Apple Unveils Watch Ultra + Series 8

Yalla Deals Tech: Apple recently unveiled its brand new Apple Watch Ultra along with the Apple Watch Series 8 and Apple Watch SE. The "Ultra" moniker targets the "ironman" and elite fitness target market. You know, those guys who engage in triathlons, dives, or hikes. 

What do I think? 

Well, it seems Garmin is in trouble. Ask any elite athlete about their watch; chances are they own a Garmin or Suunto sports watch. The Apple Watch Ultra may be turning athletes' heads with these new features. In fact, a friend of mine is into spearfishing, and as soon as I told him about the Ultra, he was impressed with its "diving" capabilities. Apple partnered with Huish Outdoors to introduce the "Oceanic+" app for the Apple Watch Ultra, which puts a working dive computer on your wrist. The Apple Watch Ultra also features a new depth meter that delivers the data and functionality required by scuba and free divers for descents down to 40 meters. Apple claims that the watch is EN13319 certified, which is an internationally recognized standard for diving accessories.  

What about the Apple Watch Series 8? 

The Apple Watch Series 8 now has a new temperature sensor to help ladies monitor their health. New features include 36 hours of battery life, crash detection, and a more accurate GPS. 

I think the crash detection and Emergency SOS features (found in the Ultra and Series 8) can come in handy, especially if you're the kind of person who enjoys the outdoors. All you need to do if you have an emergency, for example, is to press and hold the side button to contact emergency services so you can instantly send them your location. 

However, I still think Apple is late in the health innovations department. Last year, Samsung introduced Body Composition Analysis on the Galaxy Watch 4 and blood pressure monitoring a year earlier on Galaxy Watch 3. These health features are far more critical, in my opinion than crash detection and emergency SOS in that they can be used every single day to effectively monitor your health. 

Would I switch to the Apple Watch?  

For me, the answer is a resounding no. Not because I don't like the Apple Watch, but because I still feel that Apple is not on par with the health features other competitors offer- such as Samsung. 

Image Source: Apple