Smartwatches · 2022 · Apple

Apple Watch Ultra (49 mm, 1st generation)

The Apple Watch Ultra is Apple’s first rugged, dive-ready watch, released in 2022. It offers a 49 mm titanium case, a 2000-nit display, dual-frequency GPS, the Action button, an 86 dB siren and up to 36 hours of battery life. A runner’s review liked the bright screen and tough case and criticised missing maps and routes. Owner reports describe battery life and the touchscreen freezing during workouts.

Apple Watch Ultra, 49 mm natural titanium case, GPS + Cellular. The Apple Watch Ultra 2 and Ultra 3 are separate models.

Apple Watch Ultra (49 mm, 1st generation) — The Apple Watch Ultra image from Apple’s tech specs page: two 49 mm titanium watches with orange and green Alpine Loop bands.
The Apple Watch Ultra image from Apple’s tech specs page: two 49 mm titanium watches with orange and green Alpine Loop bands.

Specifications

SpecificationValue
DisplayLTPO2 OLED always-on Retina; 410 × 502 pixels; 1185 mm² display area; up to 2000 nits

LTPO lets the refresh rate drop very low, so the screen can stay on without draining the battery. 2000 nits was twice as bright as any earlier Apple Watch display.

Case and glass49 mm natural titanium case; flat sapphire front crystal; ceramic and sapphire back

The flat front crystal is protected by a raised titanium edge.

ChipS8 SiP with 64-bit dual-core processor; W3 wireless chip; U1 Ultra Wideband chip; 32 GB storage

Availability of Ultra Wideband features varies by country.

Location and navigationDual-frequency GPS (L1 and L5), GLONASS, Galileo, QZSS, BeiDou; compass; always-on altimeter

The L5 signal helps separate signals reflected by tall buildings and trees; Apple called it the most accurate GPS of any Apple Watch at the time.

Health sensorsElectrical heart sensor (ECG); third-generation optical heart sensor; blood oxygen sensor

Availability of the ECG and blood oxygen apps varies by country.

Diving and waterWR100 (ISO 22810); dive-ready to 40 metres (EN 13319); water temperature sensor and depth gauge; IP6X dust

Apple points to the third-party Oceanic+ app for recreational scuba diving to 40 metres; the watch itself is not certified as a dive computer.

Safety86-decibel emergency siren; Fall and Crash Detection (high-g accelerometer up to 256 g); Emergency SOS

The siren plays two distinct patterns, one signalling distress and one mimicking SOS.

ConnectivityLTE and UMTS; Wi-Fi 802.11b/g/n 2.4 and 5 GHz; Bluetooth 5.3

With cellular, the watch can make calls and get messages without the phone nearby; carrier support is required.

BatteryUp to 36 hours; up to 18 hours with LTE; USB-C magnetic fast-charging cable

Runtime depends on display, workout and cellular use; using LTE away from the phone drains the battery noticeably faster.

Low-power settingUp to 60 hours

Apple announced that this setting would arrive in software after launch, in autumn 2022; it extends runtime by taking some readings less often.

Operating temperature−20 °C to 55 °C on the wrist
Weight61.3 g (without band)
CompatibilityiPhone 8 or later with iOS 16 or later

The watch can only be set up and used with an iPhone; it does not pair with Android phones.

From the manufacturer

Apple presents the Ultra as its most capable Apple Watch, designed for outdoor sports, endurance and diving. Apple Support

Strengths and limitations

  • Travis Liles of iRunFar used the watch day to day and for runs with cellular turned on. He saw no big swings in recorded tracks compared with other devices. He liked the large, bright screen and the sapphire glass that rarely scratches; the case is big but did not bother his small wrist. Downsides: no built-in maps or GPX route files on the watch, Backtrack had to be started manually, and touch use got harder with wet hands or gloves. He used the third-party WorkOutDoors app for mapped routes.

    iRunFar, Travis Liles, 16 September 2023 (recorded July 2023). Battery life was not measured. The lack of maps applies to the software at that time; later watchOS versions may have changed it.

    iRunFar — Travis Liles: Apple Watch Ultra Review

Owner experiences and issues

  • On Apple Community, irisalexus wrote that their watch did not last a day and that battery life had been better before updates (March 2023). Community member Branta_uk said battery use can rise for a few days after an update, suggested noting the runtime over several full charges, and contacting Apple for a battery check if it persists. In August 2026, Kerrod wrote that on a first-generation Ultra with watchOS 26 the touchscreen stopped responding when a Fitness workout was started on the watch, and that turning off the workout Check In Reminder setting stopped it; WheelieNick saw the same on a Series 9.

    Apple Community, two separate threads: 254679995 (1 March 2023, one reply) and 256335153 (2 August 2026, Ultra 1 with watchOS 26, four “me too” marks). The different symptoms were kept apart; no prevalence or failure rate was drawn.

    Apple Community: Apple Watch Ultra Battery Life

Tags

2022APPLEWATCHOSTITANYUMGPSDALISLTE

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Sources

  1. Apple Support: Apple Watch Ultra - Technical Specifications
  2. Apple Newsroom: Introducing Apple Watch Ultra
  3. iRunFar — Travis Liles: Apple Watch Ultra Review
  4. Apple Community: Apple Watch Ultra Battery Life
  5. Apple Community: Ultra 1 touch screen freezes when I start an Apple Workout with Check in Reminder enabled