Irritated that Apple is dropping updates for my perfectly functioning four year old Ultra watch. I’m on the fence about whether to just go back to my trusty Casio when it starts to get wonky, though I will miss the fitness tracker, EKG, SpO2, and transit payment features.
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@mattblaze That is utterly absurd given the huge price premium the Ultra commands over the regular watches.
@rodgerd yes. And Apple wasn’t playing the planned obsolescence game with the watches nearly as aggressively as they do with the phones. Until now, I guess.
@mattblaze I’ve got the first Ultra as well and was a little annoyed it won’t get the next updates. But the software updates on the watch has never been as big a deal for me as the hardware updates. I’ll just stick with this until the battery doesn’t make it through the day, or a compelling new hardware feature comes out.
My daughter’s Series 3 finally died - the screen literally popped off because of a swollen battery. I think we got that used / refurb in 2019, so 7+ years isn’t unheard of.
@mattblaze I went from traditional casio analog watch to an early fitness watch to no watch and have never missed having drive strapped to wrist. I did try an #oura ring recently and that is a good tradeoff of fitness data and minimally physically intrusive. Now if they could just show the current time on the side … ;)
The transit payment stuff I can do with the phone, but the other features integrated well enough with the watch that I came to like it. But I don’t want to get locked in to something where I have to buy the latest new model every 3 or 4 years for no reason.
@mattblaze this is exactly what got me off of the smartwatch bandwagon.
@mattblaze FWIW, I’m still wearing my Series 3. It hasn’t gotten updates in ages and still does everything it ever did. No reason to stop using your current watch right away.
@mattblaze The features, convenience, and integration is just unmatched but I’m planning to part with my watch (and smartphone) later this year. In my opinion the good finally started to outweigh the bad with Apple Intelligence and then iOS 26 was just the nail in the coffin for me. I’m also on an iPhone 12 so I have low incentive to keep up.
I would be interested if anyone has any recommendations for a device with similar features though.
The EKG is why my wife insisted I get one, the blood oxygen feature isn't a thing anymore on newer models, but the link to CGM and ApplePay convenience are what make me put up with it. Totally with you on "why would I replace it if it does what I want?". Good luck!
@jalexlind.bsky.social you can get little portable 1 or 6 lead EKG devices, but you can easily lose or forget them, unlike the thing that’s already on your wrist.
@mattblaze I confess I didn't look into battery replacement when I replaced my watch last week. I take it, it makes monetary sense? Or can you get three or four years out of a watch battery, and in that case how??? I'll be replacing the battery in my iPhone 13 Mini soon, since nobody makes a phone smaller than a cybertruck these days.
@callisto I’m on 4 years with mine. Recharge every night and always have juice in reserve when I go to bed. This the big Ultra model.
@mattblaze Dang! Cellular? (I need to be able to go places without my phone) And I take it you turned off lift to wake, which basically disables the ability to do anything one-handed? I did that in the last few months of my old watch's life, but even though I do have full use of both hands, I don't like having to reach for my watch all the time.
