
Actually yes I think this is exactly what is going to happen. Once they move to the new connector that will be it. Sure they may sell the odd default white / black band with the old connector , but their focus will be on the new. And I quite like changing up my watch band , Which is why to me I’m uncertain whether it’s worth getting anything until the new connector is established.
And yes technology changes all the time but this is slightly different, not to mention that news of the new connector was a blatant controlled leak authorised by Apple, most likely to test the waters of response.
Think about this way, you either collect the band regardless, or you collect the band when you buy a new watch so you can use the band with the new watch, whichever comes later. And for the rumoured new connector, using magnet instead of current system is already a massive red flag because we all know how strong magnet can be in that tiny slice of both sides of the watch (Larger magnet tends to be stronger, and naturally have more surface area, all other things being equal), thus extremely prone to being loosen and throw the watch body. It is not even relevant whether Apple choose to leak this design change intentionally or not. I would not trust it either way.
 
Yes, I remember when Jon Prosser burned the last shred of his credibility on that rumor. Fortunately we seem to have been free of him ever since.
I suspect because the people leaking planted bad info to him ruined their own careers and lives doing so. I honestly wish the entire "leak industry" would die off. It takes the joy out of everything.
 
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