The Ultra gets its first iteration this year with the Ultra 2, and no, it didn’t introduce any new colorways for the titanium case, and that’s just fine by me. The same square-ish 49mm case remains unchanged, though the screen gets a bit brighter, and the OS will see a revamp with WatchOS10, and a slew of new strap options are also a welcome addition. The strap selection and creativity were among my favorite features of the Ultra, something I had hoped, and still hope to see embraced by other watch manufacturers. The Alpine Loop and the Trail Loop straps welcome new colors, and both are carbon neutral. The Ocean Band remains available in navy, white, and orange – and my only hope there is that it got a bit longer, as the oem length is quite short for wear over a dive suit.
I’ve been using the Apple Watch Ultra as a dive computer over the past months, and for recreational depths have found the Oceanic+ app to suit my needs quite well. The backed-in Depth app was a bit basic in comparison, however that too gets an update, allowing dive logs to be stored and viewed. An important feature for regular divers. For the moment, it looks as though Oceanic+ will remain the better option, and it had better be considering it requires a subscription to make full use of.
The new WatchOS brings new Watch Faces to the party, including a new design for the Ultra in particular, utilizing the very perimeter of the screen for additional complications. The new OS will also bring many native features to the watch, taking advantage of the more powerful S9 SiP, allowing it to do more without the need for strong WiFi or Cellular signal.