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Apple Introduces Apple Watch Ultra

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Re: Apple Introduces Apple Watch Ultra

#131

Post by mackmgg »

zimpenfish wrote: post #120
alphakilo wrote: post #69

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I definitely agree with you. Even my Garmin Phoenix 5x plus will last multiple days with GPS usage for Backcountry camping. Another factor I worry about is the durability of the screen. Although you should always travel with backup Maps nobody wants to lose their primary navigation tool because a touch screen is nicer than Sapphire glass displays. That said the Apple watch is a nicer experience than the Phoenix which…

> Even my Garmin Phoenix 5x plus will last multiple days with GPS usage for Backcountry camping. Sporadic GPS usage, I'm guessing, since Garmin themselves only claim 13 hours of GPU usage (can't tell if it has UltraTrac though - the 5x non-plus can do 50 hours in UltraTrac mode.)

UltraTrac on my Fenix 5 is pretty useless though, you may as well not be recording at all at that point. I'm not sure if it's gotten better on the more recent watches, but the reported mileage would be off by 30%+ and the resulting map wouldn't even come close to resembling my actual path.

That said, even in normal GPS only mode (no Gallileo/GLONASS), the 5 when it was new would get 30 hours of recording. Enough for most ultras, 3 days of backpacking if you record 8 hours/day, and also enough for a week trip with an hour of running every day.

Re: Apple Introduces Apple Watch Ultra

#132

Post by maratc »

liminalsunset wrote: post #57
sylvainkalache wrote: post #12

What I am the most excited about is the dive computer feature! "along with recreational scuba diving to 40 meters with the new Oceanic+ app." I was looking at $1,000 Garmin watches and was really not excited at buying one.

I'm more concerned about the safety aspects of using an app running on a consumer watch for this kind of purpose. We've all seen the "water resistance is not a permanent condition...limited warranty does not cover water damage" warning before. Can a user of this app easily determine whether the waterproofing of the watch has been compromised, perhaps invisibly? After all, most Apple products rely on double sided adhe…

I have a Suunto Spyder which I bought around 2003. It was the first dive computer that was small enough to be worn as a daily driver.

The thing about Spyder is that I need to replace its battery every two-three years, but otherwise it still does exactly what it did in 2003.

The thing about AWU is that it will long be a deadweight brick, while my Spyder will just keep on going. That's what bothers me about Apple-made dive computers.

Re: Apple Introduces Apple Watch Ultra

#133

Post by ghaff »

drewg123 wrote: post #16

How can they call 36 hours of battery life "long"? The $799 version Garmin Fenix 7 solar (which they seem to be targeting) has an 18-22 days of battery life.

Battery is a big reason why I mostly don’t use my fairly old Apple Watch. Daily charging is mostly more trouble than it’s worth. As some point I may just get a new Fenix. I also don’t find any of the available Apple Watch outdoor apps all that great.

Re: Apple Introduces Apple Watch Ultra

#134

Post by ghaff »

mackmgg wrote: post #131
zimpenfish wrote: post #120

Earlier quoted context omitted.

> Even my Garmin Phoenix 5x plus will last multiple days with GPS usage for Backcountry camping. Sporadic GPS usage, I'm guessing, since Garmin themselves only claim 13 hours of GPU usage (can't tell if it has UltraTrac though - the 5x non-plus can do 50 hours in UltraTrac mode.)

UltraTrac on my Fenix 5 is pretty useless though, you may as well not be recording at all at that point. I'm not sure if it's gotten better on the more recent watches, but the reported mileage would be off by 30%+ and the resulting map wouldn't even come close to resembling my actual path. That said, even in normal GPS only mode (no Gallileo/GLONASS), the 5 when it was new would get 30 hours of recording. Enough for…

I had an older Fenix and the distance accuracy was pretty bad. But no one seems to have an issue with the current ones.

Re: Apple Introduces Apple Watch Ultra

#135

Post by ghaff »

mikestew wrote: post #111
nhance wrote: post #109

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Correct. Apple products work well together, but also make it a huge pain in the ass if you don't buy everything from them. The kids have apple products and we can't manage them effectively because we don't have apple devices. This provides a strong disincentive to want to give them any more money. Samsung was only mentioned because are there any other real competitors to a full smart watch? Garmin will likely keep me…

Garmin will likely keep me because running gps for 10+ hours at a shot is important. A full smart watch is far less of a priority. If you don't want to dive headlong into Apple's stuff, then a Garmin might very well be all the smart watch you need. It's been quite a few years since I used a Garmin as a full-time smart watch, but you can have notifications and messages (read-only if using an Apple phone) and even cont…

For me, the Apple Watch is an Apple product that doesn’t unduly benefit from being all in on the Apple ecosystem but that may be just how I use it (or don’t).

Re: Apple Introduces Apple Watch Ultra

#136

Post by rewtraw »

tenacious_tuna wrote: post #75
chrisseaton wrote: post #61

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Carry a small battery pack.

that's a lot of weight to add for backpacking. every bit counts when you're going 20 miles up and down hills.

Garmin Fenix cannot replace a phone, but has better battery life. The Apple Watch Ultra can do most of the things you'd need your iPhone for out on a trip.

If you are really UL, you can ditch the phone and just use the Ultra. Apple Watch + small battery is lighter than a Fenix + iPhone + battery.

Re: Apple Introduces Apple Watch Ultra

#137

Post by rewtraw »

alberth wrote: post #114

People are getting hung up on battery life. You have to realize Apple is creating the equivalent of the luxury Mercedes G-Wagon for off-roading, when in reality a Jeep Rubicon (Garmin) addresses all of your real needs at 1/3 the price.

a Garmin Fenix is $700, the Ultra is $800

Re: Apple Introduces Apple Watch Ultra

#138

Post by SV_BubbleTime »

oezi wrote: post #95
o_____________o wrote: post #33

Really hoping they solve the rumored glucose monitoring at some point. I've never owned an apple watch, but I would dump all my traditional watches, oura ring and CGM.

And blood pressure monitoring would be a a huge feature.

Glucose and blood pressure would get me to buy. And I don't have issues with either.

Re: Apple Introduces Apple Watch Ultra

#139

Post by deegles »

rewtraw wrote: post #136
tenacious_tuna wrote: post #75

Earlier quoted context omitted.

that's a lot of weight to add for backpacking. every bit counts when you're going 20 miles up and down hills.

Garmin Fenix cannot replace a phone, but has better battery life. The Apple Watch Ultra can do most of the things you'd need your iPhone for out on a trip. If you are really UL, you can ditch the phone and just use the Ultra. Apple Watch + small battery is lighter than a Fenix + iPhone + battery.

Are the battery packs with a solar panel on them worth it?

Re: Apple Introduces Apple Watch Ultra

#140

Post by nradov »

underbluewaters wrote: post #125
sylvainkalache wrote: post #12

What I am the most excited about is the dive computer feature! "along with recreational scuba diving to 40 meters with the new Oceanic+ app." I was looking at $1,000 Garmin watches and was really not excited at buying one.

Already preordered and am looking forward to using it for freediving. The UX on dive watches has long been a nightmare, they are expensive, and the replaceable batteries open them up to waterproofing issues. Most computers also treat freediving/spearfishing as an afterthought so I'll probably create my own software for it. Maybe a business opportunity here...

The freediving UX on the Garmin Descent Mk2 series seems fine to me. Have you tried it? The battery is rechargable and lasts a long time so there's no need to replace it.
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