Kuo: Apple Watch Ultra to Get 'Almost No' Hardware Upgrades This Year

[delsoul]

I love my AWU2 pre-banned model. Now if only Apple could take care of the software side of things, they would be the icing on the cake. Last update absolutely ruined my battery life and glitches galore (telling me my battery charged to optimized 80% level, but shows it’s charge at 10”%, etc)

 

[Ta_whirimatea]

Thats because they are releasing the Studio.

Apple mistakenly posted and then removed the new upcoming Apple Watch Studio on the store.

Thats because they are releasing the Studio.

Apple mistakenly posted and then removed the new upcoming Apple Watch Studio on the store.


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Now that’s one chunky MoFo!

 

[Fuzzball84]

Then why bother?

Because new sells... it doesnt matter if its the same underneath... as long as its last years model + 1 version number 😂

 

[Fuzzball84]

They might release Apple Watch Studio this year...

I hope they do, they really need a multi screen watch that can replace your desktop while on the go.

Foldout screens and keyboard... this is what butterfly keyboard was made for. And if they can fit in a few USB C ports and an SD card reader... Ill buy it

 

[enricoclaudio]

I did upgrade my AWU 1 to AWU 2 just a couple of days before the oxygen sensor ban. So if the AWU 3 has no oxygen sensor, then I will definitely hold on my AWU 2 until the O2 sensor is back.

 

[Fuzzball84]

I did upgrade my AWU 1 to AWU 2 just a couple of days before the oxygen sensor ban. So if the AWU 3 has no oxygen sensor, then I will definitely hold on my AWU 2 until the O2 sensor is back.

Is I really that valuable? I mean it's not a medical device. Basing your upgrade on the one sensor alone on AWU is a bit unusual 🧐

 

[delsoul]

I did upgrade my AWU 1 to AWU 2 just a couple of days before the oxygen sensor ban. So if the AWU 3 has no oxygen sensor, then I will definitely hold on my AWU 2 until the O2 sensor is back.

Keeping my pre-banned AWU2 also. They disable it, yet charge the same price for the watch. Interesting! If the AWU3 has it back, I may look into it, as well.

 

[Neodym]

They don’t seem to know what more to do with the Watch at this point. I’ve upgraded every three years and am due this year but can’t think of a reason to go from 7 to 10. I'm more likely to hold off.

Having gone from the 7 to an Ultra 2 was a revelation! Finally there's enough juice to easily get over the day (or two, maybe three if low demands) without having to recharge. That alone justified the switch for me.

Also, the design change from the pebblish Series 7 to the more edgy Ultra 2 was very welcome.

Unless Apple is offering something very tempting (in the ballpark of e.g. blood sugar or blood pressure measuring), I'm fine for the next 2-3 years.

 

[FattiesGoneWild]

I upgraded from Ultra 1 to 2. If 3 has blood pressure monitoring and sleep apnea detection, I might upgrade.

 

[Analog Kid]

Whew! One less thing to think about…

 

[McScooby]

Tim Cook: "It's the highest ever version number of the Apple Watch Ultra. We think you're gonna love it..."

Welcome to the future of Apple product releases.

& to celebrate we're increasing the price by $100 to at least make it look like you're getting something new!😂

 

[dumastudetto]

Apple Watch Ultra 3 Could be First to Receive M5 Pro

I heard from a complete nobody that Apple Watch Ultra COULD get an M5 Pro. I'm also hearing this updated model COULD be supply constrained at launch as Apple is experiencing yield problems trying to ram the SoC into the body of an Apple Watch Ultra 3.

In a separate note, I've been told Apple Watch Ultra 3 will not ship this year with the 128GB RAM I wrote about in my newsletter earlier this morning. While Apple definitely planned on adding 128GB RAM, they didn't foresee major conflict escalations around the world - and the spiralling costs of these seismic events means this update has been abandoned.

Apple is not ruling out shipping Watch Ultra 4 next year with 128GB RAM, so I'll continue predicting that it's coming in a future update.... and then find something else to blame in 2025.

Stay fruity!

Dave Gunman

 

[technole]

Ultra 2 is a fine watch already, doesn't need much of a refresh right now. Aside from getting back some lost functionality *ahem*

 

[Le0M]

Thanks to the blood oxygen sensor isn't it already possible to detect apnea?

 

[dampfnudel]

I guess Apple wants the redesigned series X/10 to be the star of the show this year.

 

[aknabi]

Very happy with my AWU first gen and don't foresee any reason to upgrade any time soon.

I do hope they fix the software issues that have been plaguing watchOS 10 though.

WatchOS 10.4 has been the absolute worst. Battery life is slightly down and my weather and sunrise/sunset complications stop working every few days. I have to do a reset of both my watch and phone before they work again.

Indeed... also yesterday had this issue with the latest wOS where it just wouldn't charge and the HR LEDs just stayed on and drained battery... had to reboot...

Actually all by Apple devices have been going more wonky over time (remember when we made fun of MS for that and their users having to reboot or reinstall??? Why is it okay when it's "our team"?)...

Think they need to do one of those 1 year feature sabbaticals and focus on nailing quality... but I guess the AI hamster wheel means that won't happen for a while

 

[aknabi]

The hardware design team is literally non existent at Apple now, led by Jeff "bean counter" Williams.

iPhone with same design for 5 years and same camera design for 6 years, iPad Pro "redesign" is just thinner, Watch 10 is just a thinner "redesign".

Jeff probably thinks they can just reuse the same tired stuff and the sheep will lap it up.

Everyone that made Apple great has since left or retired, something is rotten at Apple lately.

Interesting thing is many of the ex-Apple folks I know express very similar sentiments.

 

[Mr. Nice]

Every product doesn't need a hardware upgrade every year. I am good waiting 2 or 3 years for an Apple Watch Ultra upgrade. The iPad Pro is an example of what happens when hardware is too far ahead of software.

But there is a problem:
Nobody buys an Ultra that has been on the market for 2 years if they know that the new model will be available in less than 12 months.

And don't just think about yourself! Think about other owners of old devices:

An iPhone 8 owner jumps to the 13. next year: An owner of the 9 series jumps to the iPhone 14 and so on.
Introducing a new iPhone every year makes sense, as the sales figures prove.

A new iOS or macOS version every year, I think that's excessive! Every 2 years would be enough.

 

[Jmausmuc]

Watch OS 10 is the only ever apple software update that I did not like from the start and that also has not grown on me.

 

[Razorpit]

I think Apple should make an Apple Watch Ultra SE, even though the name is probably an oxymoron somehow.

The large screen is great for Gen Xers like me, and it looks a lot better as a watch compared to the other models. I'm not doing big hikes or extreme sports like I used to - I just really like the look of it and the big screen for my crappy aging eyes.

I have an S7 and was thinking about going to a U3, whatever that may be. I can't even attempt to read the "good morning summary" when I wake up. Whoever thought it's a good idea to put white font on sky blue background for morning eyes needs to be throat punched.

Probably the same person that decided 8pt font on the AppleTV is perfect. I love it when a paragraph or two of text only takes up 5% of the available screen on my 55" TV. 🙄

 

[jb310]

If there's no advances to hardware, will Apple just slap on some vague "AI" features and then call it a day? 😅

 

[surfzen21]

If there's no advances to hardware, will Apple just slap on some vague "AI" features and then call it a day? 😅

"A!" gestures! 🤣

 

[HazeAndHahmahneez]

Every product doesn't need a hardware upgrade every year. I am good waiting 2 or 3 years for an Apple Watch Ultra upgrade. The iPad Pro is an example of what happens when hardware is too far ahead of software.

Hmmm while yeah I agree with this for the most part (macbook, iPad, iOS, macOS etc.), I think iPhone and watch do need yearly upgrades if only because they’re both so strongly tied together and yearly releases do generate excitement so it makes sense that the biggest hardware draws get annual iterations.

I love my 45 mm 9 and have zero reason to upgrade for a long while. Only thing im Interested in is exact body temp. measure but isn’t that not a practical feature for wristware due to spotty readings from that part of the body?…

 

[canpoyrazoglu]

Perhaps Apple can start fixing various problems the Apple Watch Ultra, a.k.a. the buggiest Apple device ever, both hardware and software side, and then perhaps continue developing AWU.

 

[ggg02]

Thats because they are releasing the Studio.

Apple mistakenly posted and then removed the new upcoming Apple Watch Studio on the store.


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Guess you forgot to edit the “Explore Apple Watch Ultra further” 🤣 shouldn't it say Studio? But nice try.