John Yeong gives his take on the much talked about Apple Watch Ultra, and which group he feels it may be best suited for
PHOTO: HANIDA HUSSEIN, SPORTPLUS.SG
Branded as the Apple Watch that pushes boundaries for athletes who do the same, the Apple Watch Ultra hit shelves in Singapore and was made available online from last Friday (23 Sep).
But if you are runner, triathlete or fitness enthusiast you may be wondering just how reliable are the new features that are being talked about so extensively, and whether its worth considering if you have already grown accustomed to other elite sports watches for your races and training that you have found to be reliable.
Here I will attempt to share my thoughts on what has been branded most rugged Apple watch yet, what I love about the new watch, how it compares to other sports watches in two key areas - battery life and GPS tracking accuracy, and which target group this is actually a sweet spot for, so read on.
While the Apple Watch Ultra is definitely a huge upgrade from the previous line of Apple Watch series watches, and a very welcome addition for both athletes and Apple fans at that, it doesn't score perfectly in every aspect - but then again which sports watch does?
PHOTO: HANIDA HUSSEIN, SPORTPLUS.SG
Battery Life
Having 36 hours of battery life is huge for Apple's watches, which aren't exactly known for having the best battery life particularly in its earlier editions from the Apple Watch Series.
Even better news is that this 36 hours can be extended to 60 hours with software updates coming later this year, or if you are using the watch in low power mode.
Apple Watch Ultra has also been tested to have enough battery life for most users to complete a long-course triathlon, consisting aswim, bike ride, and full marathon, although I have obviously not done this myself!
The challenge for Apple though is to meet the industry benchmark for quite a few competitor brands, whose sports watches can easily last a week to even 10 days on a single charge.
That being said, with the multitude of apps and depth of integration with many other key features and functions, it is understandable the watch is unlikely to score as high in this area since most other sports watches are hyper-focused and serve the primary purpose of tracking performance.
PHOTO: HANIDA HUSSEIN, SPORTPLUS.SG
GPS Tracking
One of the huge announcements this time round is that the Apple Watch Ultra boasts dual-band GPS for the first time. This is due to the fact that Apple managed to integrate Apple Maps into the equation to improve tracking accuracy even in more built up areas such as urban jungles like Singapore or most cities in Southeast Asia.
The precision dual-frequency GPS integrates both L1 and the latest frequency, L5, plus new positioning algorithms, to help the Apple Watch Ultra deliver the most accurate GPS of any Apple Watch to date. This in turn provides users with the most precise distance, pace, and route data for their training and competing needs.
That being said, several established sports watch brands like Garmin have already been using multi-band satellite systems far longer. As such this is far from being a conclusive debate, and for some the jury is still out there and for others Apple may still be playing catch-up in this area.
I would need to wear my Apple Watch Ultra for manymore runs across different environments before I can give my final assessment on the accuracy of the watch against other trackers I usually wear for my runs.
PHOTO: HANIDA HUSSEIN, SPORTPLUS.SG
What I love about Apple Watch Ultra
While there are some features which may not be as hyped up as the watch is made out to be, there is an entire slew of other features about the watch that I love and that has gotten me addicted to the Apple Watch Ultra.
Action Button
For one, the action button that allows you to customise your workouts and serve as a shortcut to apps is very intuitive and enhances the overall experience by allowing greater control over your watch while exercising without having to go through too many steps.
From instantly starting workouts, customising an interval training or the next leg of a Multisport workout, marking workout segments and a new Track running experience that automatically provides the ultimate pacing and distance estimates for runners at a track, it's easy to get blown away by so many upgrades!
If you aren't a runner like me, you could consider using the Action Button to set compass waypoints if you like to hike or trek or begin a dive if you like open water sports or diving.
PHOTO: HANIDA HUSSEIN, SPORTPLUS.SG
If you are taking a call while on the go, and suffer from windy or rainy conditions, or if you are doing so while running this is news that you will love. The Apple Watch Ultra has three built-in microphones that has significantly improved sound quality in voice calls under any conditions.
How Apple did this was through an adaptive beamforming algorithm using the microphones to capture voice while reducing ambient background sounds. This includes advanced wind noise-reduction algorithms, including machine learning, to deliver clear and intelligible audio.
Advanced Workout Metrics
Arguably the most significant upgrade that I see in the Apple Watch Ultra, which is powered by watchOS 9, are the new advanced running metrics to measure performance, including Stride Length, Ground Contact Time, Vertical Oscillation, and Running Power.
Thanks to a larger display as well, you get new workout views, such as segments, splits, and elevation, which provide important metrics at just a glance, with the ability to see six metrics at once.
Users can take their training to the next level with features such as Heart Rate Zones, Custom Workouts, Pacer, and, coming later this year, Race Route.
For triathlons, duathlons, or activities with any sequence of swimming, biking, or running, the new Multisport workout includes autodetection to easily switch between workouts.
PHOTO: HANIDA HUSSEIN, SPORTPLUS.SG
3 New Bands for Athletes of Different Sports
Whether you are an endurance athlete such as a runner or triathlete, an adventurer who loves to go hiking or exploring, or a diver and water sports athlete, the Apple Watch Ultra boasts new bands for each endeavour.
The Trail Loop band is the thinnest Apple Watch band to date that is designed for endurance athletes, with the lightweight woven textile making it convenient for quick and easy adjustment.
The Alpine Loop band meanwhile is said to be designed for explorers in mind and features two integrated layers made from one continuous weaving process that eliminates the need for stitching. The titanium G-hook fastener also makes it more secure overall.
Lastly, the Ocean Band is designed specifically for extreme water sports and recreational diving with a titanium buckle and corresponding spring-loaded loop. Arguably the most important part is that it comes with an optional extra-long tail that allows users to comfortably wear over a wetsuit.
PHOTO: HANIDA HUSSEIN, SPORTPLUS.SG
So is it worth the investment?
If you are an active person who loves running, swimming and hiking and also an Apple user, I would definitely say go for it.
While I can also understand why some elite athletes may be apprehensive about making the switch and are likely to stay with their prefered sports watches that are forcused more on performance, the Apple Watch Ultra is great for citizen athletes and those who are looking for a more seamless experience toggling between their daily or weekly trainings with other daily and lifestyle activities.
Apple Watch Ultra Key Features
- Up to 36 hours of battery life
- Action button: customisable and can do things like control a workout, mark a Compass Waypoint or begin a dive.
- Wayfinder watch face with Night mode. Specifically for Apple Watch Ultra
- 2,000 nits display
- GPS: new precision dual-frequency GPS provides accurate location for calculating distance, pace and route maps.
- Endurance Fitness, find out more about running with Apple Watch here.
- Heart Rate Zones: Quickly see your intensity level. Training zones are automatically calculated and personalised using your health data, or you can create them manually.
- Running form: add stride length, ground contact time and vertical oscillation to your view
- Running power: an instantaneous measure of your effort, Running Power helps you stay at a level you can sustain.
- Reimagined Compass app: find out more on our support page
- New depth gauge, up to 40 meters, EN13319 certified
- Oceanic+ App, turn your Apple Watch Ultra into a dive computer, coming later this fall.
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