Apple Watch Ultra 4 adds sound recognition and workout readiness scoring

Apple unveiled the Watch Ultra 4, featuring a new S11 chip, extended battery life, sound recognition, and a readiness score for workouts. The device launches September 18, starting at $799. The watch runs up to two days on a charge, tracks GPS and heart rate for 18 hours during workouts, or up to 45 hours in power-saving mode. New sensors improve pulse and ECG readings, while a Readiness feature analyzes activity, sleep, and vitals each morning to suggest training intensity. Sound Recognition detects alarms, doorbells, or a baby crying, and Live Rewind provides text transcripts of recent speech. The Health app will add a Health Age feature comparing biological markers to actual age, plus a Longevity tab for sleep, activity, and heart data, with manual or synced lab results. A VO2 max test uses iPhone cameras and the watch. Siri Recap, offering conversation summaries, enters beta later in 2026, initially in English.