I really hope they add the map and/or compass-waypoints as a data pages in Hike or Running workouts. Looking at where I am at on a map is my biggest reason for pulling my phone out of my vest or pack when I'm in the back country and being able to quick glance at my watch would be fantastic (especially on trail runs). The offline maps on the watch would be killer too -- I know that map data can take up quite a bit of space (around 200mbs in the video you were showing for just a small area) , but it would be nice if they could do stripped down basic versions of that data for the watch when offline (trails, distance, elevation maps), and skip all the extra stuff like photos from yelp, stores/business data etc. that may be present.
I think it’s great. My Apple Watch ultra has been fantastic for me. It does everything I need and then some. The maps is just an upgrade. It doesn’t have the long long battery life of the Garmin but honestly I don’t even notice charging it every 4 days. I usually Shower daily and charge it anyway. It’s durable. I did a 4 hour trail run in the mountains last weekend and it had 70% battery left after. Plus I then made a call back on it when I got back to the car and talked to my wife. I’m my opinion they never meant for these watches to be sport watches. But they are getting closer and closer.
Jay, Yes, I agree with everything you’ve said so far!Topo maps needs to be fully incorporated into maps across all devices. Like you said this need to be integrated into the exercise app as well. Also offline topo maps should be able to be stored on the watch, iPhone and iPad. It would be nice to plan a hike using you iPad,hit the trail using your watch and being integrated with the exercise app. How sweet would that be!You would think with Apple letting you look at your exercise info on the iPhone wile on a bike ride that they wouldn’t incorporate a topo map. Being that this is sill in Beta there is still hope that we might get what we want.
Yep, they're certainly moving in the right direction. What's been interesting is how open they are to feedback during calls I've had with them. Very exciting stuff!
So I like the last SOS feature, and the trailhead information and the topo maps. Those are probably the highlights of this update for anyone that bought the Apple Watch Ultra with intention of using it as an outdoor companion. There is still a LOT of middle ground between Apple and Garmin watches though, but all in all it looks like a good upgrade. The big issue with the Watch being dependent on the phone for its maps is the whole "one is none, two is one" mentality for vital equipment. When I am out I will have my Fenix, my phone and a paper map. If one fails I still have two, and i can always cross refrence them against each other if needed. In the case lf the Ultra, if my phone fails my watch fails with it essentially making them the same device. There is probably a good reason it's like that, maybe not enough on board storage or something, but it is not ideal. Still, for a day hike its probably fine.
Lovin the update (and your video!). Just updated to the Ultra which is fantastic, and great for everyday use but I’m still sticking with my Garmin for hikes / runs / rides, and to be honest I don’t think that will ever change. So as a solution I wear both my Ultra and Fenix 7! Might look a bit weird to some, but I love best of both worlds! Ultra for smartwatch features, Garmin for tracking workouts as the training data is still so much better. For maps I use WorkOutDoors as preference but good to have Garmin for when offline!
Thank you for this nice walk through, detailing, comparison, where to find the features that have been moved or changed, interesting coverage of the new features, valid criticisms and improvement points.
Shortcomings in Apple offline maps are not little by any means: they are a complete showstopper using the watch for navigation in outdoors activities like hiking. Luckily Work Out Doors app makes Apple Watch workable, but it still fall short from Garmin due to lack of built-in routing and pre-loaded maps. Failed product management at Apple, the hardware would be superior to Garmin and they have all the necessary technology. (Background: I have had Apple Watch Ultra since the launch and have used Garmin Fenix for years before that).
Hello, I’ve installed the new watch os10 and still cannot find any contour lines on the Apple Maps app on my watch. Can’t even see the California maps lines like I could in the beta.
Well I guess we won't be deleting our Gaia GPS or Work Outdoors apps just yet. This topo mapping update still leaves a lot to be desired for a hiking/offline route planning. It is a typical Apple move though: incrementally add new features year over year until you finally reach parity (or close enough) to take marketshare away from an established player. My guess is that it will take another year or two before we get all the features one would expect from offline mapping app for hikers.
Different strokes for Different folks. 😄 I had a 6x, then a Apple Watch Ultra. I had my reservations, but the Apple Watch really wasn't for me. I find Watch OS quite closed off, it's hard to get all the data you want and in the way you want it. Garmin are much more open to my mind. I got lucky, got a half decent price on my 6x and a very good price for my AWU. I also was very fortunate to get a great deal on a Epix Pro 51mm. I knew topo maps was coming on OS10, but Garmin is still better for me personally. The fact the offline maps are stored on your phone and not locally on the watch is a massive blunder by Apple to me. I don’t regret a thing, to the point if I hadn't have got lucky and been able to stretch to the new Epix Pro 51mm, I would have still sold the AWU and used my 6x.
Today I just get the garmin forrunner 965 instead ultra just becasue the top maps and lack of well integration of the apple device, last but not least, the battery is another world
Thank you for your detailed explanation. I have an Apple Watch 8 and a garmin Fenix 5x. I was thinking about upgrading my garmin to ultra but there is so many cons that hesitate me to upgrade to Ultra. First, battery life. I’m a hiker and on the trail all the time and a lot of times there is no cell signal. One of my worries is getting lost in the mountain and it did happen to me. Good thing I have my garmin and put me back on track. And I don’t need my phone to reroute myself. Second, I try the Apple and garmin off the grid with no cell service, my garmin is getting messages and notifications while my Apple don’t. For that much money, I can add a couple hundred and I can get a fenix 7 solar and you are all set for long back packing.
I really recommend the Forrunner 965, I had previously the Fenix 5X and then, 6X, finally forrunner is amaizing the softare, gps system (super fast) and amoled display, by another side you will feel as strong as Fenix, but well you can save 500usd other way, you can get Epix 2 which I think is the best.
Chase the summit make some very good points that Appple shoud fix priror to the RC. One nore to add, if this watch is propely competing in the outdoor it needs to be true ABC. Where is the Barometer face with Storm alarm 🚨 ???
Do you know a way to add or remove old racer routes. I started mine a year ago and they are short compared to the routes I ride now, and would like to extend or make new ones, but can find a way. Any Ideas? Could you ask Apple?
Thanks Dave! I was waiting for someone t make a review of this new feature. Still deciding between keeping my Epix Pro or switching to Apple with the new Watch OS features.
Went on a hike with a friend on Thursday and near the top of the mountain we came across an older man and his hiking partner, the elderly gentleman had passed out along a very lucky part of the trail that wasn’t a sheer drop off and fallen into some thick brush. When we arrived, he had been awake for a few minutes but had no idea where he was, who his hiking partner was, and couldn’t remember basic information like the year or the name of his daughter. Trying to get him to calm down and take a few short steps back up to the trail was enough of a trial but then we all realized we were too far in the back country to have a cell signal. My partner ended up running down the side of the mountain to the trailhead to regain service and call for assistance. We stayed with him until help arrived upon which they diagnosed him as being very dehydrated and suffering a mild concussion. He was taken to the hospital and has since been released. All this to say: there are certainly benefits to being more prepared (having a device that connects to satellite rather than cell towers for occasions like this) but as a weekend hiker, that simple watch feature of being able to find the nearest cell tower would have come in extremely usefully, as we may have been closer to one than needing to run all the way back to the trailhead. I’m excited to see advancements in tech that make exploring outdoors safer for everyone.
As an Apple Watch Ultra user, I’m honestly beginning to think that Garmin and Apple have some sort of bizarre agreement where one company doesn’t step on the toes of the other. I can have an Apple Watch Ultra, with no maps, no recovery stats and short battery life, but with a cell phone connection and interactive notifications, or I can have a Garmin with maps, recovery metrics, and longer battery life but NO cell connection, interactive notifications, or true smart watch functions. Yes, it’s getting closer and closer on both sides but it can be frustrating for the consumer in a lot of ways. I get that the trail running/fitness community is a niche, but Apple not at least ‘hearing’ them out is maddening! I hear you though, Dave, and I see you trying to convey your message to them. I think we all appreciate that, especially knowing you somewhat have their ear. Hopefully they’re listening!
I’m willing to bet offline maps on the watch is a planned update - the new AW Ultra inexplicably has double the storage of any other Apple Watch, something zero AW users have needed or asked for.
So I’m happy about the offline maps and can live with having my phone with. I just hope we get route planning and navigation. I can even deal with switching between apps, it’s just a double tap on the crown. But no Route upload is a deal breaker. Not sure why Strava doesn’t develop the Apple Watch app we all want with custom fields, off line maps and routing, even fitness, fatigue, form and relative effort. I would pay to have that from Strava and I’m willing to bet all serious athlete would to.
Those have always been there within Apple Maps. They can be stored offline now just like the Topo Maps but still require your phone like the Topo Maps unless you have cell data enabled on the watch.
Nice job! 👏👏👏 Based on what you shared in this video, the 3rd party navigation/workout app called "WorkOutDoors" still appears to be the state of the art offering for the Apple Watch. It offers essentially all the functionality you asked for.
in order for me to switch, apple needs the following: 1- same battery life or better as Garmin 2-OFFLINE MAPS! its a must! also, driving turn by turn OFFLINE, I need to use it as a survival tool! not a toy! 3- flashlight 4- more durable construction The ultra should have been that .. but it never was .. and I am sure they will do a better job than Garmin ones they add the above .. it will be a lot less laggy with a lot of app developers support!
I like to go to a safe place and purposely get mildly lost using ONLY the Garmin to route me out. Best way to know if you can count on something is using it. When Apple can do that then they are getting somewhere.
May I ask what you all use for Trail running as the workout type on the Ultra? I trail run in the mountains so I can never decide if I am running or hiking. Why isn’t trail running a choice?
I saw on another video that it still doesn’t compare to the workoutdoors app. If possible can you make a video (if you haven’t already) on the differences?!?
In my opinion the actual maps on OS10 are seem better than the maps in WorkOutdoors and have more information like trailhead data and POI support even when offline. However, workoutdoors maps have some advantages in that you can import GPX files and follow a route and they're baked into the same app as the workout data which is nice. I'll see what I can do with a follow up vid... thanks for the idea.
@@ChaseTheSummit thank you for the quick breakdown and hopeful for the video. I’m just now looking into 3party apps and wanting to “Garmin experience” on my Apple Watch ultra.
@@joshh9305 I didn’t word that great. They both have topo information I just think the Apple Maps have more info thanks to the rich map data and icons that display trailheads and stuff. Both have strengths though.
There's apps that can do that stuff if you want it now. It seems Apple doesn't want to get into that business and would rather leave it to 3rd party developers.
@@ChaseTheSummit Yelp, I’ve been using Athlytic since last December, but it can’t save some workouts from Zwift (bike riding), and other stuff. I really love my Apple Watch Ultra, but Garmin’s ecosystem is just better. As a triathlete, having all my sports synced in one app with ALL MY INFO, is vital. Thanks for all the info always! Since I changed my FR955 for the Ultra, your channel has been a great source of info. 👍🏼
This was a really great and well done video. I know I’ll always be an Apple phone user since I enjoy the experience and currently have an AW7 which I enjoy as well with Athlytic and other fitness apps installed. But I have been dissatisfied with the battery life on my AW as I get the suggested 36 hours and charge my watch every other day. Apple should implement some of the AWU features to all Apple Watches for their users. And if any company could make the perfect blend of sports & smart watch it would be them. Utilizing the build quality we’ve already seen from Coros & Garmin and add the sweet spot of features to provide at least a week of battery life. That’s what I’m waiting for. 😂
Great video. I was on the fence about getting rid of my AWU and getting an Epic Pro 47mm. The details about WatchOS10 helped me decide: I do NOT like the interface changes and button functionality changes. Been using Garmin watches since 2006, and I like the way they *just work*. To each their own. :)
Another "thing" is that currently, those Topo maps are only available in California. Meaning, if you want to see a Topo map of an area that isn't in CA, for now, you're outta luck.
I'm not sure if people in Cupertino realize this, but if your device that can last 2 days relies on maps on a device that lasts 1 day, your 2 day endurance becomes irrelevant. They keep getting it backwards. You don't need your watch to plan hikes / trailruns. You do that using your computer or Ipad. What you need is to execute with your watch and your watch only and without fidgeting through different apps.
I have a phone now that i charge every day or day and a half, so why would I need a watch that I need to charge every day or day and half. My garmin Fenix 7x solar needs charging every 21 days or 22 days. I will stay with my garmin.
Yea they are completely different tools. My Garmin battery lasted 22 days, but couldn’t do a lot of day to day stuff that is more useful to me. Glad we have both for options.
I'm sure it's a beta bug, cos there is 32 Gb of free space , so the watch can import the offline data to itself in watch OS 10.. it's just that these are the first betas , and I'm sure it will be fixed when launched or before maybe.
@@ChaseTheSummit yup I've seen that too., it seems weird if it is , I guess we will have the option to store offline maps in the watch in a minor update to watch OS 10 ... cos at least Apple seems to listen more to the feedback than before .
Apple continues to drop the ball with mapping. Garmin and other devices make it so simple to use, yet Apple continues to fight for total control over the device by not allowing you to import GPX and other types of files. Like, there's a simple solution that a multitude of companies have solved for nearly decades, and yet this company continues to fight against it again and again.
In my case it's an Oura Ring that I'm using for testing in a different video. I'm also wearing a Whoop Band, Ultrahuman Ring, and Garmin 965 in this video.
02:10 - 77 text messages... Either your wife is texting you very often and you don't really read the messages (if yes, I hope she will not see that video and my comment ;) ) or you have friends that write every single word or sentence in a new message. ;) 10:00 - as non AWU user I wonder how that thing is working in other countries / continents? :)) 11:28 - in 2023... For that price... Is it really a watch for hikers, sport ppl, etc? :)
lol, yeah I get A LOT of text messages and I am THE WORST at responding. As of now the maps are only available in the USA (very specific areas) it will grow as time goes on though. I think it's a great option for *some* people but there are certainly cheaper options that have more sport/hiking features.
I wouldn't consider mountain bikers, trail runners, hikers and all this kind of people "pretty niche cases", in fact this is the kind of people Apple Watch Ultra is supposed to be geared towards lol. As a mountain biker, I agree losing my map in the middle of a ride cause you broke your phone is a pill hard to swallow, but then again, as a mountain biker a map on my watch is something nice to have, but surely is not my main source of info, that's what bike computers are for. That being said, it is still a heavy downside for any outdoor sport, in an outdoors sport focused watch, and there are many regions where cellular reception is just a dream. It is something minor as you can still see your map, the trails and the trail names though. If the map is outside the health app, does that mean you cannot follow a route using that new map?
Thanks for the update I won’t be upgrading beta on my ultra just wait for the public release. I think apple needs to stop drinking their own kool aide most these little tiny updates have been out for long time and they are finally updating its kinda sad you spend so much for these devices and they lack in performance I don’t know maybe it’s just me.
That’s gonna be awesome when you’re in the dark, having to do all this stupid crap in order to change the night mode. Apple literally sells you a Watch with a dedicated feature, and then goes and takes it away. If it ain’t broke, will definitely “fix it” - Apple And to think I was gonna give these idiots another thousand dollars when the Ultra two came out. I guess it’s time to get a Garmin.
too bad we can't get the Apple Watch ultra on Android. It's a better value/features than Fenix 7/Epix 2. Scuba is what kills it! It's funny that Garmin is like the Apple of smartwatches. Has a monopoly and overcharges.
WTF. This is not a niche use case. Apple either wants to make an Ultra or just wants to call it’s most expensive watch ultra. Small letter on purpose. Apple watch ultra-wanna-be is a expensive enough and has enough memory for that function to work just by itself. I actually plan to upgrade my current iphone to Pro Max and buy watch Ultra for trail navigation. I might be wrong with that thinking and maybe just buying Garmin and keeping my phone for few years would work better for me.
Here we are almost a year later and Apple has not fully rolled out a basic feature of an adventure watch. Meanwhile, Timmy and gang market this to the Adventure crowd. Users in Antarctica, mountaineering, hiking in jungles how the FUCK can any of them use the AWU without maps or cellular service.
If we had all those features in before-epix2/fr965-era, they could have been interesting…but now -> sorry, apple. garmin still better in training/mapping field 😊
I got excited for a second. Looks like im sticking with Garmin for a while.
I love when ppl act like they are elite enough to use those watches.
@@danp6504 elite enough to use a watch. It’s really a great feeling.
I really hope Apple surprises us and puts downloaded maps on the Ultra.
But what if you have cellular data turned on?
I was excited too and upgraded my Ultra to OS 10. Now I hate Apple and i got a Garmin
I really hope they add the map and/or compass-waypoints as a data pages in Hike or Running workouts. Looking at where I am at on a map is my biggest reason for pulling my phone out of my vest or pack when I'm in the back country and being able to quick glance at my watch would be fantastic (especially on trail runs). The offline maps on the watch would be killer too -- I know that map data can take up quite a bit of space (around 200mbs in the video you were showing for just a small area) , but it would be nice if they could do stripped down basic versions of that data for the watch when offline (trails, distance, elevation maps), and skip all the extra stuff like photos from yelp, stores/business data etc. that may be present.
I think it’s great. My Apple Watch ultra has been fantastic for me. It does everything I need and then some. The maps is just an upgrade. It doesn’t have the long long battery life of the Garmin but honestly I don’t even notice charging it every 4 days. I usually
Shower daily and charge it anyway. It’s durable. I did a 4 hour trail run in the mountains last weekend and it had 70% battery left after. Plus I then made a call back on it when I got back to the car and talked to my wife. I’m my opinion they never meant for these watches to be sport watches. But they are getting closer and closer.
Nice video! I got chase the summit logo on my Apple Watch SE
Jay,
Yes, I agree with everything you’ve said so far!Topo maps needs to be fully incorporated into maps across all devices. Like you said this need to be integrated into the exercise app as well. Also offline topo maps should be able to be stored on the watch, iPhone and iPad. It would be nice to plan a hike using you iPad,hit the trail using your watch and being integrated with the exercise app. How sweet would that be!You would think with Apple letting you look at your exercise info on the iPhone wile on a bike ride that they wouldn’t incorporate a topo map. Being that this is sill in Beta there is still hope that we might get what we want.
keen to know the impact of maps on battery life.
Bout to purchase ultra 2. Can’t wait to use it for hiking around the BayArea.
Awesome video. I’m in agreement with you on the things that Apple needs to add. But that said, Watch OS is a major upgrade.
Yep, they're certainly moving in the right direction. What's been interesting is how open they are to feedback during calls I've had with them. Very exciting stuff!
@@ChaseTheSummit that’s great. The ultra is fantastic device and if they keep on adding useful features it will continue to be awesome.
Please update this video and show what is available now. Tks
So I like the last SOS feature, and the trailhead information and the topo maps. Those are probably the highlights of this update for anyone that bought the Apple Watch Ultra with intention of using it as an outdoor companion. There is still a LOT of middle ground between Apple and Garmin watches though, but all in all it looks like a good upgrade.
The big issue with the Watch being dependent on the phone for its maps is the whole "one is none, two is one" mentality for vital equipment. When I am out I will have my Fenix, my phone and a paper map. If one fails I still have two, and i can always cross refrence them against each other if needed. In the case lf the Ultra, if my phone fails my watch fails with it essentially making them the same device. There is probably a good reason it's like that, maybe not enough on board storage or something, but it is not ideal. Still, for a day hike its probably fine.
Lovin the update (and your video!). Just updated to the Ultra which is fantastic, and great for everyday use but I’m still sticking with my Garmin for hikes / runs / rides, and to be honest I don’t think that will ever change. So as a solution I wear both my Ultra and Fenix 7! Might look a bit weird to some, but I love best of both worlds! Ultra for smartwatch features, Garmin for tracking workouts as the training data is still so much better. For maps I use WorkOutDoors as preference but good to have Garmin for when offline!
I wear my Apple Watch and Fenix 6🤣
Really looking forward to this update. great walkthrough!
Hey Dave, I just wanna say that I really liked and enjoyed listening to your last podcast with Shervin. Hope there is more comming and more frequent 😄
Glad you enjoyed it!
Great video 👍
Was looking forward to the mapping feature - seems rather limited.
Thank you for this nice walk through, detailing, comparison, where to find the features that have been moved or changed, interesting coverage of the new features, valid criticisms and improvement points.
Shortcomings in Apple offline maps are not little by any means: they are a complete showstopper using the watch for navigation in outdoors activities like hiking. Luckily Work Out Doors app makes Apple Watch workable, but it still fall short from Garmin due to lack of built-in routing and pre-loaded maps. Failed product management at Apple, the hardware would be superior to Garmin and they have all the necessary technology.
(Background: I have had Apple Watch Ultra since the launch and have used Garmin Fenix for years before that).
Downloading beta now!
Once I downloaded map area my location stopped showing on apple watch. They need to improve this.
Hello, I’ve installed the new watch os10 and still cannot find any contour lines on the Apple Maps app on my watch. Can’t even see the California maps lines like I could in the beta.
Well I guess we won't be deleting our Gaia GPS or Work Outdoors apps just yet. This topo mapping update still leaves a lot to be desired for a hiking/offline route planning. It is a typical Apple move though: incrementally add new features year over year until you finally reach parity (or close enough) to take marketshare away from an established player. My guess is that it will take another year or two before we get all the features one would expect from offline mapping app for hikers.
Was looking forward to the mapping feature - seems rather limited.. Really looking forward to this update. great walkthrough!.
Thanks for the video, bummer that the maps don’t actually download to the watch yet.
Different strokes for Different folks. 😄
I had a 6x, then a Apple Watch Ultra. I had my reservations, but the Apple Watch really wasn't for me.
I find Watch OS quite closed off, it's hard to get all the data you want and in the way you want it. Garmin are much more open to my mind.
I got lucky, got a half decent price on my 6x and a very good price for my AWU. I also was very fortunate to get a great deal on a Epix Pro 51mm.
I knew topo maps was coming on OS10, but Garmin is still better for me personally. The fact the offline maps are stored on your phone and not locally on the watch is a massive blunder by Apple to me.
I don’t regret a thing, to the point if I hadn't have got lucky and been able to stretch to the new Epix Pro 51mm, I would have still sold the AWU and used my 6x.
Today I just get the garmin forrunner 965 instead ultra just becasue the top maps and lack of well integration of the apple device, last but not least, the battery is another world
Thank you for your detailed explanation. I have an Apple Watch 8 and a garmin Fenix 5x. I was thinking about upgrading my garmin to ultra but there is so many cons that hesitate me to upgrade to Ultra. First, battery life. I’m a hiker and on the trail all the time and a lot of times there is no cell signal. One of my worries is getting lost in the mountain and it did happen to me. Good thing I have my garmin and put me back on track. And I don’t need my phone to reroute myself. Second, I try the Apple and garmin off the grid with no cell service, my garmin is getting messages and notifications while my Apple don’t. For that much money, I can add a couple hundred and I can get a fenix 7 solar and you are all set for long back packing.
I really recommend the Forrunner 965, I had previously the Fenix 5X and then, 6X, finally forrunner is amaizing the softare, gps system (super fast) and amoled display, by another side you will feel as strong as Fenix, but well you can save 500usd other way, you can get Epix 2 which I think is the best.
Very helpful! Sticking with my epix Gen 2.
Very helpful. Sold my garmin Fenix 7
So if u want hike do u need ur phone with you if u want to see maps with navigation? And for running ?
So once all these updates are functional (maps), you still need your phone. Not very ULTRA!!
Chase the summit make some very good points that Appple shoud fix priror to the RC. One nore to add, if this watch is propely competing in the outdoor it needs to be true ABC. Where is the Barometer face with Storm alarm 🚨 ???
Wow so awesome to own a Apple Watch (on WatchOS 10) paired to an iPhone 8 (non compatible with iOS 17)
Do you know a way to add or remove old racer routes. I started mine a year ago and they are short compared to the routes I ride now, and would like to extend or make new ones, but can find a way. Any Ideas? Could you ask Apple?
Thanks Dave! I was waiting for someone t make a review of this new feature. Still deciding between keeping my Epix Pro or switching to Apple with the new Watch OS features.
So close but so far away. I love my Ultra, but I just need it to import a GPX file and get turn-by-turn directions.
Check out the WorkOutdoors app!
Just curious, with all the watches that you have, which one is your daily driver @chase the summit?
Went on a hike with a friend on Thursday and near the top of the mountain we came across an older man and his hiking partner, the elderly gentleman had passed out along a very lucky part of the trail that wasn’t a sheer drop off and fallen into some thick brush. When we arrived, he had been awake for a few minutes but had no idea where he was, who his hiking partner was, and couldn’t remember basic information like the year or the name of his daughter. Trying to get him to calm down and take a few short steps back up to the trail was enough of a trial but then we all realized we were too far in the back country to have a cell signal. My partner ended up running down the side of the mountain to the trailhead to regain service and call for assistance. We stayed with him until help arrived upon which they diagnosed him as being very dehydrated and suffering a mild concussion. He was taken to the hospital and has since been released.
All this to say: there are certainly benefits to being more prepared (having a device that connects to satellite rather than cell towers for occasions like this) but as a weekend hiker, that simple watch feature of being able to find the nearest cell tower would have come in extremely usefully, as we may have been closer to one than needing to run all the way back to the trailhead. I’m excited to see advancements in tech that make exploring outdoors safer for everyone.
As an Apple Watch Ultra user, I’m honestly beginning to think that Garmin and Apple have some sort of bizarre agreement where one company doesn’t step on the toes of the other.
I can have an Apple Watch Ultra, with no maps, no recovery stats and short battery life, but with a cell phone connection and interactive notifications, or I can have a Garmin with maps, recovery metrics, and longer battery life but NO cell connection, interactive notifications, or true smart watch functions.
Yes, it’s getting closer and closer on both sides but it can be frustrating for the consumer in a lot of ways. I get that the trail running/fitness community is a niche, but Apple not at least ‘hearing’ them out is maddening!
I hear you though, Dave, and I see you trying to convey your message to them. I think we all appreciate that, especially knowing you somewhat have their ear. Hopefully they’re listening!
I’m willing to bet offline maps on the watch is a planned update - the new AW Ultra inexplicably has double the storage of any other Apple Watch, something zero AW users have needed or asked for.
So I’m happy about the offline maps and can live with having my phone with. I just hope we get route planning and navigation. I can even deal with switching between apps, it’s just a double tap on the crown. But no Route upload is a deal breaker. Not sure why Strava doesn’t develop the Apple Watch app we all want with custom fields, off line maps and routing, even fitness, fatigue, form and relative effort. I would pay to have that from Strava and I’m willing to bet all serious athlete would to.
Is the hiking feature only available for the ultra watch?
Nope, any watch with OS 10
What about regular street maps for us road runners?
Those have always been there within Apple Maps. They can be stored offline now just like the Topo Maps but still require your phone like the Topo Maps unless you have cell data enabled on the watch.
Cool info. Still don't want a small phone on my wrist. My phone doesn't need a tiny friend...
Nice job! 👏👏👏 Based on what you shared in this video, the 3rd party navigation/workout app called "WorkOutDoors" still appears to be the state of the art offering for the Apple Watch. It offers essentially all the functionality you asked for.
The topo maps on the WATCH is not working in Canada I think they are only testing it in the USA
At launch it will include the USA, but will extend to other countries as time goes on.
in order for me to switch, apple needs the following:
1- same battery life or better as Garmin
2-OFFLINE MAPS! its a must! also, driving turn by turn OFFLINE, I need to use it as a survival tool! not a toy!
3- flashlight
4- more durable construction
The ultra should have been that .. but it never was .. and I am sure they will do a better job than Garmin ones they add the above .. it will be a lot less laggy with a lot of app developers support!
I like to go to a safe place and purposely get mildly lost using ONLY the Garmin to route me out. Best way to know if you can count on something is using it. When Apple can do that then they are getting somewhere.
how hard is it for apple to make the topo maps fully offline? its just sad.
Will there be trail and topo support for UK on full software release?
Not sure, at launch I believe it will be USA only but I think it will expand after that.
Do you really need your phone for topo-maps if you have watch cellular data on??
Yup, not sure why they went this route but that's currently the case.
So how do you get to the Apple Topo maps?
Inside of Apple maps
May I ask what you all use for Trail running as the workout type on the Ultra? I trail run in the mountains so I can never decide if I am running or hiking. Why isn’t trail running a choice?
I use outdoor run
I saw on another video that it still doesn’t compare to the workoutdoors app. If possible can you make a video (if you haven’t already) on the differences?!?
In my opinion the actual maps on OS10 are seem better than the maps in WorkOutdoors and have more information like trailhead data and POI support even when offline. However, workoutdoors maps have some advantages in that you can import GPX files and follow a route and they're baked into the same app as the workout data which is nice. I'll see what I can do with a follow up vid... thanks for the idea.
@@ChaseTheSummit thank you for the quick breakdown and hopeful for the video. I’m just now looking into 3party apps and wanting to “Garmin experience” on my Apple Watch ultra.
@@ChaseTheSummit great review. Just curious why the thunder forest maps on workout doors are not considered proper Topo maps?
@@joshh9305 I didn’t word that great. They both have topo information I just think the Apple Maps have more info thanks to the rich map data and icons that display trailheads and stuff. Both have strengths though.
Sucks about Vermont. You have a backup?
Not yet! It may just turn into a personal mountain adventure solo or with a small group.
Actually that express exactly what I want from ios10 especially the map page and turn by turn navigation, otherwise considering an epix gen 2 pro 😅
I'd guess off line maps will only be available in next gen watches with more built in memory.
We need a lot of workouts metrics like LOAD, rest, and stuff like that. Knowing Apple, its gonna take a looooong while.
There's apps that can do that stuff if you want it now. It seems Apple doesn't want to get into that business and would rather leave it to 3rd party developers.
@@ChaseTheSummit Yelp, I’ve been using Athlytic since last December, but it can’t save some workouts from Zwift (bike riding), and other stuff. I really love my Apple Watch Ultra, but Garmin’s ecosystem is just better. As a triathlete, having all my sports synced in one app with ALL MY INFO, is vital. Thanks for all the info always! Since I changed my FR955 for the Ultra, your channel has been a great source of info. 👍🏼
Is the topographic map exclusive to the Ultra or any watch using WatchOS 10?
Any watch with OS10
@@ChaseTheSummit and topo maps are watch-only, right? Any way to view them on the phone itself?
battery life?
This was a really great and well done video. I know I’ll always be an Apple phone user since I enjoy the experience and currently have an AW7 which I enjoy as well with Athlytic and other fitness apps installed.
But I have been dissatisfied with the battery life on my AW as I get the suggested 36 hours and charge my watch every other day. Apple should implement some of the AWU features to all Apple Watches for their users.
And if any company could make the perfect blend of sports & smart watch it would be them. Utilizing the build quality we’ve already seen from Coros & Garmin and add the sweet spot of features to provide at least a week of battery life. That’s what I’m waiting for. 😂
Apple Watch is getting more compelling. I ditched apple due to it dropping gps when on a run & I got a call.
Great video. I was on the fence about getting rid of my AWU and getting an Epic Pro 47mm. The details about WatchOS10 helped me decide: I do NOT like the interface changes and button functionality changes. Been using Garmin watches since 2006, and I like the way they *just work*. To each their own. :)
What did you end up doing?
What map is this ???
It's developed by apple
Another "thing" is that currently, those Topo maps are only available in California. Meaning, if you want to see a Topo map of an area that isn't in CA, for now, you're outta luck.
Right, that's very temporary though just for the early days of Beta. Maps will be available for the USA after beta and likely internationally later.
I'm not sure if people in Cupertino realize this, but if your device that can last 2 days relies on maps on a device that lasts 1 day, your 2 day endurance becomes irrelevant. They keep getting it backwards. You don't need your watch to plan hikes / trailruns. You do that using your computer or Ipad. What you need is to execute with your watch and your watch only and without fidgeting through different apps.
I have a phone now that i charge every day or day and a half, so why would I need a watch that I need to charge every day or day and half. My garmin Fenix 7x solar needs charging every 21 days or 22 days. I will stay with my garmin.
Different tools for different jobs!
thank god for your comment!!! now i can sleep peacefully knowing that you have Garmin watch 😲🤦🏻 get your s@#t together man and stop spaming.
Yea they are completely different tools. My Garmin battery lasted 22 days, but couldn’t do a lot of day to day stuff that is more useful to me. Glad we have both for options.
So basically im still using Work Outdoors..... Thanks Apple
Still beta so the map not working fully offline might be a bug
From the conversations I’ve had with Apple it appears to be by design.
I'm sure it's a beta bug, cos there is 32 Gb of free space , so the watch can import the offline data to itself in watch OS 10.. it's just that these are the first betas , and I'm sure it will be fixed when launched or before maybe.
From what I understand this is by design.
@@ChaseTheSummit yup I've seen that too., it seems weird if it is , I guess we will have the option to store offline maps in the watch in a minor update to watch OS 10 ... cos at least Apple seems to listen more to the feedback than before .
Hope Apple sees the last third of this video…!
Thanks for mentioning topo maps are only supported for CA right now 😂
That will be short lived. Can't criticize it until it's out of Beta.
Dead Apple - please allow us to see the map we have to download on our phones as well.
It looks like Apple is playing around with a cripple hammer 😂
Real watch only offline maps work with the footpath app 👍
Apple continues to drop the ball with mapping. Garmin and other devices make it so simple to use, yet Apple continues to fight for total control over the device by not allowing you to import GPX and other types of files. Like, there's a simple solution that a multitude of companies have solved for nearly decades, and yet this company continues to fight against it again and again.
Hiiiiiii chase
👋
Why do so many UA-camr runners have rings on their forefinger?
In my case it's an Oura Ring that I'm using for testing in a different video. I'm also wearing a Whoop Band, Ultrahuman Ring, and Garmin 965 in this video.
02:10 - 77 text messages... Either your wife is texting you very often and you don't really read the messages (if yes, I hope she will not see that video and my comment ;) ) or you have friends that write every single word or sentence in a new message. ;)
10:00 - as non AWU user I wonder how that thing is working in other countries / continents? :))
11:28 - in 2023... For that price... Is it really a watch for hikers, sport ppl, etc? :)
lol, yeah I get A LOT of text messages and I am THE WORST at responding. As of now the maps are only available in the USA (very specific areas) it will grow as time goes on though. I think it's a great option for *some* people but there are certainly cheaper options that have more sport/hiking features.
I wouldn't consider mountain bikers, trail runners, hikers and all this kind of people "pretty niche cases", in fact this is the kind of people Apple Watch Ultra is supposed to be geared towards lol. As a mountain biker, I agree losing my map in the middle of a ride cause you broke your phone is a pill hard to swallow, but then again, as a mountain biker a map on my watch is something nice to have, but surely is not my main source of info, that's what bike computers are for. That being said, it is still a heavy downside for any outdoor sport, in an outdoors sport focused watch, and there are many regions where cellular reception is just a dream. It is something minor as you can still see your map, the trails and the trail names though.
If the map is outside the health app, does that mean you cannot follow a route using that new map?
offline maps but you need to bring your laptop with you. This is sooooo dumb. Garmin all the way for this one reason alone while taking all day hikes.
Without WorkOutDoors and footpath apps the Apple Watch ultra would be trash at navigation. Apple really doesn’t understand what outdoor people need
Apple should just buy wirkoutdoors and improve it. That's all.
I would be on board with that. Maybe just hit it with that "apple magic" to make it prettier but keep the core functions the same (or better)
Thanks for the update I won’t be upgrading beta on my ultra just wait for the public release. I think apple needs to stop drinking their own kool aide most these little tiny updates have been out for long time and they are finally updating its kinda sad you spend so much for these devices and they lack in performance I don’t know maybe it’s just me.
That’s gonna be awesome when you’re in the dark, having to do all this stupid crap in order to change the night mode. Apple literally sells you a Watch with a dedicated feature, and then goes and takes it away. If it ain’t broke, will definitely “fix it” - Apple
And to think I was gonna give these idiots another thousand dollars when the Ultra two came out. I guess it’s time to get a Garmin.
You can simply set it to "auto" and it will enable night mode by itself.
too bad we can't get the Apple Watch ultra on Android. It's a better value/features than Fenix 7/Epix 2. Scuba is what kills it!
It's funny that Garmin is like the Apple of smartwatches. Has a monopoly and overcharges.
WTF. This is not a niche use case.
Apple either wants to make an Ultra or just wants to call it’s most expensive watch ultra. Small letter on purpose.
Apple watch ultra-wanna-be is a expensive enough and has enough memory for that function to work just by itself.
I actually plan to upgrade my current iphone to Pro Max and buy watch Ultra for trail navigation. I might be wrong with that thinking and maybe just buying Garmin and keeping my phone for few years would work better for me.
The Ultra 2 will have Maps offline on the Watch. Business as usual 🎉
I'm not so sure about that. Apple loves the "ecosystem" and having people carry multiple apple products. It would be nice to see though.
Here we are almost a year later and Apple has not fully rolled out a basic feature of an adventure watch. Meanwhile, Timmy and gang market this to the Adventure crowd. Users in Antarctica, mountaineering, hiking in jungles how the FUCK can any of them use the AWU without maps or cellular service.
If Garmin’s watch had standalone phone function, I would get rid of my Apple Watch in a heartbeat for the Garmin!
Seems to me that I’ll still going to use WorkOutDoors
If we had all those features in before-epix2/fr965-era, they could have been interesting…but now -> sorry, apple. garmin still better in training/mapping field 😊