No Refresh for Apple Watch Ultra or Apple Watch SE as Apple Focuses on Series 10

[Harry Haller]

Apple blew most of that on a product no one wants, talks about or cares about (Vision Pro)

And the iCar.
10 years and $10B.

 

[Bremse]

Iphones and iPads can be passed down to family members if I want to upgrade, AW Ultra 2 less so, given the size.

My teenager has been on me to get a new watch so he can get my original ultra that he has loved from the moment I got it two years ago. I bought a 45mm stainless series 8 with milanese loop for $299 a week or so ago when Walmart had a deal. Figured I’d return it if something great comes out with the new ones, but I’m going to stick to my ultra and give him the s8 to replace his aluminum s6 that’s pretty scratched up and has a weak battery (used to be mine before the ultra). I hope the sapphire will be more resilient.

 

[jonnyb098]

And the iCar.
10 years and $10B.

Forgot about that disaster. apple seems to care less and less about products and focusing more on pure revenue which comes from services. This year it’s painfully obvious. 2023 had zero iPad updates and this year the watch and phone are quite gimmicky aside from some of the photography stuff. That’s the one area they see, to make solid advancements in. But this year that’s 90% software. The iPhone 16 pro cameras are the identical main lens as last year

 

[Ramchi]

Apple Watch Ultra 2 is already well made on which I have (49mm LTE). If they add proper BP Monitoring (like Samsung in their Smart Watches), automatic sleep detection, Sleep Apnea, Animoji Watch Faces like Samsung, AI possibly Blood Gluecose, people will pay $900 to get this. Otherwise, the same old stuff may not attract many buyers already there are many smarter watches are there in the market for $300-$500 less than this. US market it may be different but in other places, smaller watches like AW8, AW9 is more popular than Ultra.

 

[darthbane2k]

Misleading. In fact the Ultra 2 has received ALL of the upgrades/new features the Series 10 has to offer, sans new hardware.\

 

[Valen1]

Though pre-launch Apple Watch rumors suggested that Apple would update its entire Apple Watch lineup this year, Apple ended up focusing primarily on the Apple Watch Series 10. We didn't get a new Apple Watch SE or a new Apple Watch Ultra 3, with Apple only adding a new color option for the Apple Watch Ultra 2.

As late as last Friday, rumors pointed toward refreshes for the standard Apple Watch, the Apple Watch SE, and the Apple Watch Ultra. Bloomberg's Mark Gurman, for example, said in his Friday "Everything to Expect" article that all three models would get an update.

Late last night, Gurman changed his prediction and said that Apple would not introduce an Apple Watch Ultra 3 model, and he suggested there could be a "delay" for a new Apple Watch SE.

It's likely the addition of a new black color for the Ultra 2 was mistaken for an Ultra 3, as Apple analyst Ming-Chi Kuo also flip flopped on the possibility of a new Ultra model earlier in the year.

Though the Apple Watch Ultra 2 is Apple's most expensive Apple Watch, the Apple Watch Series 10 now has a superior LTPO3 OLED display with wider-angle viewing and a faster S10 chip, plus it gained the previously Ultra exclusive temperature sensor, depth gauge, and Depth app. Apple also released a titanium version of the Series 10, using the material that once made the Apple Watch Ultra unique.

The new sleep apnea detection health feature is not a Series 10 exclusive, and it will be available on the Apple Watch Ultra 2 and the Apple Watch Series 9, with Apple also bringing the new Tides app to the Apple Watch Ultra 2. The changes mean the Ultra 2 and Series 10 are much closer in terms of feature set, though there are still some areas where the Ultra has an edge, such as diving and battery life. The Ultra 2 still has twice the battery life of the Series 10.

With the new Apple Watch Ultra color, it's likely we're not going to see a new version of the device until September 2025. As for the Apple Watch SE, it's possible Apple could release that earlier, timing it with the iPhone SE 4 launch instead of waiting until September of next year to debut it.

Apple discontinued the Series 9 when it introduced the Series 10, so the Apple Watch lineup now includes the Series 10, the Apple Watch Ultra 2, and the Apple Watch SE.

Article Link: No Refresh for Apple Watch Ultra or Apple Watch SE as Apple Focuses on Series 10

Where is the PulseOx? I know it was removed due to a patent troll, but after al this time Apple can't resolve this? I will not be buying another Apple Watch until that functionality is restored.

 

[WarmWinterHat]

Where is the PulseOx? I know it was removed due to a patent troll, but after al this time Apple can't resolve this? I will not be buying another Apple Watch until that functionality is restored.

Masimo isn't a patent troll; they have been making medical SpO2 sensors for years, which is where the patent applies, and my employer alone (hospital) uses dozens a day. Patent troll means a company that owns the patent and does nothing with it.

All that said, there has been no word if the series 10 has worked around this patent, of if it's still disabled, or even on the device still.

 

[imola.zhp]

Seems more likely Apple didn't have anything new to offer the Ultra or simply ran out of time, and phoned it in with the color update. I doubt Apple is comfortable with the Series 10 using S10 SiP while Ultra 2 on S9.

Wasn't it discovered that the S6 and S7 were actually the same chip, just re-badged? Might also be the case for the S9/S10?

 

[antonrg]

Forgot about that disaster. apple seems to care less and less about products and focusing more on pure revenue which comes from services. This year it’s painfully obvious. 2023 had zero iPad updates and this year the watch and phone are quite gimmicky aside from some of the photography stuff. That’s the one area they see, to make solid advancements in. But this year that’s 90% software. The iPhone 16 pro cameras are the identical main lens as last year

or Apple has enough data to see how their products sell and which ones are worth upgrading frequently. The economy hasn't been so great. People don’t seem to be upgrading as often as they used to. Or at least it’s a trend I noticed in my own circles.

 

[joefrank64k]

Masimo isn't a patent troll; they have been making medical SpO2 sensors for years, which is where the patent applies, and my employer alone (hospital) uses dozens a day. Patent troll means a company that owns the patent and does nothing with it.

All that said, there has been no word if the series 10 has worked around this patent, of if it's still disabled, or even on the device still.

It's still there, just disabled in countries where it's not approved or, like with the USA, still subject to litigation.

Here's a screen grab from the Canada Apple page for the S10:

 

[BK109]

As someone who's going to cling to their 13 Mini until the glass reverts to sand, I think your read here is wrong. Most people I know, even small people, want the larger surface. They don't want to have to deal with a less usable interface just because they have a smaller wrist. I'm sure Apple sees that in their sales data.

Going from a 44mm series 4 to the Ultra was all upside for me. Being able to tap out my password, or even a text message, without needing to whittle my finger to a point is a huge benefit.

I don't think it should get much bigger, but I think it loses a lot if it gets much smaller.

I get what you are saying, but you ae saying "...even small people, want a bigger surface."
Well, I am a small person. The bigger faces look out of place on me.

When I put on the 45mm or the Ultra, it looks ...wrong; like a little kid is wearing his father's watch.

I don't know what my Watch 6 series is missing, but it has all the stuff like heart rate and ...what all.

I have absolutely zero problems reading what is on the display of my 38mm 6 Series. It is crisp and clear to me. No squinting, ...it is all just perfectly there. A 45mm, 50mm, or bigger changes nothing in my ability to read and interact with the Apple Watch.

 

[alchemistmuffin]

With the new Apple Watch Ultra color, it's likely we're not going to see a new version of the device until September 2025. As for the Apple Watch SE, it's possible Apple could release that earlier, timing it with the iPhone SE 4 launch instead of waiting until September of next year to debut it.

I hope this is NOT the case and Apple releases something in Spring alongside new iPad pro lineup. Not having Ultra 3 is just mind boggling and makes Apple Watch Ultra more inferior than regular Apple Watch.

If Apple is planning to kill off Ultra lineup next year, that would be a huge mistake though.

(I just finally watched Apple event and catching up on Apple news after avoiding it for three months so apologies for weird reply post here)

 

[User 6502]

I hope this is NOT the case and Apple releases something in Spring alongside new iPad pro lineup. Not having Ultra 3 is just mind boggling and makes Apple Watch Ultra more inferior than regular Apple Watch.

If Apple is planning to kill off Ultra lineup next year, that would be a huge mistake though.

(I just finally watched Apple event and catching up on Apple news after avoiding it for three months so apologies for weird reply post here)

Why would that be a huge mistake? It’s an ugly product and it’s very niche. That being said I don’t think Apple will kill it, they simply will update it less often as they do with AirPod max, as very few people buy it so there is no point to invest a lot in its development.

 

[alchemistmuffin]

Why would that be a huge mistake? It’s an ugly product and it’s very niche. That being said I don’t think Apple will kill it, they simply will update it less often as they do with AirPod max, as very few people buy it so there is no point to invest a lot in its development.

One thing to note that S10 is smaller and thinner than s9. Apple could have put in s10 on Ultra and made the battery larger and called it Ultra 3. This is something pro athletes and outdoorists that use the device wants the most: incredibly long battery life.

Apple really missed the opportunity to announce the Ultra 3 here.