When the Apple Watch Ultra first launched, there were two features that caught my attention: 1) a larger screen and 2) a longer battery life. Now, after using the Apple Watch Ultra for about six months, these definitely stand out from my experience, but there are plenty of other features that wowed me — as well as features I didn’t use as often as I thought.
I never assumed that I would use the Apple Watch Ultra to its full potential. Still, it’s a beast of a smartwatch, and it’s definitely the most fully featured wearable Apple makes. Whether it’s fitness tracking, connectivity, or security, there’s not a day that goes by that I don’t use the Apple Watch Ultra to some capacity.
Is it the best Apple Watch yet? definitely. But is there room for improvement? naturally. It’s a first-generation device in a way, after all. Let’s take a closer look at the pros and cons of the Apple Watch Ultra, 6 months later.
The new design has its pros and cons
The design of the Apple Watch Ultra is definitely eye-catching. It’s a huge smartwatch, among the largest I’ve ever tested. The flat, 49mm screen gives me plenty of real estate to see my notifications, follow map routes, enjoy flip complication, and — my personal favorite — get an extra gauge for my workouts. Whatever type of activity I’m doing, I can always easily see my progress or heart rate at a glance.
However, the large Apple Watch Ultra isn’t always comfortable to sleep with. I still do, because I love tracking my sleep phases, but sometimes I take it off in the middle of the night when it bothers me.
I don’t think it fits my personal style either. I wear a lot of fine jewelry on a daily basis, and how it contrasts with the Apple Watch Ultra is almost flattering. The Ultra is rugged and sporty, which is great for both casual and sporty use. But for work or a fancy event, the regular Apple Watch looks a lot simpler, plus it pairs well with cool Apple Watch straps.
Speaking of watch straps, I didn’t prefer any of the included Ultra straps over the regular Apple Sport Loop or Sport Band.
I’m a big fan of the action button, but something is missing
The Action button is an exclusive feature of the Apple Watch Ultra, providing an additional trigger for certain tools or functions with just one press. All in all, I think the action button is a great addition to the Apple Watch. I alternated between turning it on for practice and turning it on for my flashlight. The flashlight, in my opinion, is one of the most underrated features of the Apple Watch that I use on a regular basis.
Something is missing for me in the current functionality of the action button. I wish you could set the button to open any app or widget, especially the best third-party Apple Watch apps. I also think it would be easy to assign different functions to the button based on your focus state. These changes may come in a future watchOS software update.
Security features are essential, even if they are not used enough
When it comes to security features, the Apple Watch Ultra has a lot to offer. The best safety feature is the siren – I’m really happy to have it on my wrist. I don’t have In reality I had to use it, but living in the city where I often walk alone at night, it’s really reassuring for me. Not long ago, I challenged myself to trade in my iPhone for an Apple Watch Ultra, and I don’t think I would have felt comfortable embarking on the experiment were it not for the sirens (and emergency calls) on my wrist.
Now, I’ll be honest, I didn’t take my Apple Watch Ultra out camping, hiking, or any situation where other security features would come in handy, like the backtracking functionality. Likewise, you don’t need to take advantage of the advanced GPS system packed inside the watch. I feel kind of guilty. I hope to have a worthwhile adventure sometime this summer.
Great battery life – for the Apple Watch
When it comes to Apple Watch Ultra battery life, I’m happy to report that the watch’s battery health is still at 100% after six months. I use the Apple Watch Ultra’s Enhanced Charge Limit feature which automatically stops charging the Apple Watch Ultra’s battery at an optimized point — not just pauses it — even when you leave it on the charger for a while and forget about it.
As for how often I charge my Apple Watch Ultra, I’m done with LTE enabled, so the battery life definitely doesn’t last as long as it used to. Without LTE, the watch will last about two full days, but with LTE, the watch needs to be charged closer to the actual estimate of 36 hours. After needing to charge the Apple Watch daily for several years, moving to charging every other day is a positive improvement.
I also forget to use low power mode most of the time. I’m amazed I haven’t taken advantage of her as much as I thought I would over the past six months. I suppose this is another sign that I haven’t used the Apple Watch Ultra in difficult situations. In fact, I always have a charger very close by, so I’m not worried about it dying.
Still expensive
The price of the Apple Watch Ultra was no less shocking six months later. At $799, the Apple Watch Ultra is pricey. I think the margin for people who would actually benefit from the features of the Apple Watch Ultra is much narrower compared to people who would be a perfect fit for the Apple Watch Series 8, or even the Apple Watch SE ($249, which is an absolute bargain.)
Don’t get me wrong, it was fun flashing the Apple Watch Ultra around, as well as not having to handle it nicely thanks to the titanium case. I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again, the Apple Watch Ultra stands as close to a smartphone as any Apple Watch before it, if not any smartwatch ever.
But it’s not perfect, and I think it’s important to remember that this is a first-gen device in a way, so there are some upgrades I’d like to see for the next version or in software updates. More options for the action button, some different bands included, longer battery life and some more. The SOS emergency service via satellite, which is available for the iPhone 14, will also be a game-changer from a safety perspective.
