Quick verdict
The Apple Watch Ultra 4 is the endurance watch Apple has been building toward since 2022 — and in a move nobody saw coming, it costs less than its predecessor. At $1,349 in Australia, it’s $50 cheaper than the Ultra 3’s launch price, with a bigger battery (50 hours vs 42), a genuinely new Health Sensing System, and GPS endurance that finally clears a full Ironman in one session. Our take: if you run, ride, hike or work outdoors, this is the most meaningful Ultra upgrade yet. If you own an Ultra 2 or 3 and just want a nice watch, the price cut alone is the best reason to look.
Apple Watch Ultra 4: Australian price and the cheapest place to buy
Here’s the price picture (checked 8 October 2026):
$1,249.99 — Costco Australia — Natural Titanium case with Desert Alpine Loop. The cheapest we’ve verified anywhere in Australia.
$1,349 — Apple Australia with the Alpine Loop, Trail Loop or Ocean Band. The Titanium Milanese Loop version is $1,499.
$1,349 — JB Hi-Fi, matching Apple’s price on the standard bands.
Kogan and The Good Guys have no Ultra 4 listing at the time of writing, but Costco Australia does range it — at $1,249.99, roughly $100 under Apple’s price. So the honest answer to “where’s the cheapest?” is: Costco AU at $1,249.99 — the cheapest we’ve verified. Apple itself and JB Hi-Fi sell it at $1,349.
Two things soften the number. First, Apple’s own trade-in program lets you hand over an older Apple Watch to reduce the effective price. Second, last year’s Ultra 3 is still sitting at $1,399 at JB Hi-Fi — which means the new model is $50 cheaper than the old one. You won’t find a better “cheapest price” story than that: the upgrade costs less than the clearance stock.
Release date and availability
Apple unveiled the Ultra 4 at Apple Park on 9 September 2026, alongside the iPhone 18 Pro, iPhone Duo and Apple Watch Series 12. It went on sale in Australia on Friday, 18 September 2026 — more than three weeks ago — so this is shipping product, not a pre-order. It runs watchOS 27 and requires an iPhone 11 or later with iOS 27.
What’s new: the upgrades that actually matter
The case is unchanged — the same 49mm titanium body and the same 3,000-nit LTPO3 OLED display with sapphire crystal. Everything new is inside:
50-hour battery. Up from 42 hours on the Ultra 3, and up to 84 hours in Low Power Mode (was 72). A 15-minute charge now adds 18 hours of runtime instead of 12.
18 hours of continuous GPS. This is the headline. With full GPS and heart-rate recording running, the Ultra 4 lasts 18 hours — enough, for the first time, to record an entire Ironman (swim, bike, run) in a single session without dropping into Low Power Mode. Two new endurance modes go further: Extended Workout stretches to 25 hours, and the new Max Extended Workout hits 45 hours with one-second GPS intervals — enough for a 100-mile ultramarathon by Apple’s reckoning.
New Health Sensing System. Redesigned optical and electrical heart sensors, powered by the S11 chip. Background heart-rate readings now arrive every five seconds — 60 times more frequent than before — and heart-rate variability is measured every five minutes, 24 times more often. That extra data feeds a new Readiness score (0–10) that weighs your recent activity, sleep and vitals and tells you whether to push or rest, updating through the day.
Audio Intelligence. The always-on microphone enables Sound Recognition (alerts for doorbells, sirens, alarms, a crying baby), Live Rewind (a transcript of the last 15 seconds of conversation on your wrist), Siri Recap (an end-of-day summary of your conversations, coming later this year) and automatic Shazam. The S11’s new Secure Exclave keeps audio processing hardware-isolated from the rest of the system.
Everything from the Ultra 3 carries over: satellite Emergency SOS, Messages and Find My via satellite (two years of service included), 5G, dual speakers, 100m water resistance with IP6X dust protection, the depth gauge and water-temperature sensor, 64GB of storage, and ECG, blood-oxygen and temperature sensing.
The key specs at a glance
49mm titanium case (natural or black), 3,000-nit always-on LTPO3 OLED display, S11 chip with Secure Exclave, 64GB storage, up to 50 hours battery (84 in Low Power Mode), 18-hour full-GPS workout recording, 100m water resistance, IP6X, MIL-STD-810 tested, satellite connectivity, 5G, eSIM, watchOS 27. It’s 63 grams — a touch heavier than the Ultra 3’s 61.6g. New band colours include a translucent kelp Ocean Band, and the case is 3D-printed from 100% recycled titanium as part of Apple’s 45%-recycled-materials build.
Ultra 4 vs Ultra 3 vs Ultra 2: should you upgrade?
From an Ultra 2: a big jump. The Ultra 2 lacks satellite connectivity, 5G and the LTPO3 display refinements, and its 36-hour battery is well behind the Ultra 4’s 50. If your Ultra 2 battery is fading, this is the upgrade to make.
From an Ultra 3: depends on your sport. The satellite features, 5G and display are identical. You’re paying for battery life, the Health Sensing System and the endurance workout modes. Endurance athletes — the Ironman crowd — get a genuinely new capability. Everyone else can wait.
From a Series watch or first-gen Ultra: the easiest yes. The Ultra 4 does everything the Ultra 3 did, for $50 less, with the best battery and sensors Apple has shipped. The original Ultra, from 2022, doesn’t even run watchOS 27 — it’s had its last major update.
The honest caveats
First, it’s iPhone-only, and a recent one at that — iPhone 11 or later with iOS 27. Android users need not apply.
Second, the Readiness score and the always-on audio features are the least proven parts of the package. The hardware sensors are measurably better, but whether the 0–10 score earns its place next to Garmin’s and Whoop’s readiness metrics will take months of real-world use to judge. Siri Recap doesn’t even arrive until later this year.
Third, 63 grams and 49mm is still a big watch. Small wrists and anyone who wants a watch for the office will be better served by the Series 12.
Finally, the “cheapest price” reality: Costco Australia has it at $1,249.99 — roughly $100 under Apple’s $1,349 — so there is a deal-hunting edge if you have a Costco membership. Don’t buy from grey importers or marketplace sellers to save a bit more — you’ll lose Apple’s warranty and the trade-in safety net.
Where to buy: the price-tracking verdict
For a newly launched Apple product, the price story is unusually simple: Apple Australia and JB Hi-Fi both sell it at $1,349, and Costco Australia has it at $1,249.99 — the only verified discount in the country. There are no bundle deals and no carrier offers at the time of writing — and Apple’s own price history says don’t hold your breath for one. The Ultra 3 never dropped below $1,399 at JB Hi-Fi while it was current.
The cheapest way to own one today: buy at $1,249.99 from Costco Australia (membership required), or buy at $1,349 from Apple or JB Hi-Fi and knock the price down with an Apple trade-in if you have an older watch to hand over. We’ll keep tracking — if Kogan, The Good Guys or a carrier deal appears below $1,249.99, this page gets updated.
Who should buy it
Buy it if you train for triathlons, ultras, long hikes or multi-day adventures — the 18-hour GPS and 45-hour Max Extended mode are the first real reason to pick an Ultra 4 over any previous Ultra. Buy it if your Ultra 2’s battery is dying or you’re still on the original 2022 Ultra. And buy it if you’re an iPhone user who wants the best health sensors Apple makes — the 5-second heart-rate sampling and HRV tracking are a genuine step up.
Think twice if you own an Ultra 3 and don’t do endurance sport — the satellite, display and daily experience are unchanged. Think twice if you’re on Android (see our Samsung Galaxy Ring verdict for a no-subscription health tracker that plays nicer with Galaxy phones). And think twice if $1,249.99 is the ceiling — the Apple Watch Series 12 starts at $649 with the same S11 chip and new sensors.
Our verdict
Verdict: the Apple Watch Ultra 4 is the first Ultra that feels like it was built for the athletes on the box — 18 hours of full-fidelity GPS finally clears an Ironman, and the Health Sensing System is the biggest sensor jump in the line’s history. At $1,349, $50 cheaper than the Ultra 3 it replaces, Apple has priced it like a quiet year and delivered anything but. The cheapest verified price in Australia is $1,249.99 at Costco AU — and at that price, it’s the Ultra to buy.
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Frequently asked questions
How much is the Apple Watch Ultra 4 in Australia?
A$1,349 with the Alpine Loop, Trail Loop or Ocean Band, and A$1,499 with the Titanium Milanese Loop. That’s $50 cheaper than the Ultra 3’s A$1,399 launch price. Prices checked 8 October 2026.
Where is the cheapest place to buy the Apple Watch Ultra 4 in Australia?
Right now, $1,249.99 is the cheapest verified price — available at Costco Australia. Apple Australia and JB Hi-Fi sell it at $1,349. An Apple trade-in on an older watch can reduce the effective price.
What’s new in the Apple Watch Ultra 4 vs the Ultra 3?
The big changes: battery up from 42 to 50 hours (84 in Low Power Mode), a new Health Sensing System with heart rate every 5 seconds and HRV every 5 minutes, a 0–10 Readiness score, 18 hours of continuous GPS recording (new 45-hour Max Extended Workout mode), the S11 chip with Secure Exclave, and Audio Intelligence features like Sound Recognition and Live Rewind. Case, display and satellite features are unchanged.
When was the Apple Watch Ultra 4 released in Australia?
It was unveiled on 9 September 2026 and went on sale in Australia on Friday, 18 September 2026. It runs watchOS 27 and requires an iPhone 11 or later with iOS 27.
Is the Apple Watch Ultra 4 worth upgrading from the Ultra 2?
Yes for most Ultra 2 owners — you gain satellite connectivity, 5G, a much better display, the new Health Sensing System and 14 extra hours of battery (36 vs 50). Ultra 3 owners only need to upgrade if they do endurance sport, since the satellite, display and daily experience are unchanged.
Sources
Apple (Ultra 4 announcement, pricing and availability) — https://www.financialcontent.com/article/bizwire-2026-9-9-apple-unveils-apple-watch-ultra-4
WhistleOut (AU pricing, $50 price cut, new features) — https://www.whistleout.com.au/MobilePhones/News/Apple-Watch-Series-12-Apple-Watch-Ultra-4
Boss Hunting (Ultra 4 price, GPS endurance, Health Sensing System) — https://www.bosshunting.com.au/style/watches/apple-watch-ultra-4-launched
GadgetGuy (AU band pricing: $1,349 / $1,499 Milanese) — https://www.gadgetguy.com.au/apple-watch-ultra-4-series-12-new-health-listening-features/
MacObserver (AU price table: A$1,349) — https://www.macobserver.com/news/apple-watch-series-12-ultra-4-airpods-5-no-published-uk-price/
MacObserver (Ultra 4 vs Ultra 3 comparison) — https://www.macobserver.com/tips/round-ups/apple-watch-ultra-4-vs-ultra-3-what-changed-worth-upgrading/
AppleInsider (Ultra 4 vs Ultra 3 specs) — https://appleinsider.com/articles/26/09/15/apple-watch-ultra-4-vs-apple-watch-ultra-3-apples-premium-smartwatch
Feebee (JB Hi-Fi $1,349 listing; Ultra 3 at $1,399) — https://feebee.com.au/s/apple%20watch%20ultra%20band%2049mm/
Costco AU (Apple Watch Ultra 4 GPS + Cellular 49mm Natural Titanium with Desert Alpine Loop: $1,249.99) — https://www.costco.com.au/Electronics/Smart-Watches/Apple-Watches/Apple-Watch-Ultra-4/Apple-Watch-Ultra-4-GPS-Cellular-49mm-Natural-Titanium-Case-with-Desert-Alpine-Loop/p/283697
