The Apple Watch Ultra 4 is ready for the new Siri

Apple announced the next version of the rugged and durable Apple Watch Ultra at today’s “Surprise and shine” event.

The Apple Watch Ultra 4 features a design that’s nearly identical to last year’s Apple Watch Ultra 3 but is powered by Apple’s new S11 processor, which replaces the aging S10 chip first introduced with the Apple Watch Series 10 in 2024. The S11 will bring some much-needed performance improvements to the Ultra 4 ahead of Apple’s upcoming watchOS 27 release that will include the smarter and more capable Siri AI assistant announced at Apple’s annual WWDC conference earlier this year.

The Apple Watch Ultra 4 features an improved sensor with upgraded electrodes for better ECG measurements alongside more power-efficient green LEDs allowing for more accurate heart rate measurements all day long and during physical activities. The improved energy efficiency allows the Ultra 4 to take heart rate readings up to 60 times more frequently than previous models at 5-second intervals. Heart rate variability measurements, a metric that provides insights about how your body responds to stress and recovery, can now be taken every five minutes.

Taking advantage of the Ultra 4’s additional processing power for AI tasks, the Siri Apple Watch app is getting a new feature called Recaps that uses the wearable’s microphone to monitor your activities and generate a summary of your day. The feature can run all day long or you can schedule it to only monitor during work hours while restricting its use at night. The feature will be available in beta later this year with support for english, while support for additional languages will follow.

Battery life has been improved to more than two days of use, or up to 50 hours, which is a significant improvement over the Ultra 3. In Low Power Mode, the Ultra 4 can go for up to 84 hours before needing a charge. A new Extended Workout mode provides up to 25 hours of battery life with GPS tracking and continuous heart rate readings, while an Max Extended Workout mode allows the Ultra 4 to track outdoor activities like runs, walks, and hikes for up to 45 hours.

The Apple Watch Ultra 4 is available for preorder starting today in the US, Canada, the UK, and more than 50 additional countries with in-store availability starting on September 18th. Pricing starts at $799 for the entry-level model, but this year Apple is introducing a new premium model called the Apple Watch Hermès Ultra 4 featuring a natural titanium finish. The Hermès option also features a Grand H titanium band with a built-in extension for wearing the watch over wet suits, plus two new exclusive watch faces.

The new model follows the Apple Watch Ultra 3, which launched last year. That watch debuted with upgrades including improved battery life, support for 5G networks on the cellular model, satellite-based messaging and emergency calling, and a slightly larger display thanks to a slimmed bezel.

At Apple’s annual WWDC conference earlier this year, the company introduced its smarter and more capable Siri AI assistant that will be coming to the newest Ultra models as part of its upcoming watchOS 27 release. The update will also include a redesigned app grid, improvements to health and fitness tracking, and battery life optimizations.