This year’s new Apple Watch models come with a variety of upgrades, including battery improvements on the Ultra 3 and Series 11. But looking into the fine print reveals that Apple’s battery estimates come with an important asterisk.
Apple’s battery estimates now include sleep tracking, but didn’t before
Battery life is one of the most important features of any mobile device. Any battery gains tend to be a big deal for users.
But historically, the Apple Watch has offered more or less the same battery life over time. The Ultra’s debut offered the first big upgrade in that department, but it was an entirely new model with a much higher cost.
That consistency over time is why this year’s battery gains seemed like such a big deal.
Apple Watch Ultra 3 gets up to 42 hours in normal use, increased from 36 hours on Ultra 2
gets up to 42 hours in normal use, increased from 36 hours on Ultra 2 Apple Watch Series 11 gets up to 24 hours in normal use, increased from 18 on Series 10
In both cases, the new models offer six hours of extra use.
But as pointed out on the MacRumors forums, there’s an important catch.
Apple’s website reveals that the battery tests for Ultra 3 and Series 11 include six hours of sleep tracking in their estimate.
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