Starting from today , Apple Watch Ultra Owners can download the tech giant’s new Oceanic Plus dive app to turn their latest wearable into a recreational dive computer.
The Watch Ultra already has a Depth app, which can tell you the depth and temperature of the water. Oceanic Plus (Opens in a new tab) It displays the same information, but if you want to take the dive more seriously, you’ll need something more. The app has a no-decompression timer to set limits on how deep a dive can be and how long users will not experience decompression sickness. Its user interface (UI) displays brightly color-coded indicators to let you know when it’s appropriate to dive deeper, stop, or slow down. The user interface seemed to be a major focus for the developers as typical dive computers can be difficult to understand, especially for newcomers.
Dive planning
Located on the app is a dive chart where you can see conditions, like tides and currents, like today. You can also create rooftop time when you have to come back. Once you jump out of the water, you’ll be given a post-dive summary report that shows how far you’ve dived, among other things. For a more in-depth report, you can download the iPhone version to tell you the exact speed at which you dive and even log any local wildlife you may have seen. some reports (Opens in a new tab) It claims that the iPhone app “needs a little work” due to some “graphic inconsistencies” such as text misalignments.
Notifications from the chart are sent via vibrations strong enough to penetrate wetsuits 7 mm (about 0.27 in) thick. According to the advertisement, the haptic feedback was chosen because sound spreads out more underwater. If you’re diving with someone who has a beeping dive computer, it can be difficult to determine where the audio notification is coming from. Oceanic Plus also remaps the action button so the app can be used even if you have a wetsuit on. Pressing the button before you dive launches Oceanic Plus into a predictive screen. Pressing mid-dive sets your position.
Before downloading the app, you need to make sure that your Watch Ultra is running watchOS9.1 and that it’s paired with software iPhone 8 or later. However, you can use the second generation iPhone SE or later with iOS 16.1 installed. Oceanic Plus is free, but for $9.99 per month, new features such as “stress relief tracking” can be added. [and] Site chart…” The core app contains “common diving functions” such as a timer and depth indicator.
It is important to reiterate that Oceanic Plus is for recreational diving. The app only works up to 40 meters (130 feet) underwater. Also, it cannot track the oxygen level in a scuba tank like other dive computers do.
other devices
We highly doubt Oceanic Plus will see a launch on other Apple devices since it was made specifically for the Watch Ultra. In fact, the device is WR100 and EN 13319 certified. The former means that the watch’s device can survive depths of up to 100 meters (although Apple recommends not exceeding 40 meters) while the latter means that it is “internationally recognized” as a diving accessory .
With a price tag of $800, the Watch Ultra can be more expensive than typical dive computers that can range from a few hundred dollars to $1,500, according to our research. But given the Watch Ultra’s usefulness and friendlier user interface, Oceanic Plus could set a new standard for recreational divers.
If you’re in the market for a new wearable, be sure to check out TechRadar Our list of top 10 smartwatches has been updated recently.
