Apple confirmed that Apple Watch Ultra, Series 8 and SE (2022) can now rely solely on their built-in GPS sensor. They don’t need to use the GPS signal of the iPhone that its connected to. Older Apple Watch models will still utilize the GPS of the iPhone whenever possible.
Even though it’s not recent, it has gone under the radar for the past few weeks. The research was found by DC Rainmaker, a reliable sportstech reviewer (via The Verge) in an update for the Apple support document.
Some people don’t like to see the Apple Watch as a tool for many a year. First, this will result in the ultra, Series 8 and SE (2022) GPS being more accurate in some situations, since the wearable is attached directly to the user’s body, not in a pocket, bag, or backpack like the iPhone.
I still see the strange handshake issue with the iPhone, that was common in the early days of the Apple Watch, and that I find the wearable older occasionally. This shift could also hurt Apple Watch batteries as well, considering that the smartwatch doesn’t piggyback from the iPhones GPS chip and is using its built-in hardware.
In a way, it makes sense given that you are likely to have your iPhone with you when you’re taking your Apple Watch anyways. Since Apple has praised the wearables batteries for the long life, this change might have limited impact.
Even though Apple gave Apple Watch users the option to turn GPS on/off, since both connectivity modes have advantages and disadvantages, Apple is not really known to offer consumers a lot of options when it comes to features such as this.
Amazon.com.