Apple Watch Ultra 4 offers longer battery life but delays key 2026 features
Apple’s latest smartwatch, the Ultra 4, introduces a faster S11 chip and extended battery life reaching 79 hours, yet retains the previous design. Priced at $799, it features upgraded sensors for continuous heart rate monitoring. However, several major features announced for the 2026 lineup remain disabled, requiring software updates later this year. This positions the device as a minor iterative upgrade rather than a transformative leap for consumers.
Key points
- Apple, the consumer electronics giant, has released the Apple Watch Ultra 4, its largest and most robust smartwatch model, which maintains the identical physical design and screen specifications of its predecessor.
- The new device is priced at $799 (€899/£749) and incorporates the S11 chip, marking the first meaningful performance boost in several generations, alongside upgraded sensors that monitor heart rate every five seconds.
- Battery life has improved significantly to 79 hours of general use, allowing users to charge the device every third day, although the watch weighs approximately 1 gram more than the previous version.
- Despite the hardware upgrades, several key features announced as part of Apple’s 2026 smartwatch lineup are currently disabled and await software updates scheduled for the end of the year.
- Reviewers note that while the new fan-like sensor design improves reliability during movement and enables daytime heart rate variability tracking, the overall experience remains largely similar to the previous generation.
Apple has launched the Apple Watch Ultra 4, the latest iteration of its premium smartwatch line. The device retains the same physical dimensions, screen, and color options as the previous model, with a weight increase of only about 1 gram. Priced at $799 in the US, the watch is positioned as the top-tier option in Apple’s wearable ecosystem, though its external design remains unchanged from the prior generation.
Internally, the Ultra 4 features the new S11 chip, representing a significant performance upgrade after several generations of minor improvements. The device also includes enhanced sensors housed in a new fan-like design on the back, which improves data reliability during physical activity. These sensors now capture heart rate readings every five seconds during the day, compared to every five minutes on previous models, and enable continuous heart rate variability monitoring. This data feeds into new recovery metrics for users tracking their health.
Battery life has been extended to 79 hours for general use, allowing most users to charge the watch every third day. However, the launch is not without caveats. Several key features announced as part of Apple’s broader 2026 smartwatch strategy are not yet active. These functionalities are currently disabled and are expected to be enabled via software updates towards the end of the year. Consequently, the Ultra 4 is viewed primarily as a hardware refinement rather than a transformative update, offering longer endurance and better sensor accuracy while awaiting future software enhancements.
Sources
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