Should you buy an Ultra 2 or wait for the rumored Ultra 3?
The Apple Watch Ultra series has had a good share of the spotlight over recent years. When it arrived in 2022, it was a huge change from the standard Apple Watch and received acclaim from users who could a) afford it, and b) got on with its bigger screen and bulkier casing.
Two years later, is the Apple Watch Ultra 3 still going to feel as much a revelation as the original did? The short answer: probably not, judging by the Apple Watch Ultra 2’s iterative update.
The Apple Watch Ultra 3 is not expected to have many major design upgrades over the Ultra 2. And even that second-gen model’s biggest leap was in display brightness, while we were fairly happy with the searing intensity of the original Watch Ultra’s OLED. With the upcoming Apple event on September 9 rumored to contain an Ultra 3, the question everyone is asking is this: should I wait and buy the Ultra 3, or just buy the Ultra 2 now?Apple Watch Ultra 3 vs Ultra 2: Release date and price
The Apple Watch Ultra 2 was released in September 2023. In standard Apple fashion, we expect to see the Ultra 3 this year, during the Apple event on September 9 2024.
There have been no major news stories or predications on the Ultra 3 price, and that suggests pricing is likely to be the same as it is at present. The Watch Ultra 2 starts at $799/£799/$1399AU, and we expect to see the same or similar for the third version.
Unlike the standard Apple Watch family, pricing here is blissfully simple too. There are no sizes to worry about, no pricier or cheaper casing materials. It’s titanium all the way, and the price stays the same whether you pick an Ocean Band, Trail Loop or Alpine Loop as your starter strap.
Could that change with the Ultra 3? Perhaps, if we get new luxe bands. Apple Watch Ultra 3 vs Ultra 2: Design
Don’t expect the Apple Watch Ultra 3 to look obviously different to the Ultra 2. Those upset by the prospect should chart back into the history of the “normal” Apple Watch, which has looked extremely similar since the series began bar a shrinking screen bezel.
One change Apple could make, which we’d quite like to see, is a choice of casing color. But we can’t honestly say this would necessarily be a good idea.
The Apple Watch Ultra casing is a titanium alloy with a relatively raw finish, meaning there’s no color layer to scrape through and reveal the shiny metal underneath. If we were to get, say, a Space Grey Watch Ultra 3, damage would likely be much more visible, more evident. And you don’t want that in a watch made for rugged outdoors use (although yes, we know plenty of people buy a Watch Ultra simply because they want the priciest Apple gear.
