- Kyle Chua
Oceanic+ Dive Computer App Arrives on Apple Watch Ultra
Your Apple Watch Ultra can now become a fully capable dive computer, with the long-awaited release of Oceanic+.
The app, which was developed by Apple in collaboration with scuba gear maker Huish Outdoors, enables the Watch Ultra to track essential metrics during a dive, including depth, no-decompression time and water temperature, to name a few, and it's able to do this for up to 40 metres, or 130 feet, under the surface.
What's more, you can use the app to plan dives by setting your surface time, depth and gas. The app then calculates your no-decompression time, a metric that's used to determine duration limits at certain depths. It also integrates dive conditions, such as tides, water temperature, and even up-to-date information from the community like visibility and currents. After your dive, the app automatically shows you GPS entry and exit locations, along with a summary of your dive profile.
Apple and Huish Outdoors tout that the app was purposefully designed to work underwater. You can, for instance, access features quickly via the action button, saving you from having to navigate the app using the touchscreen. The app also makes use of haptic feedback to alert you on notifications, which can supposedly be felt through a wetsuit.
The basic tracking features of Oceanic+ like depth, time and dive logging are available for free. Decompression tracking and location planning, among other advanced features, however, are locked behind a paywall that costs S$14.98 per month or S$119.98 per year. There's also a family plan that allows access for up to five people for S$188.98 per year, which could be useful for people who dive together regularly.
Oceanic+ requires the Watch Ultra to be running watchOS 9.1 paired with iPhone 8 or later, and iPhone SE (2nd generation) or later running iOS 16.1. The app is now available for download on the App Store.
"At Huish Outdoors, our purpose is fueling the human spirit for adventure,” says CEO Mike Huish. "Oceanic+ on Apple Watch Ultra is one of the biggest innovations to hit the dive industry in a long time. We’re creating an accessible, shareable, better diving experience for everybody."
Your Apple Watch Ultra can now become a fully capable dive computer, with the long-awaited release of Oceanic+.
The app can track essential metrics during a dive, including depth, no-decompression time and water temperature, to name a few, and it's able to do this for up to 40 metres, or 130 feet, under the surface.
You can also use the app to plan dives by setting your surface time, depth and gas.
The basic features are free, while advanced features like decompression tracking and location planning cost S$14.98 per month.