depth – mattjfuller.com

Among the 12 press releases of the “base” Apple Watch models (original Apple Watch through the Series 11), 7 of the 12 have mentioned health and/or fitness features in the headline (or subhead). The Apple Watch Series 11 press release leads with “groundbreaking health insights” and specified hypertension notifications and sleep score as its primary new features along with battery improvements and a more scratch-resistant display.

Stan Ng, Apple’s vice president of Apple Watch and Health Product Marketing, said in the press release that “Apple Watch is the world’s most popular watch, using advanced sensing capabilities to empower millions of people around the world to better understand their health simply by wearing it, while also serving as a fitness coach, message center, mobile wallet, and beautiful timepiece.” He added that the “Apple Watch Series 11 is an indispensable companion that supports users’ health, fitness, safety, and connectivity throughout the day and night.”

The durability of the screen is described in more detail, noting that it is “Made from a unique Ion-X (ion-exchanged strengthened) glass…treated with a breakthrough Apple-designed ceramic coating that bonds to the glass at an atomic level through a physical vapor deposition process, significantly hardening the surface.”

The Apple Watch Series 11 was released with watchOS 26, using the Liquid Glass design also available on all Apple devices as of late 2025. Some of the new features added:

2 new watch faces (Flow and Exactograph)
A new one-handed wrist flick gesture to easily dismiss notifications
Live Translation in Messages with Apple Intelligence
A Watch version of the Notes app (finally!!)

The Aluminum case options for Apple Watch Series 11 were available in Rose Gold, Silver, Jet Black, and a new Space Gray option. Titanium case options included Gold, Natural, and Slate.

The 46 mm model measured 46mm x 39 mm and was 9.7 mm thick. The aluminum/GPS model weighed 37.8 grams.

The screen was 416 x 496 pixels at 326 pixels per inch with an always‑On Retina display with wide‑angle OLEDs. It could display up to 2000 nits peak brightness down to 1 nit minimum brightness.

The Series 11 had an impressive list of sensors:

Electrical heart sensor
Third‑generation optical heart sensor
Blood oxygen sensor
Temperature sensor
Compass
Always‑on altimeter
High‑g accelerometer
High dynamic range gyroscope
Ambient light sensor
Depth gauge to 6 meters
Water temperature sensor

Connectivity options included support for 2.4GHz and 5GHz Wi-Fi networks with Wi-Fi 4 (802.11n); Bluetooth 5.3; GPS systems including L1, GLONASS, Galileo, QZSS, and BeiDou. It used a second-generation Ultra Wideband chip.

This example is in the Aluminum Space Gray option in the 46 mm size. It shipped with a black M/L Sport Band.

Sources: Apple (newsroom, specs)

On September 12, 2023, Apple released an updated Apple Watch Ultra model, the Apple Watch Ultra 2. Apple described the upgrade:

“Apple’s most rugged and capable watch is now even better with performance updates, a new double tap gesture, and carbon neutral options.”

The Apple Watch Ultra 2 was similar to the original Apple Watch Ultra, but added a “powerful new S9 SiP” processor (64 GB capacity), a brighter display (3000 nits), and other enhancements including “expanded altitude range, on-device Siri, Precision Finding for iPhone, and advanced capabilities for water adventures.” It also included a 4-core Neural Engine that could “process machine learning tasks up to twice as fast as the original Apple Watch Ultra.”

One year after the release of the Apple Watch Ultra 2, Apple introduced a black titanium option. The new color was released along with watchOS 11 on September 9, 2024:

“Apple today introduced Apple Watch Ultra 2 in a striking new black titanium finish, enhanced with features in watchOS 11 that make the most rugged and capable Apple Watch even better.”

Apple described the color and manufacturing process:

“The new black titanium finish for Apple Watch Ultra 2 is achieved with a custom blasting process, and the diamond-like carbon physical vapor deposition coating over the grade 5 titanium makes it scratch-resistant and durable. The back crystal is made from a matching, dark zirconia.”

The new black color was also made available on the titanium hardware and other band materials:

“To complement the new black finish, the popular Trail Loop, Alpine Loop, and Ocean Band have all been updated to offer a black hardware option in addition to natural titanium. Both black and natural finishes of Apple Watch Ultra 2 are made from 95 percent recycled titanium, and are carbon neutral with any Titanium Milanese Loop, Trail Loop, or Alpine Loop.”

This Apple Watch Ultra 2 shipped with the new Black Trail Loop with black titanium hardware that matched the black titanium case of the watch.

The Apple Watch Ultra 2 was 49 mm high, 44 mm wide, and 14.4 mm deep. The display was 410 x 502 pixels (326 pixels per inch) with an always-on Retina LTPO2 OLED display in a flat sapphire crystal. The natural titanium version weighed 61.4 grams, and the black titanium version weighed 61.8 grams. The Apple Watch Ultra 2 contained 10 sensors, including an electrical heart sensor, optical heart sensor, temperature sensor, depth gauge (±1m accuracy), water temperature sensor, compass, always-on altimeter, high-G accelerometer, high dynamic range gyroscope, and an ambient light sensor.

The Apple Watch Ultra 2 also advanced Apple’s carbon neutral initiative “to be carbon neutral across its entire business, manufacturing supply chain, and product life cycle by 2030.”

Sources: Apple Newsroom (2023, 2024), Specs