Juha Saarinen: Why Ultra 2 is the Apple Watch to splash out on

The "Depth" app on the Apple Watch Ultra 2 activates automatically in water. Photo / Juha Saarinen

OPINION

It’s big, but the Watch Ultra 2 is easily Apple’s best wristwear computer yet.

In saying that, I admit to some usage bias. The last few years, the Apple Watch has been on my wrist, mainly to force myself to keep at least a little fit, and the Ultra 2 makes that easier with its bigger body, chunkier controls and stronger haptic feedback.

And it looks good too, with a titanium case, and you can get it with bands that feel secure and sturdy, like the Alpine Trail one I tried, and the very orange and underwater-visible Ocean Band.

The Ultra Watch 2 is certainly not a discreet accessory, with a 49-millimetre size, but neither does it look like you’ve strapped a phone to your wrist, as one person said.

A big orange “Action” button makes it easy to start workouts (or you can ask Siri to do that), set compass points and more. The “Digital Crown” is big and easy to use; ditto the raised side button, and you can really feel the Ultra Watch 2 vibrate, which should be noticeable through wetsuits as well.

Then there’s the bright 3000-nit screen, which is possibly overkill even in NZ’s bright sun, but no complaints there; it’s a great display, and it can be used as a torch light as well.

Apple used a new, more powerful processor, the S9 SiP, apparently based on the A15 Bionic in iPhones and iPads, for the Ultra Watch 2. Apart from making the watch very responsive, the S9 means you can use the “Double Tap” gesture with your thumb and index finger.

Double Tap is a novel way to control the watch. You can scroll through the screens for the current app, take calls and more. Once you’re used to it, Double Tap is very useful, although I found it could become unresponsive with a wet arm, and you had to repeat the gesture.

Despite the more powerful processor, the Ultra Watch 2 has the same battery life - 36 hours in normal use, 72 hours in low-power mode (17 hours during workouts) - as its predecessor.

That’s maybe even on the conservative side, as I forgot to charge the Ultra Watch 2 a few times and it still carried on for two days. Much better than the standard Watch, in other words, but battery life is still something Apple could improve on. Make the Watches last a week between charges please, Apple.

On top of the on-land workouts, Apple worked on water activities like swimming, snorkelling and diving, with a third-party Oceanic+ Dive Computer app available.

A few gingerly dips in still cold waters confirmed the “Depth” app that comes with the Watch Ultra 2 pops up automatically and records current and maximum depth.

Summer fun in the water’s ahead. The Ultra Watch 2 is EN 13319-certified for up to 40 metres of depth. Having almost drowned a couple of years ago while snorkelling as an incoming tidal surge smashed me into some rocks, it’ll be a while longer before I pick up the courage to go Scuba diving, though. I’ll never again want to hear that crackling sound of water in the lungs while trying to catch a breath.

Other outdoorsy features include the dual frequency global positioning system (GPS) support, which seems accurate at least in areas where buildings aren’t too tall and potentially interfering with the signal, a loud 86-decibel siren and an altimeter.

Most of the features are easily accessible via the default new “Modular face” for the Ultra Watch 2 (you can use others as well).

The Watch Ultra 2 also has Apple’s usual good health monitoring apps, messaging, and one particularly great feature that uses ultra-wideband radio tech to find that misplaced iPhone 15. The Watch Ultra 2 (and Series 9) direct you to the phone on its screen.

As you’ve probably realised by now, the Ultra Watch 2 is not cheap, especially if you factor in the cost of an iPhone 15 on top.

The $1599 price compares to the Watch Series 9 that starts at $749 for the aluminium case version, and $1399 for the stainless steel case model. Even at the higher price, the Ultra Watch 2 would be the pick of the two with its better fitness features and longer battery life.