Apple Watch Ultra 1#
First-generation Apple Watch Ultra. Apple’s most capable and durable Watch — designed for extreme sports and expedition use. In the cycling setup, it receives live metrics from the Garmin Edge MTB via the Watchlink bridge, records an independent workout and GPS track, and stays connected to the iPhone 16 Pro Max for notifications and audio.
In the Network#
| Connection | Protocol | Role |
|---|
| Watchlink | Bluetooth LE | Receives Garmin Edge sensor data |
| iPhone 16 Pro Max | Bluetooth | Sync, notifications, audio handoff |
Key Specifications#
Physical#
| Attribute | Spec |
|---|
| Case size | 49 mm |
| Case material | Grade 5 titanium |
| Glass | Sapphire crystal (flat, recessed) |
| Weight | 61.3 g |
| Dimensions | 49 × 44 × 14.4 mm |
| Colours | Natural titanium |
Display#
| Attribute | Spec |
|---|
| Size | 1.92 inch |
| Resolution | 502 × 410 pixels |
| Pixel density | 338 ppi |
| Technology | Always-On Retina LTPO OLED |
| Peak brightness | 2,000 nits |
| Min brightness | 1 nit (always-on) |
Chip & Storage#
| Attribute | Spec |
|---|
| Chip | Apple S8 (dual-core) |
| Storage | 32 GB |
| RAM | Not disclosed |
Battery#
| Attribute | Spec |
|---|
| Rated life | 36 hours (standard) |
| Low Power Mode | 60 hours |
| Charging | Magnetic fast charging (USB-C cable) |
| Price (CAD) | C$1,149 (launch price; discontinued) |
Durability#
| Attribute | Spec |
|---|
| Water resistance | WR100 (100 m, ISO 22810) |
| Dive rating | EN13319 (40 m) |
| Dust resistance | IP6X |
| Drop/shock | MIL-STD-810H |
GPS & Location#
| System | Bands |
|---|
| GPS | L1 + L5 (dual-frequency) |
| [REDACTED] | L1 |
| Galileo | E1 + E5a |
| BeiDou | B1 |
| QZSS | L1 + L5 |
Dual-frequency L1/L5 GPS significantly improves accuracy in urban canyons, dense forest, and canyon terrain where multipath reflection causes errors in single-frequency receivers.
Sensors#
| Sensor | Function |
|---|
| Optical heart rate | Continuous HR during rides |
| Blood oxygen (SpO₂) | Periodic + on-demand |
| ECG | On-demand electrocardiogram |
| Wrist temperature | Background overnight |
| Barometric altimeter | Elevation, floor counting |
| Depth gauge | Water depth (up to 40 m) |
| Water temperature | During swim/dive |
| Compass | Magnetic heading |
| Accelerometer | Motion, fall detection, crash detection |
| Gyroscope | Orientation |
Connectivity#
| Protocol | Spec |
|---|
| Bluetooth | 5.3 |
| Wi-Fi | 802.11b/g/n/ac (2.4 GHz + 5 GHz) |
| Cellular | LTE + UMTS |
| Ultra Wideband | Yes (precision finding) |
| NFC | Apple Pay |
Cycling-Specific Use#
- Receives live power, cadence, speed from Garmin Edge MTB via Watchlink
- Records independent GPS workout via Workout app or third-party apps (e.g. Wahoo, Strava)
- Cellular radio provides standalone connectivity if iPhone 16 Pro Max is left behind
- Action Button can be mapped to start/stop workouts with one press
- Siren (86 dB) for emergency signalling in remote areas
The dedicated Action Button on the left side can be configured to:
- Start/stop a specific workout type
- Start a waypoint (backtrack)
- Toggle a compass bearing
- Activate the dive computer
- Custom shortcut