Apple Watch Ultra 4: Three new features that already have me excited - 9to5Mac

Apple Watch Ultra 4 is coming next month, launching alongside iPhone 18 Pro, iPhone Ultra, and more. Here are three rumored Apple Watch Ultra 4 features that I’m excited about. Siri AI is a major focus of Apple’s new software this fall, including watchOS 27. And rumors indicate that Apple Watch Ultra 4 will boast a more powerful chip that should be optimized for the new Siri. Bloomberg’s Mark Gurman reports that Apple Watch Ultra 4 (and Series 12) will benefit from “a long-awaited bump in chips and speed.” He writes: The actual processing performance of Apple Watches hasn’t budged since 2023 with the launch of the S9 chip, despite the company technically rolling out new processors since then. Current Apple Watch models have an S10 chip, so presumably the new version will be called S11. Siri AI has the potential to be transformative for watchOS use, so I’m excited for a faster, more responsive experience on the latest Watch hardware. Health features are at the core of the Apple Watch’s value proposition. And we’re expecting some big changes on that front with Apple Watch Ultra 4. Digitimes reported last summer that “the number of sensor components will double” in Apple Watch Ultra 4. And more recently they reiterated that the new model will pack “a significant upgrade to sensing functions.” While we don’t know specifics regarding sensor changes, the outlet also recently reported that Apple has a new high blood pressure notification feature under FDA review. So at a minimum, upgrades to last year’s hypertension feature are expected. I’m always especially interested in health-related Watch improvements. The Apple Watch has had a significant impact on my health journey, and I’m eager to see what Apple has in store next. Improved battery life is always a crowd-pleaser. And Digitimes reports that “power efficiency will improve significantly” with Apple Watch Ultra 4. We don’t know for sure that this will result in longer battery life. But it’s fairly likely. Apple could always shrink the physical battery size to make room for new health sensors, while keeping battery life the same as Ultra 3. But I would expect at least modest battery improvements, since battery is a key area the Apple Watch trails popular ‘minimalist’ fitness bands like WHOOP and Fitbit Air. My Apple Watch Ultra 3 can generally get through two days right now, but I’m all for battery life getting even better—especially if Siri AI leads me to use my Watch more. What new Apple Watch Ultra 4 features are on your wishlist? Let us know in the comments. *Shop at Apple with 15% discount on certified refurbished