Apple Watch Ultra saves life of man swept away by rough seas, rescued after emergency call from smartwatch

Apple Watch has saved scores of lives till date and it is continuing to prove that it is more than a smartwatch.

By: AYUSHMANN CHAWLA
| Updated on: Jul 17 2024, 07:05 IST
Apple Watch Ultra 2: Price, specs, features, more
Apple Watch Ultra saves life of man swept away by rough seas, rescued after emergency call from smartwatch
1/7 On September 12, 2023, Apple launched the Apple Watch Ultra 2 alongside the iPhone 15 lineup. Apple claims the smartwatch to be an improved version of the original “most rugged” smartwatch. The event unfolded various new specs and features about the watch that may excite buyers, however, the price is hefty. (Apple)
Apple Watch Ultra saves life of man swept away by rough seas, rescued after emergency call from smartwatch
2/7 The Apple Watch Ultra 2 is powered by the new S9 SiP which the company claims to be Apple’s most powerful watch chip ever. The watch is equipped with a brand-new 4-core Neural Engine, which is capable of operating machine learning tasks at double the speed of the original Apple Watch Ultra. The smartwatch runs on new watchOS 10 software that will include new features.  (Apple)
Apple Watch Ultra saves life of man swept away by rough seas, rescued after emergency call from smartwatch
3/7 Apple has introduced a new double-tap Gesture feature that enables users to easily control the Apple Watch Ultra 2 using just two fingers,  index finger and thumb twice for various actions without touching the display. The gesture can be used to stop a timer, play and pause music, or snooze an alarm,  answer and end a phone call, take a photo with the Camera Remote, and more. (Apple)
Apple Watch Ultra saves life of man swept away by rough seas, rescued after emergency call from smartwatch
4/7 The Apple Watch Ultra 2 comes with a 3000 nits display, which is 50 percent brighter than the first generation. It can be accessed properly during bright sunlight, dark rooms or early mornings. The in-display flashlight is also improved with  Digital Crown which temporarily doubles the brightness. It provides a larger display with its new “ Modular Ultra” watch face. It enables easy viewing of sports, outdoor adventures, and ocean and water activities. (Apple)
Apple Watch Ultra saves life of man swept away by rough seas, rescued after emergency call from smartwatch
5/7 Apple Watch Ultra 2 is integrated with On-Device Siri for easy access to  Log Health Data. Now you do not need the internet for starting workout or setting a timer as Siri does not rely on Wi-Fi or cellular networks. Additionally, as per Apple, the watch is perfect for water sports. Use can easily scuba dive, kitesurf, or wakeboard wearing the watch. The Oceanic+ app app now shows in-depth information about water sports.  (Apple)
Apple Watch Ultra saves life of man swept away by rough seas, rescued after emergency call from smartwatch
6/7 Lastly, the newly announced Apple Watch is designed with carbon-neutral products and is made up of 95 percent recycled titanium. The  Alpine Loop variant will be available in blue, indigo, and olive colors. Whereas, the Trail Loop will include orange/beige, green/grey, blue/black, and ocean band colors. (Apple)
Apple Watch Ultra saves life of man swept away by rough seas, rescued after emergency call from smartwatch
7/7 People in Australia, Canada, France, Germany, India, Japan, the UAE, the U.K., the US can order the Apple Watch Ultra 2. The watch will be made available in stores from Friday, September 22. The price of the Apple Watch Ultra in India is Rs. 89900 and in the US it costs $799. (Apple)
Apple Watch Ultra saves life of man swept away by rough seas, rescued after emergency call from smartwatch
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Apple Watch Ultra is made for active sports enthusiasts and it is known for its enhanced durability and water resistance up to 100 metres (AFP)

Apple Watch has proven to be a life saving gadget and there are scores of stories on the internet telling how the wearable saved people in near death scenarios. Adding to those stories is a new incident in which an Apple Watch Ultra played a crucial role to save the life of a man who was swept away by water in rough seas. As per a report covered by ABC News, an experienced surfer, found himself in distress when he was caught in a powerful impact zone, unable to navigate back to shore. Luckily, he was wearing a performance oriented Apple Watch Ultra and was able to call for help through his smartwatch.

Despite his experience in surfing and swimming, the man was unable to find a safe route back to the shore and realised that he needed immediate assistance. "It became clear after about 20 minutes that I wasn't going to make it back in and I needed some assistance," he said while speaking to ABC News.

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"I copped a couple of big ones on the head and was held under for a while. I started to panic a bit and cramp up underwater there," he further added.

How Apple Watch Ultra saved surfer's life

Fortunately, the Australian surfer, Shearman, was wearing his Apple Watch Ultra that comes with a built-in cellular connection. Shearman was able to reach out to emergency services though his watch and the call remained active for an hour until rescue teams reached him.

Also read: iPhone and Apple Watch built-in emergency SOS features you should know about

"At this point I was a long way out to sea, I was being buffeted by wind and big swells, it was actually quite difficult to utilise [the watch]. I had to hold it up to my ear to hear what was going on and speak to the respondent," He explained.

Also read: Apple Watch X concept revealed: Here's how the next smartwatch from Apple may look like

For those who are unaware, Apple Watch Ultra is made for active sports enthusiasts and it is known for its enhanced durability and water resistance up to 100 metres. The features proved critical in Shearman's rescue.

Reflecting on his ordeal, Shearman expressed gratitude for the technology that aided in his rescue. "It's amazing that I was able to use that technology to save my life," he said, emphasising the pivotal role of the Apple Watch Ultra in alerting and guiding emergency responders to his location.

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First Published Date: 16 Jul, 09:54 IST
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