Apple’s latest releases, the iPhone 15, Apple Watch Ultra 2, and Apple Watch Series 9, have generated a buzz in the tech world. However, the spotlight has shifted to the Apple Watch Ultra 2 as a recent disassembly by iFixit reveals a curious detail about its battery capacity.
At the recent product unveiling event, some critics noted that the new Apple Watch models seemed to follow the same design mold as their predecessors. Despite this, the newly designed S9 SiP chip in the Series 9 was praised for its notable performance improvements.
iFixit, a renowned technical repair website, recently shared a disassembly video of both the Apple Watch Ultra 2 and Apple Watch Series 9. The teardown of the Apple Watch Ultra 2 uncovered a battery with a capacity of 564 mAh. This represents a modest 4% increase compared to the original Apple Watch Ultra, which had a 542 mAh battery. Interestingly, Apple claims that both models offer the same 36-hour battery life.
This revelation has raised questions about the battery performance of the Ultra 2. Typically, an increase in battery capacity is expected to lead to longer battery life. However, in this case, it seems that the extra capacity may not translate into extended usage.
For a clearer picture of the battery capacities of the new Apple Watch models, here’s a breakdown:
- Apple Watch Series 9 (41mm): 282 mAh
- Apple Watch Series 8 (41mm): 282 mAh
- Apple Watch Series 9 (45mm): 308 mAh
- Apple Watch Series 8 (45mm): 308 mAh
- Apple Watch Ultra 2: 564 mAh
iFixit’s teardown also confirmed that the 41mm Series 9 model shares the exact same 282mAh battery capacity as its Series 8 counterpart. Additionally, no hardware changes related to the new double-tap gesture in watchOS 10.1 were found during the disassembly.
It appears that the “two-finger double-tap gesture” expected to debut in the watchOS 10.1 update may be a software-level feature. However, it remains uncertain whether Apple plans to extend this feature to older Apple Watch models. Those looking to experience similar functions on their current devices can explore custom gesture operations in the Apple Watch Settings under Assistive Usage and Assistive Touch.
In summary, while the new Apple Watch Ultra 2 and Series 9 models have generated excitement, their internal designs seem to closely mirror their predecessors. The peculiar battery capacity increase in the Ultra 2 raises intriguing questions about its actual performance and longevity in everyday use.
