The Apple Watch Ultra is larger and more rugged than any Apple Watch ever, but will you have to buy new watch bands to fit its larger 49mm bulk?
Apple now has an entirely new category of Apple Watch designed for outdoor adventurers and extreme sports enthusiasts: the Apple Watch Ultra. The new wearable is larger, more durable, and more rugged than any model Apple has released in the past. It even comes with some rugged new Apple Watch bands to match the more adventurous design.
However, its 49mm size likely has you asking at least one obvious question: Will my existing Apple Watch bands work with the Apple Watch Ultra?
Thankfully, the short answer to that question is “yes.” All bands made for the prior 42mm, 44mm, and 45mm Apple Watch models will fit the 49mm Apple Watch Ultra. However, if you’re picking up an Apple Watch Ultra for the purpose for which it was designed, the answer is a bit more nuanced.
While older Apple Watch bands will properly mount onto the larger Apple Watch, they may not look quite right. The Apple Watch Ultra is the most significant jump in size to ever come to Apple’s wearable. Many older watch bands will likely appear undersized and out of place against its considerable bulk.
Apple has done a commendable job of maintaining band compatibility across its entire lineup of Apple Watch models. A watch band purchased for the original 2014 Apple Watch can still be used with this year’s Apple Watch Series 8 and even the Apple Watch Ultra.
