Gurman: Apple Watch Series 9 and Ultra 2 to Feature New Heart Rate Monitor, More Accurate Sensors, U2 Chip, and More
The Apple Watch Series 9 and second-generation Apple Watch Ultra will offer several previously undisclosed features, Bloomberg's Mark Gurman claims.
In a detailed report outlining his full expectations for Apple's "Wonderlust" event, Gurman said that the Apple Watch Series 9 and second-generation Apple Watch Ultra will offer various sensor and component upgrades, with a general "focus on speed, efficiency, and accuracy." These changes will include a new version of Apple's optical heart rate sensor. The Apple Watch Series 7 and Series 8 feature Apple's third-generation optical heart rate sensor.
The new Apple Watches will also feature an all-new "U2" ultra wideband chip, the first generational iteration of the component since the U1 chip's 2019 introduction in the iPhone 11 Pro. The new chip will improve the Apple Watch's location capabilities, allowing people and devices to be tracked more precisely in the Find My App. It is apparently set to come to all of the next versions of Apple's major products, including the iPhone 15 and iPhone 15 Pro.
The second-generation Apple Watch Ultra will be manufactured with more recycled materials, as well as come in a black color option for the first time. As previously reported, the stainless steel Apple Watch Series 9 will feature a 3D-printed casing. Apple plans to start manufacturing the Apple Watch Ultra with the technology starting next year.
This year's main Apple Watch upgrade will be a new processor, which has to date effectively not been changed throughout three successive generations of the device. Apple apparently plans to "heavily tout major gains in processing speed" during its "Wonderlust" event.
The new Apple Watch models will otherwise be largely unchanged compared to their predecessors. The company also plans to shift away from some of its leather watch bands, and there are signs that Apple may finally update or discontinue the Link Bracelet introduced alongside the original Apple Watch.
Popular Stories
Apple today released iOS 18.4 and iPadOS 18.4, the fourth major updates to the iOS 18 and iPadOS 18 operating system updates that came out last year. iOS 18.4 and iPadOS 18.4 come two months after Apple released iOS 18.3 and iPadOS 18.3.
Subscribe to the MacRumors YouTube channel for more videos.
The new software can be downloaded on eligible iPhones and iPads over-the-air by going to...
iOS 19 will not be available on the iPhone XR, iPhone XS, or the iPhone XS Max, according a private account on social media site X that has accurately provided information on device compatibility in the past.
The iPhone XR, iPhone XS, and iPhone XS Max all have an A12 Bionic chip, so it looks like iOS 19 will discontinue support for that chip. All other iPhones that run iOS 18 are expected...
While the iPhone 17 Pro and iPhone 17 Pro Max are not expected to launch until September, there are already plenty of rumors about the devices.
Below, we recap key changes rumored for the iPhone 17 Pro models as of March 2025:
Aluminum frame: iPhone 17 Pro models are rumored to have an aluminum frame, whereas the iPhone 15 Pro and iPhone 16 Pro models have a titanium frame, and the iPhone ...
Apple today released new firmware updates for all AirPods 4 and AirPods Pro 2 models. The new firmware is version 7E93, up from the 7B21 firmware that was installed on the AirPods Pro 2 and the 7B20 firmware available on the AirPods 4 and AirPods 4 with ANC.
It is not immediately clear what new features or changes are included in the new firmware, but we'll update this article should we find ...
Apple's big developer event is a little over two months away, and rumors about what we can expect to see in Apple's next major operating system updates are becoming increasingly frequent.
A public release of iOS 18.4 is also imminent with a number of updates and improvements, although we won't be getting the major Apple Intelligence Siri upgrades that had reportedly been planned for this...
Apple today released macOS Sequoia 15.4, the fourth major update to the macOS Sequoia operating system that launched in September. macOS Sequoia 15.4 comes two months after the launch of macOS Sequoia 15.3.
Mac users can download the macOS Sequoia update through the Software Update section of System Settings. It is available for free on all Macs able to run macOS 15.
With...
Multiple sources have claimed that iOS 19 will introduce a new design with more translucent buttons, menus, notification banners, and more, and there is now another clue that points towards this glass-like appearance.
Bloomberg's Mark Gurman today said the new design project is codenamed "Solarium" internally. A solarium is a room with glass walls that allow in plenty of sunlight, so this...
Apple today released watchOS 11.4, the fourth major update to the operating system that runs on the Apple Watch. watchOS 11.4 is compatible with the Apple Watch Series 6 and later, all Apple Watch Ultra models, and the Apple Watch SE 2.
watchOS 11.4 can be downloaded on a connected iPhone by opening up the Apple Watch app and going to General > Software Update. To install the new software,...
