r/apple • u/exjr_ Island Boy • Sep 07 '22

Apple Unveils Apple Watch Ultra With Large-Screen Design for Athletes and Explorers Apple Watch

https://www.macrumors.com/2022/09/07/apple-unveils-apple-watch-pro-athletes/
2.9k Upvotes

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4.4k

u/braggpeak Sep 07 '22

A bunch of ppl gonna buy this for their 1 mile hike on a local hill

178

u/cfrosty1117 Sep 07 '22

I’d buy it just for the battery life

58

u/[deleted] Sep 07 '22

Battery life is abysmal compared to Garmin.

91

u/BmoreRaven917 Sep 07 '22 edited Sep 08 '22

Flip side, Garmin smartwatch features are minimal at best. I'm probably going to upgrade from my Fenix 5X+ to this since I'll take the battery life hit to have significantly better smartwatch features. 5 2.5 days in power saver mode is still impressive & enough for my needs.

7

u/rpungello Sep 07 '22

To be fair, they’re two different watches made for two different types of people. For me personally, my Fenix has been pretty much perfect. I don’t need to be able to install apps and whatnot on my watch as I always have my phone in my pocket anyways. I just want something with excellent battery life (no need to worry about bringing a charger when traveling), tracking profiles for a variety of outdoor activities, and the ability to mirror my phone’s notifications. I don’t care about answering calls, responding to texts, or anything like that. Phone provides a much better experience for all of that.

4

u/BmoreRaven917 Sep 08 '22 edited Sep 08 '22

I completely agree the Fenix is perfect for all that. Personally, I’ve found I want some slightly better smartwatch features from what my Fenix offers. Better notifications, the ability to rely from the watch, and while I absolutely love the battery life on my Fenix, if the AW Ultra can go 5 2.5 days in battery saver mode, that should be more than enough for 99% of my situations.

2

u/ranger_fixing_dude Sep 08 '22

Where do you get 5 days? I see 60 hours/36 hours depending on settings in the article. It is still ridiculously low compared to Garmin.

1

u/BmoreRaven917 Sep 08 '22

Lol I def did the mental math wrong & did 60hrs/12=5 days. My bad, should have said 2.5 days.

2

u/mhsx Sep 08 '22

The AW is great when you don’t want to have a phone with you. That’s the killer feature IMHO.

You can receive the notifications you care about, you can make calls, send texts, navigate, use Apple Pay...

There are times when I need to be reachable but don’t want to have my phone with me. The Watch makes that possible.

1

u/rpungello Sep 08 '22

Yeah, and for people that value that it’s definitely a great option. It’s just personally, I always have my phone with me, so the need for another always-connected communications device is minimal.

Garmin watches can be used for navigation & payments without a phone too, and unlike Apple, the maps are built in so they work without an internet connection (hiking in the boonies). They’re far, far less user-friendly to interact with, and typing without a touch screen is a major PITA, but it’s there if I need it.

2

u/[deleted] Sep 08 '22

I find checking most notifications from my watch to be more efficient, and I always have my phone on me. Less chances to be distracted by other apps with their notification badges too because the Watch’s minimal interface.

22

u/Shinsekai21 Sep 07 '22

I think another advantage is the daily usage of the AW Ultra which Garmin watch can't rival.

8

u/bono_my_tires Sep 07 '22

Except you have to take it off every night to charge it, I charge my Garmin 2 or 3x a month. A huge reason I wear a smart watch is overnight HR tracking to monitor my resting heart rate (for fitness recovery, measure stress, etc). That’s useless if you can’t wear it every night

9

u/[deleted] Sep 08 '22

[deleted]

3

u/bono_my_tires Sep 08 '22

So it only takes 15 mins for a full days charge? That’s better than I thought

2

u/This_was_hard_to_do Sep 08 '22

Did they provide charging time info and if it’s drastically different with the larger battery on the ultra compared to other watch models? I’m wondering because with my current Apple Watch I just charge it when I’m in the shower + getting ready and that’s enough

2

u/Shinsekai21 Sep 07 '22

Agree. Battery usage is a big trade off compared to any dedicated active watches. Apple still talked about sleep tracking in their event today even though that feature is useless on their regular model.

Though I do see some runner saying they are fine with the battery life (doing half or full marathon). Thus, I can see the new AW Ultra (with better battery life) do some damage to Garmin and other companies

1

u/[deleted] Sep 08 '22

Wait how is sleep tracking useless on their main model?

1

u/Shinsekai21 Sep 08 '22

The AW most of the time needs to be charged daily. And we usually do it at night. So the sleep tracking feature is effectively not used much

1

u/[deleted] Sep 08 '22

I can only speak anecdotally here but my watches are usually at 50%+ when I put it on the charger at night, and I’m usually off the charger for 12+ hours. It generally charges quickly enough that charging in the morning while showering, on a commute or for an hour or so during the day is sufficient to allow for daily use and charging.

Calling the feature useless is a big overstatement my guy.

1

u/ranger_fixing_dude Sep 08 '22

I also use it as an alarm. If I have to charge it every day (okay, this model every other day), that's annoying.

4

u/shortnamed Sep 07 '22

Has apple watch apps gotten better? Last time I used it told me to open the phone for 95% of notifications, biggest exception being iMessage. That kind of brings it closer to garmin for me

1

u/Shinsekai21 Sep 07 '22

I dont know how regular AW is compared to Garmin or any dedicated running watch. But the AW Ultra is probably on the same level. Apple want to capture that market

-4

u/[deleted] Sep 07 '22

[deleted]

4

u/DownByTheRivr Sep 08 '22

Have you ever used or known someone with an Apple Watch? No one uses it for checking social media.

3

u/dekokt Sep 07 '22

I'm curious - which features, specifically, are you looking for that are missing on the Garmin?

4

u/BmoreRaven917 Sep 08 '22
  • Better notifications, that’s the biggest one by far. It’d also be nice to be able to quickly reply to texts, whether that’s voice to text, quick replies, etc. It’d also be nice if it would sync with my Focus modes, it’s annoying when I put my phone on DND but forget to do the same on my watch.
  • Garmin is super inconvenient to load music on since I use Apple Music (Garmin only natively works with Spotify & Amazon Music, so I have to manually load any music I want via USB, and it has to be MP3’s that I own locally).
  • Bluetooth headphone connection is spotty, this is a known issue with the Powerbeats Pro that was supposed to be patched a few versions ago, but I still have issues.
  • This one will be interesting to see, but the Garmin wrist HRM is very inaccurate during any activity that involves “holding something,” like biking and rowing. It’s spot on when I’m running, but I think the wrist movement messes it up during those two activities, specifically. I’ve read that the AW HRM is more accurate. Not sure how true this will be, but I’m willing to give it a shot.

Again, they’re all pretty ticky-tacky, and there’s plenty I’ve enjoyed with my Fenix (the battery life is awesome), but I want to try AW now.

0

u/zangrabar Sep 07 '22

I cant speak for everyone, but so many of the features on the apple watch are overrated, and probably underused significantly for the average person.

15

u/BmoreRaven917 Sep 07 '22

As a Garmin Fenix owner, I could say the same thing about this watch. For me, I’ve realized having the everyday smartwatch features of AW is more important than the super niche activity tracking of the Garmin.

1

u/zangrabar Sep 07 '22

I have the last Apple Watch and it honestly felt like a downgrade from my Fitbit versa 2 in the fitness tracking. And why can’t Apple Watch do WhatsApp properly? My Fitbit did… so dumb

1

u/liftandbike Sep 08 '22

Uh you mean 3 days in power mode lmao. And the epix 2 is this watch but...way better.

I am totally confused by this reaction of people.

What a pig with lipstick

1

u/BmoreRaven917 Sep 08 '22

Yeah, that’s my bad, I def did 60hrs/12=5 days, whoops!

1

u/sgfgzgog Sep 08 '22

I made the switch from AW to Garmin last year for battery life, and don’t see myself going back. Don’t remember last time I charged my watch.

1

u/HANKnDANK Sep 08 '22

Aren’t like 10 years behind in your Fenix watch? Wouldn’t the 7 have much better features than your watch?

1

u/BmoreRaven917 Sep 08 '22

The 5X+ is 4 years old, and I got mine 3 years ago. Feature wise, it’s not too far off from the 7, and it still works fine. But sure, I could upgrade to the 7. Or, for about the same price, I can upgrade to the AW Ultra, which I know will have better smartwatch features (like notifications, Siri, etc). I now know how Garmin handles notifications, I’m not sure it’s for me.

28

u/[deleted] Sep 07 '22

I'm not comparing it to a Garmin. I'm comparing it to a Series 8. I need it to last me a day and night and then charge in the morning when I wake up. My Series 4 used to do that until the battery got bad. But now I'd have a 36 hour battery life that even when it gets down to 80% health will still last me ~29 hours.

The Garmin isn't even on my radar.

3

u/[deleted] Sep 07 '22

I guess you know your use case better than I do, but the Series 8 has fast charging so 0-80% in 40 minutes, and low power mode allows you to get up to 36h battery life. And a replacement battery is only $80 if you needed it changed.

Just not sure the extra battery life is going to be worth an extra $400 if that’s really all you need. You could buy a second Series 8 for that, and just rotate their use every day to always stay up and running haha.

2

u/[deleted] Sep 07 '22

It’s $50 more than the version of the S8 I was going to purchase and the same exact price with the band I wanted

1

u/[deleted] Sep 10 '22

Oh yea - if you want to use this new outdoor activity watch for non outdoor type activities, you’ll be good to go.

11

u/culminacio Sep 07 '22

Battery life doesn't matter if I don't like the watch for what it gives me, powered by said battery.

8

u/yeldus Sep 07 '22

I bought the Instinct as an alternative to Apple Watch for camping because of the battery life.

2

u/bono_my_tires Sep 07 '22

Instinct gang

4

u/tynamite Sep 07 '22

battery life should be pretty obvious when apple didn’t go with a monochrome display

6

u/Magnetoreception Sep 07 '22

I’m rocking the Venu 2 Plus now from an SE and the AMOLED display looks just as good as the AW one with 9 days of battery life.

2

u/tynamite Sep 07 '22

thats a fair comparison. although i dont know the technical differences. but the instinct is also powered by solar charging to get that “incredible” battery.

3

u/Thorking Sep 07 '22

Exactly! I switched to Garmin and will never go back. SO much better.

15

u/NikeSwish Sep 07 '22

Better at some things maybe. I’m sure it pales in comparison when it comes to iPhone related stuff

3

u/[deleted] Sep 07 '22

It does, and I own a Garmin Instinct Solar which I love. Can’t reply directly to messages, the incoming call notifications can be a bit delayed, and other notifications can get cut off.

Plus it’s really ugly. I forgot to take it off and swap it with my cheap but good looking analog watch before a wedding, and it looked so out of place against my dress.

1

u/dunneetiger Sep 07 '22

The reason I switched to a Garmin is exactly for this. I don't need my watch to notify me, I don't need my watch to make a call, I don't need apps. I want a smart watch for sport related functionalities.
I swap to a not a smart watch as soon as I leave the gym.

-2

u/Thorking Sep 07 '22

Eh, nothing I really notice. I wasn't using it much other than for exercise/health so it's been a great change.

-4

u/liftandbike Sep 08 '22

Ah yes keep justifying the purchase. Apple marketing ppl are taking notice.

The Garmin is better at uh... Everything.

Oh they made the watch better at connecting with only the iPhone. Great, keep supporting that. You're in the hive. Lots of white noise going around.

Make a list of this watch vs any Garmin, even at half price or older models lmfao. This thread is crazy

3

u/NikeSwish Sep 08 '22

Oh word, the Garmin is better at making FaceTime audio calls? How about connecting automatically to my AirPods? Syncing my podcasts between my phone and the watch? Allowing me to unlock my car and set the climate?

Gtfo of here lmao. “The Garmin is better at everything”. You’re not even on the same planet with a statement like that.

1

u/liftandbike Sep 08 '22

Lmfao.

Oh weeallly??? Is the Garmin better at Apple stuff??

Dats wut I tought!!

You're definitely an apple watch guy. Let me know how the new pumpkin spice frap is 🤙

2

u/IcarusFlyingWings Sep 08 '22

Eh to each their own.

Garmin is the clear winning on battery and for serious training and expedition, but Apple Watch is a much better day to day smart watch.

When I go for runs I just take my watch and my AirPods becUse I know I have Apple Pay, I can make calls and send texts, I can call an Uber, I can navigate home if I get lost and I can stream music right to it.

Garmin doesn’t have any line that can compete with those features.

3

u/ShrimpYolandi Sep 07 '22

You use it with iPhone?

3

u/Thorking Sep 07 '22

yeah I have the instinct 2 and the battery lasts up to 3 weeks. It's not color and flashy but fully featured and tons of data. Garmin has more expensive options that also have incredible battery life but pricier.

3

u/[deleted] Sep 07 '22

[deleted]

5

u/katze_sonne Sep 07 '22

Heavily depends on region and banks, though.

1

u/[deleted] Sep 07 '22

[deleted]

9

u/katze_sonne Sep 07 '22

Sure it does. But Apple Pay is available with almost all banks here in Germany by now. Garmin Pay by about 4 proper banks and a handful of startups. Support was basically non existant here for a long time and now only got a little bit more usable.

As I said: Heavily depends. And Apple Pay is wayyyy more available in general.

2

u/ranger_fixing_dude Sep 08 '22

Let's be fair, Apple pay is almost universal, and my bank didn't support Garmin Pay. Doesn't bother me personally, but it is a downside.

2

u/[deleted] Sep 07 '22

I switched to Garmin and hate it.

I'm switching back on the 23rd

-2

u/hands0me_man Sep 07 '22

Yeah I don’t quite get how Garmin and Polar can have such long batteries but Apple cannot.

1

u/rammleid Sep 08 '22

Garmin’s battery life is abysmal compared to the 2 years my Casio G-Shock has.

1

u/[deleted] Sep 10 '22

Yea but you don’t have maps and stuff - talking about rugged outdoor activity watches here.

1

u/jbayne2 Sep 08 '22

In my opinion once you’re past 24 hours it mostly doesn’t matter. The immediate friction for folks is having to charge their watch every day and sometimes multiple times a day. Give me a watch that’s guaranteed to stretch far into the next day, if not over factoring in screen off time like wearing while sleeping, and that’s good enough for me and definitely alleviates the immediate friction. No one will complain about having to charge for 45 minutes every other day or longer compared to multiple times a day or even once a day.

2

u/Kerberos42 Sep 07 '22

And the bigger controls. And screen edge protection.

-21

u/wreakon Sep 07 '22

Oh so you could have bought only the features you need for $399 if they put them into S8, but because you cant take to the North Pole and it will *probably work, you will pay $799. Good for you.

10

u/Kerberos42 Sep 07 '22

WTF are you talking about?

0

u/Beateride Sep 07 '22

Same here

1

u/RobbRen Sep 08 '22

I thought this too at first. I’ve come to the conclusion that it’s the only feature I honestly would take full advantage of, and that I’ll wait for the regular series watches to get better battery life without trading off features I do use. Battery tech needs to advance before that will happen in a significant way, else they’ll need to make the watch bigger to fit a bigger battery. Either way, I am talking myself into being fine with my series 6 for this year.

1

u/jbayne2 Sep 08 '22

This. My number one request was a much better battery life. Doubling the battery life works for me.