TL;DR: Apple announced the Apple Watch Ultra 2 at the Wonderlust Apple Event on Bedside Sailors movie (1976)Sept. 12. Pre-order it now for $799.

Apple Watch Ultra 2 from two different anglesOpens in a new window Credit: Apple Apple Watch Ultra 2

The second generation Apple Watch for outdoorsy people was officially unveiled at the September 12 Apple Event. Preorder the Apple Watch Ultra 2 for $799 now, or buy it on Sept. 22 when delivery starts.

What's special about the Apple Watch Ultra?

The difference between the Apple Watch Ultra 2 and a regular Apple Watch stems from, well, ruggedness. It's the smartwatch to trust at altitudes as low as -500 meters or as high as 9,000 meters, or underwater up to 100 meters (including recreational diving up to 40 meters). In severe sunlight, the Ultra 2 display can reach 3,000 nits of brightness. In the dark, the new Modular Ultra display automatically adjusts your screen to night mode. The 49 mm case around that screen is now made from 95% recycled material, and the whole wearable is carbon neutral when paired with the Alpine Loop or Trail Loop band.

SEE ALSO: Apple’s iPhone 15 has the Dynamic Island and 48-megapixel camera

The Ultra 2 is powered by the new juicy S9 chip first mentioned during the Apple Event's debut of the Apple Watch Series 9. It also has a new U2 chip for better built-in GPS tracking as well as Precision Finding for iPhone, which can track your misplaced phone down to a few feet. Even with these improvements, the Ultra 2 manages to preserve battery life for between 36 and 72 hours, depending on the power mode.

Related Stories
  • Find out your iPhone's trade-in value after the big Apple event
  • Some iOS 17 features won't be ready on launch day
Mashable Deals Want more hand-picked deals from our shopping experts? Sign up for the Mashable Deals newsletter. By clicking Sign Me Up, you confirm you are 16+ and agree to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy. Thanks for signing up!

But everyone's favorite new feature is probably double tap. The accessibility-focused gesture, which just requires the double tap of your thumb and index finger like the pinching emoji, can complete actions like stopping a timer or answering a call. This could majorly come in handy for Ultra 2 wearers who often find themselves in situations without two free hands, like riding a bike. Speaking of which, there are several new cycling features on the Ultra 2.

Topics Apple Apple Watch