Apple just released the latest Apple Watch Ultra, and it is the first noticeable upgrade after the original Apple Watch Ultra debuted back in 2022. For the past four years, Apple has delivered iterative updates with new chipsets that brought better performance and battery life, and a smattering of minor features.
The Apple Watch Ultra 4 changes that equation. While we are not getting a big design overhaul, the new features mark the first time I can recommend upgrading to the latest Apple Watch Ultra in the past four years. Here’s everything you need to know.
The S11 chip changes what your wrist can do
All of this starts with the new S11 chip, which Apple is calling its most powerful wearable chip yet. It borrows a faster CPU, GPU, and neural engine from the A20 Pro, and pairs that with a power efficient always-on processor built specifically to keep everything running without draining your battery. There’s even a dedicated secure area inside the chip that handles raw audio processing on its own, keeping that data locked away from everything else, including Apple itself.
The Ultra 4 now lasts over two days on a single charge, and it charges faster than before too. Push it during workouts and you get up to 18 hours with full GPS and heart rate tracking, or up to 45 hours in the new extended workout mode, plenty of runway to get you through even the longest hundred mile races. The watch keeps its rugged black and natural titanium finishes, and Apple added a handful of new band colors along with a new titanium Hermes band. Pricing hasn’t moved either, still $799, with preorders open now and the watch shipping September 18.
Your health data finally makes more sense
The redesigned Health app is where the Ultra 4’s sensors really shine. Apple says this is the most accurate heart rate sensing it has ever put in a wearable, and it shows in the numbers you get back. HRV now gets folded directly into your vitals, so a quick glance at your overnight reading tells you whether your body actually recovered well. Calorie estimates have also gotten a meaningful accuracy bump.
Then there’s Health Age, a new metric that combines data from your Watch, like VO2 max and sleep, with your bloodwork to show how your body is actually aging compared to the calendar. My favorite addition is Readiness, which hands you a simple daily score so you know whether today is a day to push hard or ease off. It’s a small thing, but it takes the guesswork out of planning my workouts.
The Ultra now listens as well as it tracks
The biggest software leap this year is Audio Intelligence, and it might be the most useful thing Apple has added to the Watch in years. Sound Recognition can pick up sirens, alarms, doorbells, and even a crying baby, and it will alert you even if your phone isn’t nearby, which is genuinely useful if you are deaf or hard of hearing.
Then there’s Live Rewind. Double press the digital crown, and your Watch instantly plays back and transcribes the last 15 seconds of whatever was just said, so you never have to ask someone to repeat themselves again. Siri Recap goes even further by quietly listening during meetings or conversations and turning them into a short summary with key points you can revisit later in the Siri app. You stay in control of when it listens, whether that’s always on, scheduled to work hours only, or turned off entirely, and you can flip it on or off right from Control Center.
Apple is also leaning hard on privacy here. None of this stores raw audio, the processing happens entirely on device, and every transcript and recap stays end to end encrypted. Both features launch in beta later this year, starting with English, with more languages expected to follow.
Add it all up, and the Apple Watch Ultra 4 finally feels like a genuine leap rather than a routine refresh. Between the longer battery life, smarter health tracking, and a Watch that can actually listen and remember things for you, this is the first Ultra in four years I would tell people to go out and actually buy.
Pricing and availability
The Apple Watch Ultra 4 starts at $799, the same price as its predecessor. It comes in black and natural titanium, with preorders open now and the watch officially hitting shelves on September 18. Keep in mind that Live Rewind and Siri Recap are launching in beta later this year, starting with English, so those two features will take a little longer to arrive on your wrist.
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