7 Takeaways from Using the Apple Watch Ultra Again

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I had an extended and entirely planned break from the Apple Watch Ultra recently. I planned to investigate the competition – namely the Garmin Fenix 7 Pro.

It was a fun, enlightening experiment. The Fenix 7 Pro is a brilliant smartwatch and the 19 days of battery life revealed what it’s like to use a proper adventurer watch.

I also used that time to dabble briefly with the Samsung Galaxy Watch6 Classic which was just as enlightening, if for slightly different reasons.

Now, the Apple Watch Ultra is back on my wrist, and after two months away from it, I’ve made some interesting discoveries.

I keep forgetting to charge it

I expected this. That epic battery life on the Fenix 7 Pro quickly became the norm. Fears about forgetting to charge it never surfaced; the number of charges undertaken each month was just far less than what I was used to with Apple’s device.

It’s somewhat ironic, then, that I keep forgetting to charge the Apple Watch Ultra now it’s back on my wrist. The charging frequency demanded by Apple’s wearable is something I’ve been used to for many years, yet a relatively brief period of time away has completely thrown me.

My Ultra keeps running out of battery, and for some reason, I never catch it in time before it plummets into the red zone.

I’ll get back into the charging regime, I’m sure – but it is a bit irritating.

I still love Knight Rider Mode

Twist the Apple Watch Ultra’s Digital Crown skywards when using the Wayfinder watch face and the entire display turns a vibrant red.

I nicknamed this ‘Knight Rider Mode’ when I first reviewed the Apple Watch Ultra, and it is utterly cool.

There’s a reason for its existence and I’m sure it offers a real benefit if you’re lost in a remote location and have the world against you.

But for me, it’s just deeply cool.

The yellow Ocean Band was a good choice

I wouldn’t consider myself an Apple Watch band collector; when I find one I like, I tend to stick with it.

During my trip to New York City in June, I visited the famous 5th Avenue Apple store and treated myself to the bright-yellow Ocean Band for my Apple Watch Ultra. I flitted between the white and yellow versions before committing, but I definitely made the right decision.

Unlike the Fenix 7 Pro, the Apple Watch Ultra demands a bright, bold appearance, in my book. Despite its shortcomings in the battery department, the Ultra is an impressive-looking bit of kit, and Apple’s smart choice of watch bands for its flagship wearable really does make it stand out.

How long my bright-yellow Ocean Band remains bright-yellow remains to be seen, though.

I was right not to miss app support

I noted during my comparison between the Fenix 7 Pro and the Apple Watch Ultra that I’m anything but a power user for the latter.

Returning to the Apple Watch Ultra, I wondered if I’d have a new-found desire to make more comprehensive use of it via home automation and a greater reliance on third-party apps.

I don’t.

In fact, the simplicity of my Apple Watch Ultra usage is a testament to what has always attracted me to Apple’s wearable. A bit like the iPhone, it does everything I need it to do perfectly. I don’t need anything more.

The only thing I’ve added is the fitness app, Strong, which I’m using to track my weight training – but even that feels more appropriate to use on my iPhone than the limited Apple Watch Ultra display.

It isn’t a magnet for the ecosystem

When I first ditched the Apple Watch Ultra for the Fenix 7 Pro, I missed Apple Pay – immediately.

Then, I got used to using my iPhone as my wallet. Quickly.

Now that the Ultra is back on my wrist, I find that I’m still using the iPhone to pay for stuff, check-in for flights, and navigate the London Underground. Call it muscle memory or laziness – I don’t care; for whatever reason, I just don’t feel as inclined as I once was to use my Apple Watch for the task.

The same goes for unlocking my Macs. When Apple Watch-less I became accustomed to using Touch ID (when available) or typing in my password like a caveman. Just like Apple Pay, it doesn’t feel like I’m missing out – and, in fact, the propensity for the Mac unlock feature on the Apple Watch to simply not ‘just work’ makes this a moot point.

This suggests that the Apple Watch bucks the trend within Apple’s walled garden – it doesn’t feel as tied into it as you might expect. Sure, it relies on your iPhone, but beyond that, there’s no meaningful interaction with other devices or services of which I’ve celebrated the return.

This is a good thing – mark my words. There’s nothing wrong with a bit of independence in Apple Land.

The Watch6 Classic is still nowhere close

As noted earlier, I’ve been dabbling with Samsung’s Watch6 Classic recently, too.

I love its round face. I’m a big fan of the watch faces. I like the way it accurately tracks the starting and stopping of activities (far better than the Apple Watch, in my book). I’m a fan of the rotating dial. I think it looks rather lovely.

It’s just… clunky. I’m sorry – I desperately want to like Samsung’s wearable more than I do, but it doesn’t possess the speed, fluidity, or sheer buttery smooth nature of the Apple Watch.

Returning to the Apple Watch Ultra confirmed this for me.

It needs two updates

We’re probably going to see an updated Apple Watch Ultra this month during the iPhone 15 launch event.

I’ve been wracking my brains about what I’d like to see from the next version of Apple’s tough wearable, and I can only think of two items.

The first is the battery life. We need a few more hours, please, Tim. Days, really. I’m just not sure how likely that is, given the relatively slow pace of wearable battery advancement and the sheer amount of stuff the Apple Watch Ultra has to do, versus the Garmin competition.

The second is purely aesthetic. I love the look of the Ultra; paired with Knight Rider Mode, it looks mean, ready for business, and impressively purposeful.

I’d just like a black version, please.

Wrap up

While I was writing this blog post, an Epix Pro dropped onto my desk. This is my next step in comparing the Apple Watch Ultra with the best Garmin has to offer.

My plan is to compare the Epix Pro against whatever Apple does with the Apple Watch Ultra this year – stay tuned.

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