Apple Watch Ultra 4 review: The health upgrade that finally eases battery anxiety

At every Apple event I attend, the Apple Watch is the product I am most excited about. As a diabetic, I have come to rely on this gadget over the past decade; it has become an inseparable part of how I manage my chronic condition.

So I always look for features that help me stay on top of my vitals better than the previous version did. With the new Apple Watch Ultra 4 and Series 12, what excited me most were the redesigned ECG electrodes and optical sensors, which should deliver much more actionable data.

The Ultra 4 has no new design elements this time and looks exactly like its predecessor. That is, until you flip it over. On the back, there are now more electrodes and sensors than on earlier models. The redesigned ECG electrodes and optical sensors improve measurement accuracy and enable new features, such as heart-rate updates every five seconds with a two-minute heart-rate history.

The new sensors also unlock new data points that offer deeper insight into your health. (Image: Nandagopal Rajan/The Indian Express)

My first worry was that this would drain the battery faster. That fear was soon put to rest. The Ultra 4 doesn’t have a much larger battery on paper, yet it lasts two full days with regular use and a cellular connection. In low power mode, you can stretch that to almost four days.

For users like me, this matters: I no longer need to pack a charger for a two-day trip, as I did for Mumbai earlier this month. The battery anxiety that has long come with Apple Watches is beginning to fade.

Now to what is new in everyday use. The first thing you will notice is that watchOS 27 makes finding apps much easier. Press the crown and it suggests your most-used apps, while always keeping Siri at the centre. In the morning, when I usually walk without my phone, it surfaces the Workout app and podcasts prominently. During the walk, I don’t need to check the screen; I can simply ask Siri whether it might rain.

Siri is now more contextual and knows more than it used to. When I came across the concept of biohacking, I could ask Siri for a quick explainer without reaching for my phone. Siri reads out the answer, and these days it is mostly accurate.

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Pro tip: To get more out of Siri, pause briefly after saying “Hey Siri.” This ensures the generative AI assistant is listening for what comes next, especially when the network is weak. Otherwise, it tends to get stuck, and you may have to repeat yourself once Siri is fully active. It helps that the Watch now has an always-listening mode, though the related Audio Intelligence features have not yet rolled out to all users.

The new sensors also unlock new data points that offer deeper insight into your health. Heart rate is now recorded every five seconds, and the watch shows a trend line for the last two minutes. This is especially useful during workouts aimed at a specific goal. Also, when you feel a bit off at work, you can check whether you were stressed out. Recovery HRV is also calculated better, offering separate data points for sleep and daytime measurements.

Siri is now more contextual and knows more than it used to. (Image: Nandagopal Rajan/The Indian Express)

For some reason, my readiness score did not appear even after I had worn the Watch to sleep on seven nights. This delayed the review, as I am not used to sleeping with gadgets and kept forgetting to put the Ultra on. I suspect the score appears only after seven consecutive nights of wear. I will update this review once it shows up.

I have, meanwhile, been wearing an Oura Ring 4 to sleep for a few months, because you barely feel it on your body. Comparing the two, the average sleeping heart rate and recovery HRV were almost identical, with the Watch reading a couple of points lower on both. I attribute this to the difference in where each device collects its data. I am so looking forward to the AI insights Apple showcased as coming to the Health App soon.

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So, who should buy the Apple Watch Ultra 4?

This time, I would recommend it as an upgrade for those on a regular Apple Watch, or for first-time buyers willing to spend more. For owners of earlier Ultra models, the upgrades are not that compelling. Speaking as an Ultra user myself, this is a watch that can last many years; it does not need to be replaced annually.

At a starting price of Rs 1,09,900, the ideal Ultra buyer, to my mind, is the on-the-move professional, perhaps middle-aged, who wants to stay on top of their health. There is the athlete too, of course, but that remains a very niche segment in our market.