Apple Watch Ultra 4 has dropped GLONASS support for satellite-based positioning. According to the technical specifications, the watch supports the GPS, Galileo, QZSS and BeiDou systems. The previous model, Apple Watch Ultra 3, also included GLONASS, operated by Russia, alongside these systems. The company did not explain the reason for the change. In Ultra 4’s dual-frequency GNSS architecture, GLONASS’s offering of mostly only the L1 signal on consumer devices may limit its additional benefit. Signal architecture and satellite-based timing corrections can also complicate position calculations and lead to measurement errors. Therefore, having more satellite systems does not always provide greater accuracy. The Ultra series focuses on precise tracking during outdoor activities.
Why it matters
This choice shows that for those who use the Ultra series during outdoor activities, the quality of the signals used by the device, rather than the number of satellites, is the determining factor. GLONASS’s offering of mostly only the L1 signal on consumer devices means that it may not contribute as much to a dual-frequency GNSS architecture as the other systems. Incompatibilities between signal architecture and satellite-based timing corrections also show that broader support does not automatically produce more accurate positioning information. However, Apple’s failure to explain the reason for the change leaves open the question of whether the decision is related to technical limitations or another design preference. For users who primarily expect precise tracking, this uncertainty shows that the technical specifications list alone is not sufficient.
Background
Apple is not a new name in the FikirPilot archive: we have published 55 news stories mentioning this name in the last 90 days; the latest is dated September 11, 2026.