Since the launch of the Apple Watch Ultra, it has been seen more on social media as a larger and more tech-savvy version of the Apple Watch. People seem to prefer its more durable appearance over its professional features.
However, according to leaks from Mark Gurman, Apple plans to change this perception and make the Apple Watch Ultra more professional.
Health is at the core of the Apple Watch series, and high blood pressure is a silent killer threatening human health. It often develops without obvious symptoms but can lead to severe or even fatal health issues.
Many people do not feel noticeable discomfort when their blood pressure rises, and even at dangerous levels, symptoms may not appear. This characteristic makes high blood pressure easy to overlook in its early stages until long-term high blood pressure causes problems in the heart, brain, kidneys, and blood vessels.
To address this, Apple has been planning to add blood pressure monitoring to the Apple Watch. This feature will help people dynamically understand their blood pressure, allowing them to adjust their physical condition or seek medical attention promptly.
Here is the article translated into American English:
Gurman reports that Apple plans to introduce a new feature in the Apple Watch Ultra 3, which might also appear in the standard Apple Watch in 2025.
Based on current information, Apple does not intend for the Apple Watch Ultra to become overly complex. Therefore, this feature will not provide specific systolic and diastolic pressure measurements. Instead, it will track whether a user’s blood pressure is trending upwards and alert them if high blood pressure is detected.
Competitors like Samsung and Huawei have already equipped their smartwatches with similar features. The Samsung Galaxy Watch includes a photoplethysmography (PPG) sensor, while Huawei’s Watch D2, launched alongside the Mate 70 series, uses a method that closely simulates a blood pressure monitor. The watch has a 26.5mm ultra-narrow mechanical airbag and combines it with a blood pressure fusion algorithm to achieve medical-grade accurate blood pressure measurement. Although this sacrifices battery life, it allows for 24-hour dynamic blood pressure monitoring.
Currently, the Apple Watch series can detect atrial fibrillation or irregular heart rhythms and perform simple mobile ECG tests. It also has a blood oxygen monitoring feature, but due to patent and regulatory issues, these features may not be available in some regions.
In addition to monitoring health, the Apple Watch Ultra, as a smartwatch focused on outdoor adventures and extreme sports, cannot miss out on the popular satellite communication feature.
In 2024, Apple enabled non-emergency satellite messaging on the iPhone. It is revealed that, besides the aforementioned blood pressure monitoring, this feature will also appear on the Apple Watch Ultra.
Similar to the non-emergency satellite communication on the iPhone, the Apple Watch Ultra allows users to send text messages from the watch without a cellular or Wi-Fi connection.
To achieve this, Apple first adjusted the baseband of the Apple Watch Ultra.
According to the teardown of the Apple Watch Ultra, Apple uses the Intel XG742 baseband for it. As a subsequent product, the Apple Watch Ultra 2 only supports LTE and UMTS communication standards in the technical information on the official website, likely continuing the use of Intel baseband from the previous generation. However, since Intel exited the 5G baseband competition at the end of 2019, Apple might turn to MediaTek for the baseband in the Apple Watch Ultra 3, marking the first time Apple has chosen MediaTek as a major component supplier.
The modem produced by MediaTek supports the 5G RedCap standard. This technology, introduced in the 3GPP R17 standard, aims to provide a more cost-effective 5G connectivity solution for mid-to-low-speed and low-power devices. It reduces power consumption while maintaining speed, extending the device’s battery life, making it ideal for smart wearables and IoT devices.
With RedCap support, the Apple Watch Ultra can maintain a high level of battery performance even with prolonged network connectivity. This is mainly because Apple wants to enhance its competitive edge against Garmin watches, which still hold an advantage in the sports market with their hundreds of hours of battery life.
While the hardware has changed, the software is expected to remain stable. Barring any surprises, the satellite services on the Apple Watch Ultra 3 will continue to be provided by Globalstar.
Globalstar is a U.S.-based company specializing in satellite communication services, primarily offering voice and data communication services to individuals, businesses, and government agencies through its geosynchronous satellite network. Apple’s collaboration with Globalstar began with the satellite emergency SOS feature on the iPhone 14, and in 2024, Apple invested in acquiring a 20% stake in Globalstar, with the Apple Watch being a further result of their collaboration.
After Bloomberg announced that the Apple Watch Ultra 3 supports satellite communication, Globalstar’s stock price surged by about 15%.
With the leaks, the next-generation Apple Watch Ultra is gradually revealing a new image: more professional health monitoring, 5G cellular network support, more reliable satellite communication features, and stable battery performance, creating a more distinct positioning difference from the S series.
What are your thoughts on the Apple Watch Ultra? Feel free to leave a comment below.
Source from ifanr
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