The original vision of the smartwatch — as a tiny standalone communicator and Dick Tracy accessory — is finally rearing its head again with the new Apple Watch Ultra.
Apple’s new $799 premium smartwatch is directly targeted at athletes and “adventurers.” The kind of people who might feel more comfortable spending extra on a chunky Garmin that will track their hikes, trail runs, and cycling trips. But in the process of being that rugged all-day and all-terrain device, it’s also the Apple Watch that gets the closest to the company’s original vision for its smartwatch — something that’s a bit more standalone, and a bit more useful than the fitness-tracking notification machine the Apple Watch we know and love came to be.
