Along with the Apple Watch Series 9, the Apple Watch Ultra 2 may be announced later this year. This information comes from Bloomberg's Mark Gurman's "Power Up" newsletter, which suggests that the follow-up to Apple's rugged wearable will be announced sooner than expected.

Previous rumors suggested that a follow-up to the Apple Watch Ultra would not see the light of day until 2024, but that may not be the case. Unfortunately, Gurman has no information other than the fact that a) the product exists and will appear, and b) its codename is N210. Still, that won't stop ultrafans from getting excited about what this new product will bring to the table.

The Apple Watch Ultra already boasts the largest screen and longest battery life among the best Apple Watches, as well as unique features like customizable action buttons and a safety siren. But that doesn't mean it can't be improved upon.

The Ultra promises 36 hours of battery life (longer with low-power mode), but it still can't match the best Garmin watches when it comes to longevity. Many people will want the longer charge time of the Ultra 2, especially if they use it for heavy GPS tracking or use it in conjunction with a dive computer.

Meanwhile, Gurman has previously speculated that Ultra's always-on Retina LTPO OLED display could be replaced by a Micro LED version in a future update. In the TV world, Micro LEDs have been shown to provide brighter colors and better off-angle views. Unfortunately, however, the cost of wearables may increase due to higher production costs.

While this shift may seem abrupt and unlikely for the second-generation Apple Watch Ultra, it is possible that Apple could improve performance with an increased processor. The current Ultra runs on Apple's W3 and U1 chips, as well as the S8 SiP, a 64-bit dual-core processor. Since Apple has introduced a new Watch processor every year since the first generation model, this would seem like a wise bet.

Benefits of the new Apple Watch Ultra 2 chip could include the ability to run more apps simultaneously, not to mention improvements in all the fitness tracking data that the Apple Watch Ultra collects. The power upgrade could also allow Apple to introduce new features exclusive to the Apple Watch Ultra 2.

Athletes, health fanatics, and weekend warriors will be watching for the Apple Watch Ultra 2 to be revealed at Apple's September event. But there are many other refreshes planned, including an iPhone 15, a 13-inch MacBook Pro M3, and two iPad Pros with OLED screens. And finally, Gurman mentioned that development of the AirPods Pro 3 has begun.

While we wait for September to arrive, check out the Apple Watch Ultra 2 hub for the latest leaks.