Apple Watch Ultra 2 announced with new ‘double tap’ controls, improved chip, 50 percent brighter display, more

Apple has unveiled its second-generation Apple Watch Ultra, featuring an improved S9 chip for improved performance, an upgraded display with 50 percent more brightness over the inaugural version, new a new double tap gesture for controlling the wearable without touching the display, and more.

Replacing the original model in Apple’s lineup, the Apple Watch Ultra 2 is powered by custom Apple silicon in the all-new S9 SiP, which enables a new gesture called “double tap,” which allow users to control the wearable using just one hand and without touching the display. Users can tap the index finger and thumb of their watch hand together twice to perform many of the most common actions on Apple Watch Ultra 2.

Double tap controls the primary button in an app so it can be used to stop a timer, play and pause music, or snooze an alarm. The gesture can be used to answer and end a phone call, and take a photo with the Camera Remote on Apple Watch. Double tap will also open the Smart Stack from the watch face, and another double tap will scroll through widgets in the stack.

Image: Apple

Apple Watch Ultra 2 features Apple’s biggest, brightest display Apple Watch display with the longest battery life ever in its series.

Apple is introducing a new watch face designed for Apple Watch Ultra — Modular Ultra — which takes advantage of the large display, using the outermost edge to present real-time data, including seconds, altitude, or depth. It offers the most complications of any Apple digital watch face to customise for sports, outdoor adventures, and ocean and water activities.

Apple Watch Ultra 2 is designed for extremes and has been tested for use across the largest range of altitudes for any Apple product, from 500 meters below sea level to explore the lowest valleys, and up to 9,000 meters to ascend the world’s tallest peaks.

Image: Apple

For the first time on Apple Watch, Siri requests can be processed on device. For requests that do not require information from the internet, such as starting a workout or setting a timer, Siri does not rely on Wi-Fi or cellular networks, resulting in quicker responses.

Apple Watch Ultra 2 includes Apple’s second-generation Ultra Wideband (UWB) chip to enable Precision Finding for the iPhone 15 series, which has the same chip. Precision Finding provides distance and direction, as well as visual, haptic, and audio guidance to a misplaced iPhone, even if it is in a different room.

Image: Apple

Apple Watch Ultra 2 can be ordered today, with availability beginning Friday, September 22. Apple Watch Ultra 2 is $799 (U.S.) and retains the same overall design as the previous-generation it replaces.