Apple Watch Ultra 4 is Apple’s most capable smartwatch yet, combining a new S11 chip and Health Sensing System with longer battery life, faster charging, more accurate heart-rate monitoring, a new readiness score and additional Apple Intelligence features.
Apple has kept the familiar rugged Ultra formula, including natural and black titanium finishes, but much of the work this generation has happened inside. For buyers deciding whether to upgrade, here is everything you need to know about Apple Watch Ultra 4, including health features, battery life, fitness tracking, Apple Intelligence, watchOS 27, colors, price and release date.
What’s new with Apple Watch Ultra 4?
The biggest changes center around health sensing, performance and endurance. Apple Watch Ultra 4 uses the new S11 chip alongside redesigned optical and electrical heart sensors, allowing heart rate to be measured every five seconds throughout the day and heart rate variability to be measured much more frequently.
Image: Apple
Apple has also introduced readiness, longer battery life of up to 50 hours during normal use, faster charging, improved step tracking and new Audio Intelligence features.
New S11 chip
Apple Watch Ultra 4 is powered by S11, which Apple describes as its most powerful wearable chip. The processor powers the new Health Sensing System, improved step tracking and several Apple Intelligence-related features arriving through watchOS 27.
New Health Sensing System
The redesigned health hardware combines new optical and electrical heart sensors. Apple says its testing against other leading wearables found Apple Watch delivered the highest heart-rate accuracy across the devices it evaluated.
Heart rate is now measured every five seconds throughout the day. HRV can be measured up to 24 times more frequently, with Apple separating Recovery HRV from overall HRV to provide different views of short-term recovery and longer-term cardiovascular health.
Vitals has also been expanded with recovery HRV and a daytime view, allowing users to compare changes in their measurements throughout the day as well as overnight.
What is readiness on Apple Watch Ultra 4?
Readiness is a new daily score designed to indicate how prepared the body may be for activity. Apple Watch analyzes recent activity, training load, vitals and sleep score and produces a score from zero to 10.
Image: Apple
The score is accompanied by one of four recommendations: Recover, Pace Yourself, Ready or Go For It. Unlike a once-a-day measurement, readiness can change as additional information is collected during the day.
Apple Watch Ultra 4 battery life
Apple Watch Ultra 4 offers up to 50 hours of battery life during everyday use, taking the Ultra beyond two full days under Apple’s testing conditions. Low Power Mode extends that figure to as much as 84 hours.
Charging is faster too. Apple says 15 minutes of charging can provide up to 18 additional hours of battery life.
Battery life for long workouts
A new Extended Workout mode provides up to 25 hours of outdoor workout tracking with full GPS and heart-rate readings.
For considerably longer activities, Max Extended Workout can track outdoor runs, walks and hikes for up to 45 hours while continuing to take GPS readings every second. Apple says that should provide enough endurance for events such as a 100-mile race.
More accurate GPS and step tracking
Apple says Apple Watch Ultra 4 provides its most accurate on-device GPS in a sports watch. The company has also redesigned its pedometer model using new machine-learning algorithms and the S11 chip.
The changes are intended to improve indoor walking and running distance estimates as well as everyday step counts. A new Steps complication allows the current step total to remain visible directly on the watch face.
Audio Intelligence on Apple Watch Ultra 4
Apple is introducing a new group of Audio Intelligence features to Apple Watch Series 12 and Apple Watch Ultra 4.
Sound Recognition can alert users to sounds such as sirens, alarms, doorbells or a baby crying even when an iPhone is not nearby. Live Rewind can display a text snippet representing the previous 15 seconds of a conversation after a double press of the Digital Crown, helping users catch something they missed.
Image: Apple
Siri Recap can create high-level summaries and key points from conversations for later reference, while Shazam can automatically surface recognized music through the Smart Stack.
Some Audio Intelligence capabilities, including Live Rewind and Siri Recap, are scheduled to arrive in beta later in 2026 and have device, language and regional requirements.
Siri AI and Apple Intelligence
watchOS 27 brings Siri AI to Apple Watch Ultra 4. The new Siri experience can use personal context and broader world knowledge, while a dedicated Siri app allows conversations to continue from the wrist.
Apple has also introduced a Siri Modular watch face designed to provide quicker access to the assistant.
watchOS 27 features
Beyond Siri AI, watchOS 27 introduces a dynamic app grid that can surface five Siri-suggested apps based on usage, plus improved Smart Stack suggestions that appear when they are contextually useful.
A new single-handed tap gesture lets users select an individual Smart Stack widget by tapping their index finger and thumb, complementing the existing double tap gesture used for scrolling.
Workout Buddy can now work on Apple Watch without an iPhone nearby in supported circumstances, and Cycle Tracking adds support for perimenopause and menopause.
Redesigned Health app and Health Age
Apple is also connecting Apple Watch Ultra 4 more closely with a redesigned Health app on iPhone. A new Insights tab surfaces information throughout the day, while a Longevity tab examines longer-term health trends.
Health Age uses Apple Watch measurements including VO2 max, resting heart rate, sleep and HRV to show how a user’s health metrics are tracking relative to their chronological age. Apple says the redesigned Health app will arrive later this year, initially in U.S. English.
Does Apple Watch Ultra 4 support satellite features?
Apple Watch Ultra 4 continues to support satellite communications for features including Emergency SOS, Find My and Messages in supported regions and circumstances.
Apple Watch Ultra 4 colors
Apple Watch Ultra 4 is available in natural titanium and black titanium.
Apple has also refreshed its Ultra band lineup. Trail Loop comes in dark umber, sand and burgundy, while Alpine Loop is available in desert, dark olive and burgundy. Ocean Band now uses translucent silicone and comes in translucent gray, translucent kelp and translucent black.
Apple Watch Hermès Ultra 4
Apple Watch Hermès Ultra 4 remains available in natural titanium and gains a Grand H titanium band with an extension mechanism designed to adjust over a wetsuit.
The Hermès model also includes the Fathom and Wonder watch face, with ocean-depth illustrations that change as the Digital Crown is rotated.
How much does Apple Watch Ultra 4 cost?
Apple Watch Ultra 4 starts at $799 in the United States.
When is Apple Watch Ultra 4 released?
Apple Watch Ultra 4 is available to pre-order now in the United States, United Kingdom, Australia, Canada, France, Germany, India, Japan, UAE and more than 50 other countries and regions.
Apple Watch Ultra 4 will arrive in stores and begin reaching customers on Friday, September 18.
watchOS 27 will be released on Monday, September 14 for compatible Apple Watch models, although some of Apple Watch Ultra 4’s headline capabilities depend on its new S11 chip and Health Sensing System.