Hey, it is I – eventually. I thought I would be excited to get back to this topic so quickly as possible, but the past few weeks have been really busy when it comes to the work and the personal life. In any case the time seems right now, so let’s get started.
My impressions of the watch are naturally connected to the current version of the Watch OS (at the time of writing the version is 9.1) that and the related apps have received many improvements. My previous main workout app was iSmoothRun because it enabled workouts with different kinds of structures, like warmup, specifying time/distance based intervals etc. Thanks to Watch OS 9 and the improvements of the built-in workout app by Apple, I have been mostly using it lately.
The overall impression of the watch is mostly the same as at the first glance – the watch is large and the display is gorgeous. I am finally able to type messages with the small keyboard without any big issues. The size of the watch does not, however, feel too overwhelming, and it is a comfortable object to attach to the wrist. I have on the other hand had some issues with my wrist skin lately, but it is not directly related to Apple Watch Ultra, but to my sensitive skin.
My training is generally concentrated to a few workout types, i.e. long distance running, cycling and indoor rowing. I have tried all of them with the new watch and it works just beautifully. As recreational sportsman it is great that the watch reminds you, if it thinks you are working out and haven’t started a workout. This happens to me randomly, when I grab my bicycle and want to do a short round.
I didn’t think I would really need the new action button, but even it has been a real nice addition. The physical buttons still are nice to use at some occasions, like in the middle of a workout, when you have your fingers hidden in a pair of gloves or they are so sweaty that the display does not work properly.
During the past 6 weeks I have been using the watch, I haven’t had any considerable issues – everything works nicely – the apps open up and function smoothly, and as Apple promised, the battery life of Apple Watch Ultra is considerably better than with the conventional Apple Watch models. I can normally get through two working days without an extra recharge, but my habit due to the previous Apple Watch variants is to recharge almost daily to feel confident enough.
It is really hard to say a single area, where the watch really shines, as there are incremental improvements everywhere. I had the LTE variant of Apple Watch 7, but I rarely used the phone features. Now I feel the tone quality is so superb that it is really hard to tell a difference whether you are making a phone call on your iPhone or on Apple Watch Ultra. As the time goes by, I think I will use my Apple Watch more and more for my phone calls.
All in all, I really like the gadget and simply cannot imagine the everyday life without it any longer. It provides so much support and joy for small chores and the also entertainment even though some areas still are pretty limited, like the web browsing capabilities or video playback. I’m certain we will see a steady improvement of these areas as well.
It is possible that I write a further post about the watch where I concentrate on the actual workout functionalities, when I’m training for the next marathons or the Run 2 of Transalpine Run. Until the next time, Cheers!