Apple debuted the Apple Watch Ultra 2 ($799, £799, AU$1,399) at the company’s iPhone 15 event in Sept. 2023. The rugged new watch replaces last year’s Apple Watch Ultra.
While the new Ultra looks similar to the original, there are a number of improvements inside the watch that are worth noting. The Ultra 2 has a 3,000-nit screen, which should be noticeably brighter than the original Ultra’s 2,000-nit display. The Ultra 2 also includes the new Double Tap gesture, which lets you activate certain controls by tapping your thumb and index finger together without touching the watch’s screen.
Watch this: Apple Watch Ultra 2: First Look
04:56
Otherwise this year’s Ultra includes many of the same features as the first. This includes a new Night mode that will be on a Wayfinder watch face, which uses an ambient light sensor to activate. Both watches also continue to have an estimated 36-hour battery life.
To see the differences between the original Apple Watch Ultra and the new Apple Watch Ultra 2, we’ve outlined each watch’s specs in the below chart.
More from the Apple event
Apple Watch Ultra 2 vs. Apple Watch Ultra
Apple Watch Ultra 2Apple Watch Ultra Shape SquareSquareWatch size 49mm49mmMaterials, finishes TitaniumTitaniumDisplay size, resolution 1.91-inch, 502×410-pixel OLED1.91-inch, 502×410-pixel OLEDDimensions 44x49x14.4 mm49x44x14.4mmWeight 61.4g61.3gColors Natural titaniumNatural titaniumAlways On YesYesInterchangable bands YesYesGPS Yes (L1 and L5)YesAutomatic workout detection YesYesCompass YesYesAltimeter Yes (operating range: -500m to 9,000m)YesWater resistance 10ATM (100 meters) and recreational scuba diving up to 40 metersYes, up to 100mCalls YesYesMicrophone Yes (3-mic array)YesSpeaker YesYesVoice assistant Yes (Siri, on-device)Yes (Siri)Mobile Payments Yes (Apple Pay)Yes (Apple Pay)Sleep tracking YesYesPeriod tracking YesYesSensors SPo2 (blood oxygen), ECG, optical heart, ambient light, high dynamic range gyroscope, high-g accelerometer, water temperature, depth gauge + appSPo2 (blood oxygen), ECG, optical heart, ambient light, high dynamic range gyroscope, high-g accelerometer, water temperature, depth gauge + appEmergency features International emergency calling, Emergency SOS, crash detectionInternational emergency calling, Emergency SOS, crash detectionCompatibility iOS 17iOS 16Software WatchOS 10WatchOS 9Processor Apple S9S8 SiP with 64-bit dual-core processorConnectivity LTE and UMTS, Wi-Fi 4, Bluetooth 5.3LTE and UMTS, Wi-FIMemory and storage 64GB64GBPower USB-C magnetic fast chargingUSB-C magnetic fast chargingBattery life Up to 36 hours; up to 72 hours (low power mode)36-hour battery life, 18 hours on LTEBattery capacity UnavailableUnavailablePrice (USD) $799$799Price (GBP) £799£849Price (AUD) AU$1,399AU$1,299