The Apple Watch Ultra 4 arrives four years after the original model. Across three subsequent generations, Apple added a brighter and larger display, satellite connectivity, new health sensors, more capable chips, and longer battery life. For owners of the original Ultra, are those cumulative improvements enough to justify upgrading now, or can their existing watch last another year?



Both watches retain a 49mm titanium case, an Action button, a siren, dual-frequency GPS, and support for recreational diving to 40 meters. The Apple Watch Ultra 4 starts at $799 in the U.S. Apple discontinued the original Ultra in 2023, and it no longer supports the latest major watchOS release. Here are the key differences between the two models:

Apple Watch Ultra (first-generation)	‌Apple Watch Ultra 4‌
Natural titanium finish	Natural and black titanium finishes
LTPO2 OLED display with always-on updates once per minute	Wide-angle LTPO3 ‌OLED‌ display with 1Hz always-on updates, allowing supported faces to show ticking seconds
Up to 2,000 nits of brightness	Up to 3,000 nits of brightness; 1-nit minimum brightness
410 by 502 pixels; 1,185 sq mm display area	422 by 514 pixels; 1,245 sq mm display area (5% larger), with thinner display borders
Flashlight	Flashlight boost via Digital Crown
S8 chip	S11 chip
1GB RAM	4GB RAM
Neural Engine	4-core Neural Engine
	Secure Exclave for isolated audio processing
32GB storage	64GB storage
	Single tap, Double Tap, and wrist flick gestures
Siri processed in the cloud via an internet connection	On-device ‌Siri‌ for supported requests, including access to and logging of health and fitness data
Dictation	Improved on-device dictation
	‌Siri‌ AI support
First-generation Ultra Wideband chip	Second-generation Ultra Wideband chip
Play a sound to locate an iPhone; locate accessories using Find Devices and Find Items	Precision Finding for compatible iPhone models, AirTag 2, and the AirPods Pro 3 charging case, with distance and direction guidance
	Automatic Now Playing controls and Smart Stack media suggestions when near a HomePod
Electrical heart sensor and third-generation optical heart sensor	Health Sensing System with new electrical and always-on optical heart sensors
Background heart-rate measurements	Background heart-rate measurements every five seconds
Heart-rate variability (HRV) measurements	More frequent measurements of overall HRV and Recovery HRV
Overnight Vitals view	Overnight and daytime Vitals views
	Readiness app
	Sleep apnea notifications
	Hypertension notifications
Blood Oxygen readings viewable on the watch	On affected U.S. models, Blood Oxygen readings are analyzed on the paired iPhone and viewed in its Health app
Step tracking and estimated indoor workout distance	More accurate all-day step tracking and indoor workout distance measurements, plus a Steps watch-face complication
Workout Buddy requires a nearby Apple Intelligence-enabled iPhone	Enhanced Workout Buddy with additional insights and Spanish support
	Live Translation in Messages when paired with a compatible Apple Intelligence-enabled iPhone
LTE and UMTS cellular connectivity	LTE and 5G cellular connectivity, with improved weak-signal reception through simultaneous use of both antennas
	Emergency SOS, Messages, and Find My via satellite
	Audio Intelligence: Sound Recognition, automatic music identification, Live Rewind, and ‌Siri‌ Recap
Built-in speakers for calls, alerts, and ‌Siri‌	Built-in speakers for calls, alerts, ‌Siri‌, and media playback
Up to 36 hours of normal use	Up to 50 hours of normal use
Up to 72 hours in Low Power Mode, according to Apple's current comparison page	Up to 84 hours in Low Power Mode
Up to 12 hours of standard outdoor workout tracking	Up to 18 hours of standard outdoor workout tracking
Low Power Mode during workouts, with an optional setting for fewer GPS and heart-rate readings	Extended Workout mode: up to 25 hours with full GPS and heart-rate readings; Max Extended Workout mode: up to 45 hours with GPS readings every second
Charges from 0 to 80% in about one hour	Charges from 0 to 80% in about 45 minutes; 15 minutes of charging for up to 18 hours of normal use; five minutes for up to 10 hours of sleep tracking
61.3 grams	Natural titanium: 63.0 grams; black titanium: 63.1 grams
Dual-frequency GPS supporting GPS, GLONASS, Galileo, QZSS, and BeiDou	Dual-frequency GPS supporting GPS, Galileo, QZSS, and BeiDou
Supports watchOS 26	Supports watchOS 27, including the ‌Siri‌ app, dynamic app grid, new Smart Stack suggestions, Call Context, and consolidated ‌Find My‌ app
Now discontinued	Starts at $799

Existing first-generation Apple Watch Ultra owners can reasonably keep their watch for another year if its battery still covers their usual days and workouts. Losing support for ‌watchOS 27‌ is significant, but it does not prevent the original Ultra from continuing to handle notifications, activity tracking, navigation, and its other existing features. Owners satisfied with those capabilities may prefer to eke out another year of use and wait to see whether next year's model offers a more substantial upgrade.

However, the Ultra 4 is a worthwhile upgrade for anyone already running into the original model's limitations. The new Health Sensing System provides more detailed heart-rate and recovery insights, while sleep apnea and hypertension notifications expand its health capabilities. These changes are most compelling if you will use the additional information to follow changes in your daily condition or adjust your training.

Longer battery life and satellite connectivity strengthen the case for owners who record extended workouts or regularly travel beyond cellular coverage. If your original Apple Watch Ultra now struggles to finish an outing without charging, the improved battery life is a practical reason to replace it. The larger, brighter display, newer gestures, Audio Intelligence, and expanded Precision Finding support also make the cumulative upgrade more noticeable in everyday use.

Software support is a major reason to move on. The original Apple Watch Ultra cannot run watchOS 27, so it misses ‌Siri‌ AI and the latest operating system's other additions. If those features would materially improve how you use your watch, waiting another year means accepting those limitations in the meantime.
This article, "Apple Watch Ultra 1 vs. Ultra 4 Buyer's Guide: Is It Worth Upgrading?" first appeared on MacRumors.com

Discuss this article in our forums

Tim Cook is visiting China for the third time this year, with talks in Guangdong focused on expanding Apple's manufacturing and sales operations, the South China Morning Post reports.



This is Cook's first China trip in his capacity as Apple's executive chairman. He moved into the position on September 1 when John Ternus took over as CEO. Apple has said part of Cook's work involves relationships with government policymakers.

On October 11, Cook reportedly held talks with Guangdong governor Meng Fanli. Suppliers and partners located in Guangdong play a major role in Apple's business in China, and Cook is said to have expressed interest in doing more locally through smart manufacturing and additional sales channels. Meng said the province would support further expansion, including research and development.

In Guangzhou, a creator used an iPhone 18 Pro to capture martial arts footage while Cook watched. Cook posted "Great to be back in China!" on Weibo on Saturday. Customers also reported a visit to one of Guangzhou's Apple Stores on Sunday.

Cook traveled to Chengdu and Beijing in March as Apple celebrated its 50th anniversary, and addressed the China Development Forum. In May, he was among the business leaders who accompanied President Donald Trump for talks with Chinese President Xi Jinping.

The trip comes several weeks after sales of the ‌iPhone 18 Pro‌ and ‌iPhone 18 Pro‌ Max started. Counterpoint Research put Apple first in China's smartphone sales ranking for September 14 to 20. During their first three days on sale in China, the new Pro phones sold 12% more units than their predecessors had managed over the full first week of availability last year.
This article, "Tim Cook Visits China for the Third Time in 2026" first appeared on MacRumors.com

Discuss this article in our forums

Apple is marking India's festive diwali season with a limited edition of the AirPods 5, featuring a rangoli-inspired engraving.


The case's design draws on the traditional Indian art form, arranging a decorative pattern around a heart-eyes emoji. The earbuds cost ₹17,900 (approximately $187), matching the Indian price of the regular AirPods 5 with Wireless Charging Case.

The celebrations also include free rangoli workshops created with artist Arushi Kathuria. Participants will use Procreate on the iPad with an Apple Pencil, including a custom brush that recreates the appearance of powder. Sessions run from October 14 through November 9 in India and at selected locations in the United States, Canada, Malaysia, and Singapore.

Sales of the limited edition AirPods began on October 11 and will continue through to November 11, 2026, subject to stock. Customers can order through Apple's online store and Apple Store app, or purchase at its six retail locations in India.

Apple limits purchases to two pairs per customer and excludes the edition from other AirPods promotions and Business, Education, and Corporate Employee Purchase Plan pricing. Its purchase terms also caution that repairs or replacements may involve standard-edition ‌AirPods 5‌ with Wireless Charging Case, depending on supply.

(Thanks, svish!)
This article, "Apple Launches Special Edition AirPods 5 in India" first appeared on MacRumors.com

Discuss this article in our forums