Apple says Apple Watch Ultra 4 has the most accurate on-device GPS in a sports watch, and that satellite communications continue on the new model with two years of service included. Both claims come from Apple’s press release for the $799 watch, which is in stores on Friday, September 18.
Satellite arrived on Apple Watch with last year’s Ultra 3, so this is the second generation to carry it. Apple has also clarified that the two-year included window applies to Ultra 3 and later, not just the new watch.
What Apple says about Ultra 4 GPS accuracy
The release makes one GPS claim: the most accurate on-device GPS in a sports watch. Apple has not published the measurement behind that claim, the frequency bands the receiver uses or a comparison against named competitors.
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That is a contrast with the heart rate claim, where Apple cites a study of more than 1,000 participants run in July and August 2026. No equivalent study is cited for GPS.
Where the GPS detail does appear is in battery modes. The new Max Extended Workout mode holds GPS sampling at one-second intervals for up to 45 hours, and Apple says it is designed for 100-mile races. The standard Extended Workout mode runs up to 25 hours, 25 percent more than before.
Satellite on Ultra 4: two years included, and Ultra 3 counts
Apple’s wording is that satellite communications continue on Ultra 4, with two years included. The company says that two-year window applies to Ultra 3 and later, which means Ultra 3 buyers from September 2025 are on the same clock as new Ultra 4 buyers.
Apple has not published what happens when the two years end, whether there is a paid plan or what it would cost. The release also does not list which satellite features are included, so we would not assume anything beyond what Ultra 3 already offers until Apple’s specifications page is live.
Apple Watch Series 12, announced today at $399, is not described as having satellite communications in its release. Apple has not said whether that will change.
What Apple has not published about Ultra 4 GPS and satellite
- Any accuracy figure, in meters or otherwise, for the GPS claim
- Which GNSS bands or constellations Ultra 4 uses
- Battery life with satellite features in active use
- Pricing after the included two years of satellite service
- Whether satellite is available in every country where the watch ships September 18
Those gaps are typical of an Apple press release, and the technical specifications page usually fills some of them in. Until then, the practical takeaway is that Ultra 4 keeps everything Ultra 3 had for off-grid use and adds the 45-hour one-second GPS mode on top.
Pre-orders opened today, September 9, and Ultra 4 ships with watchOS 27, which arrives Monday, September 14 alongside iOS 27. Our event recap has everything else Apple announced.
