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/
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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

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u/[deleted] Sep 07 '22

[deleted]

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u/OakBlueShirt Sep 07 '22

I have Scuba dived, and I will continue to. This watch doesn't do anything that reliable dive computers don't already do better.

It's kind of like a "jack of all trades" thing. But nobody wants a jack when your life is literally dependent upon the information.

It could work as a supplement to existing dive computers and air gauges and such, but even then you don't want to start relying on it and take your eyes off of the hardline devices.

I could be wrong and other divers may love this, but I see a lot of reasons to not use this while diving.

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u/mtlyoshi9 Sep 07 '22

As a diver myself, I agree that this doesn’t replace my current dive computer…mostly because I don’t dive nearly often enough to justify the bulkier watch to contend with every other day.

However, if I was a more frequent diver who wanted a bigger/more rugged watch anyway…and assuming Apple hardware and software live up to other industry devices (and there’s really no reason to believe otherwise)…then why not? Especially if my existing dive computer breaks/has any other issues that would otherwise require me to buy a new one.

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u/OakBlueShirt Sep 07 '22

assuming Apple hardware and software live up to other industry devices

You would hope so, but air and depth are the two most important pieces of diving information, and both of those are completely new measurements by Apple unless I'm missing something.

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u/billytalons Sep 07 '22

I assumed most of the SCUBA-related stuff was designed by the 3rd-party company they mentioned.

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u/mtlyoshi9 Sep 07 '22 edited Sep 07 '22

Depth was clearly shown today. Air is something I didn’t see today, but that’s not a Watch hardware-specific thing - that’ll be up to connected accessories (I think typically Bluetooth?) that attach directly to your tank, like high end dive computers do today. There is no physical way for the Watch to know your remaining air on its own.

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u/rwbronco Sep 08 '22

Wait… they showed it as a diving computer? Does it calculate ascent stops and things like that? Most divers will still use an air gauge from their tank versus a computer - but there are Bluetooth connection watches. Personally I’d still have a hose gauge in case my readout wasn’t what I expected it to be or if for some reason the Bluetooth failed. The other big thing is decompression stops. If it can calculate time and depth then it should be able to calculate your stops.

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u/This_was_hard_to_do Sep 08 '22

I believed they mentioned ascent stops and also showed a graph of something like depth over time. Seems comparable with some of the basic dive computers out there. I personally never got to use a computer with an air indicator but I haven’t dived in ages lol

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u/manateefourmation Sep 08 '22

They absolutely showed ascent stops.

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u/Elemenopy_Q Sep 07 '22

Bluetooth doesn‘t really work under water. Mostly it‘s done using radio frequencies.

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u/Fleckeri Sep 07 '22

(Bluetooth uses radio frequencies.)

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u/[deleted] Sep 07 '22

[deleted]

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u/Elemenopy_Q Sep 07 '22

Rf is used because it works for 1-2m, which is enough for diving computers

To my knowledge subwave is the only technology using sonar for diving computers

But yes, for sub/ship/etc communication they use sonar, because radio does‘t really travel far under water

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u/mtlyoshi9 Sep 07 '22

Ah, yeah, that makes sense. Cheers!

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u/BOOBIES_CURE_RACISM Sep 07 '22

It’ll sure replace my citizen dive watch if the software holds up to scrutiny. But I’m not going to be the one to take the plunge - I’ll wait for some long term reviews.

Apple Watch already replaced my dive watch as an everyday watch. Wouldn’t mind it replacing my dive watch - all it really needs to do is have a stopwatch. I never used my watch for depth anyway. So long as the dive computer aspect isn’t straight up dangerous with its suggestions I don’t see much of a downside if you can stomach the size increase.

I’m cautiously optimistic about it as someone who will never go below 120’, and likely will never be diving without the ability to charge each night.

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u/mtlyoshi9 Sep 07 '22

Yeah, agreed! I’m excited they’re doing this and look forward to the dev community making some good apps and possibly considering a future Ultra model in a few years.

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u/[deleted] Sep 08 '22 edited Sep 08 '22

Because it’s not about scuba diving. It’s about having the option to scuba dive with an expensive watch on your vacation, right after you finish your Dolby vision 4k action movie….

No professional photographer, film maker, or scuba diver thinks this is a great phone for any of those… but it’s enough to get people to buy it for their new year resolution to have the option of doing it…. No matter how unrealistic it is in reality.

It’s like all the large trucks that never touch grass or haul anything in 20 years in the city that cost 60k plus. But, they could in the imagination of the driver… any day now.

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u/nznordi Sep 08 '22 edited Jul 04 '23

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u/manateefourmation Sep 08 '22

Assuming it accurately calculates time at depth (actual depth) and ascent stops - the only two life threatening critical diving stats for a safe dive, why wouldn’t you use this? And Apple didn’t say this was a virtual buddy or a substitution for common sense 🙃

EDIT: I think the referenced app also included ascent speed but I just follow my bubbles and don’t rely on a computer for that now. Knowing where to safety stop hang is critical but it does that.

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u/nznordi Sep 08 '22 edited Jul 04 '23

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u/manateefourmation Sep 08 '22

Exactly. And most of my recreational diving is nowhere close to 30 meters. I’m typically at 10-15 meters max.

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u/RVA_RVA Sep 07 '22

100% this, I'd never use it as my only dive computer. Sure, maybe if I'm on vacation and the opportunity to do a quick dive down to 30 ft presents itself, ok sure. But down to greater depths with multiple tanks and multiple dives throughout the day? Na, no way. It's life and death in those circumstances.

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u/[deleted] Sep 08 '22

I’ll need to see some real world testing before I switch.

I’m not testing it that’s for sure. Ocean gives absolutely no fucks. None.

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u/manateefourmation Sep 08 '22 edited Sep 08 '22

I disagree. Other than not integrating tank pressure - which will no doubt be coming given Apple’s market share of all things they do - the capabilities shown off in the demonstrated third party app more than meet most divers needs for a safe dive. And not having to buy a separate dive computer is amazing.

I own the digital Garmin Descent (around $1800) and this looks to do most of what the Descent does - again absent tank pressure. But tank pressure is always a separate device that transmits to your dive computer and BTLE seems more than capable of data transmission. So does anyone really think it’s more than few months before some third party offers a transmitter?

EDIT. And meant to say when you surface you have a kick ass smart watch. I think this will have massive recreational diver appeal if and when tank pressure is available.