Galaxy Watch Ultra 2 diving features require a subscription — here’s what you’ll pay

Zac Kew-Denniss / Android AuthorityTL;DR Samsung’s new smartwatches just made their formal debut, including the Galaxy Watch Ultra 2. Rated for up to 10ATM, and with an IP69K certification, the Ultra 2 is well equipped for divers. Mares has partnered with Samsung for a Diving app, and we’ve got an early look at how its subscription could work. Samsung just got done showing off all its new summer hardware at Unpacked in London, including the wide new Galaxy Z Fold 8, Fold 8 Ultra, and Flip 8. More than that, though, we also got to meet Samsung’s latest wearables, with the launch of the Galaxy Watch 9 and Watch Ultra 2. The Ultra 2 in particular is packed with some serious features, and beyond the big hardware upgrades, it’s also got a nice set of software exclusives — including an upcoming Diving app from Mares. Ahead of that getting here, we’ve got some important details to share on how you’ll use it.The Galaxy Watch Ultra 2 offers some heavy-duty water resistance, boasting an IP69K rating and the ability to withstand 10 atmospheres of pressure. That kind of protection makes the watch suitable for diving, and to capitalize on the hardware, Samsung announced a partnership with diving brand Mares to bring an exclusive Diving app to the Ultra 2 — well, exclusive across the Wear OS platform, anyway.That app’s set to arrive sometime later this year, and during its Unpacked livestream earlier today, Samsung highlighted a few of the advanced diving features users can expect, rivaling what you’d see in a stand-alone dive computer. But Samsung also revealed that in order to take full advantage of the Diving app, users would need a Mares subscription. What exactly is that going to cost?Well, we haven’t seen Samsung share these details just yet, but according to tipster Dylan H, we’re looking at three service tiers.First there’s the free timer mode, offering the following: Depth Dive time Ascent rate alarm Then we’d have a paid snorkel mode tier: Snorkel session timer Individual dive info including depth and time GPS tracking including distance and route Map Compass Stopwatch Temperature Heart rate And finally, the luxe option — scuba mode: Air Nitrox single 21%-50% Nitrox multigas up to 3 gases Choice of algorithms to calculate decompression requirements Depth Dive time Decompression information Safety stop Several diving related alarms Stopwatch Compass Temperature Heart rate As for pricing, we’re told the snorkel mode will run Ultra 2 owners $2.99/month, while the full scuba mode would be available for $7.99/month or an annual $59.99/year plan. For what it’s worth, Mares already has an app for iOS (and Apple’s own Ultra smartwatch), and over there monthly access is $8.99, while the annual subscription goes for $69.99 (or $119.99 for a whole family of divers). That makes us a little curious if we might see an adjustment prior to the Ultra 2’s app arriving — for now, we’ll just have to wait for it to actually get here.Samsung Galaxy Watch Ultra 2Samsung Galaxy Watch Ultra 2Rugged design • Big battery • Bright display • WearOS • Snapdragon Wear EliteBuilt for adventure with a bigger battery and brighter displayThe Galaxy Watch Ultra 2 is built for demanding adventures with a larger 5,000-nit display, an 800mAh battery, titanium construction, and the Snapdragon Wear Elite chip. From diving to trail running, it's Samsung's most capable smartwatch yet.Thank you for being part of our community. Read our Comment Policy before posting.