Our review of the much-awaited Apple Watch Ultra, the wearable, traveller-friendly wonder, which is one of 2022’s most exciting launches.
Of all the gadgets that Apple launched in 2022, it’s the Apple Watch Ultra that has excited the most. It’s the biggest overhaul of the Apple Watch since its launch about eight years ago. One of favourite wearables of 2022, it’s the perfect wellness and travel accessory with a whole new rugged build.
Size matters
The Apple Watch Ultra is a big watch. One that can intimidate you, especially if you have small wrists like mine. But, as I discovered soon enough, it feels lighter on your wrist than it looks and didn’t appear too bulky even on my wrist. You’ll get used to the large 49 mm display in quick time.
To put this display in context, the Apple iPhone 3G that hit Indian retail shelves in 2008 was 3.5 inches and this one’s 1.92 inches. I got used to the large 49 mm screen and struggled to go back to the previous gen Apple Watches or any other smartwatch with a smaller screen. It’s not just the size, at 2000 nits, it’s twice as bright as any Apple Watch display yet. It’s easy to navigate even with sweaty palms.
Apple has played up the Ultra’s rugged form factor. It’s crafted with aerospace-grade titanium that provides the perfect balance of weight, durability, and corrosion resistance. At TravelDine, we feel that the raised-case design makes it less prone to scratches than previous generations of the Apple Watch. It surrounds all edges of the flatter sapphire front crystal.
Our favourite design element has to be the Action Button. We can’t wait for all Apple Watches to sport one. You can customise it to launch one of many apps including a workout that you’re most likely to do. We love the new watch bands that are designed for different outdoor adventures in your city or your next holiday. We checked out the Ultra with the Green Alpine loop. You can customise it with Apple’s bands or third-party straps and even use it with your older 44/45 mm watch bands.
Ultra convenient
You’re covered even if you don’t have your AirPods handy and need to use the speaker for a phone call. The Ultra has three built-in microphones to significantly improve sound quality in voice calls under any conditions. Apple has kitted the Ultra with an adaptive beamforming algorithm that uses the microphones to capture voice while reducing ambient background sounds, resulting in remarkable clarity. Your callers should be able to hear you even in windy conditions or loud environments thanks to the Ultra’s advanced wind noise-reduction algorithms.
Your buddy outdoors
The Apple Watch Ultra is packed with features. You get all the usual Apple Watch regulars like ECG and SpO2 tracking in addition to a whole bunch of adventure features focused on different groups like recreational scuba divers. I found the Backtrack feature (that uses GPS data to create a path where you’ve been) handy on a recent camping trip. Apple is also showcasing other adventure features for different focus groups like recreational scuba divers.
The one thing frequent travellers are likely to appreciate it is battery life. In our experience, you should get twice the battery life that you manage on your current Apple Watch. We’ll say this. The Apple Watch Ultra is the best smartwatch out there. Apple has widened the gap with the Ultra. It’s not just the new hardware, the rugged form factor and improved battery. It’s also the sorted Apple Watch ecosystem that makes it an ideal companion for anyone who uses an iPhone.
Details: The Apple Watch Ultra is priced at Rs 89,900.
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