Apple Watch Series 6 Features U1 Chip for Ultra Wideband - MacRumorsOpen MenuShow RoundupsShow Forums menuVisit ForumsOpen Sidebar
Skip to Content

Apple Watch Series 6 Features U1 Chip for Ultra Wideband

Apple Watch Series 6 models are equipped with a U1 chip for Ultra Wideband support, according to tech specs on Apple's website.

f1600190370
Introduced in iPhone 11 models last year, the U1 chip enables improved spatial awareness. The distance between two devices that support Ultra Wideband can be measured precisely by calculating the time that it takes for a radio wave to pass between the two devices, with much more accuracy than Bluetooth LE and Wi-Fi.

Apple has so far only used the technology to power a directional AirDrop feature in iOS 13, but it has promised more exciting use cases in the future. One of those will likely be its rumored AirTags items trackers, which analyst Ming-Chi Kuo has previously said will support Ultra Wideband, allowing users to locate lost items with greater accuracy.

Earlier this year, MacRumors teamed up with repair site iFixit to confirm that the 2020 iPad Pro lacks the U1 chip, so the fact that it is included in the Apple Watch Series 6 provides reassurance that Apple is still committed to Ultra Wideband.

The lower-cost Apple Watch SE is not equipped with a U1 chip, according to Apple's tech specs.

Related Roundup: Apple Watch 12
Buyer's Guide: Apple Watch (Buy Now)
Related Forum: Apple Watch

Popular Stories

Surprise and Shine Live Coverage Article

Apple Event Live Blog: iPhone Duo, iPhone 18 Pro, and More

Wednesday September 9, 2026 9:10 am PDT by
Apple's "Surprise and Shine" event kicks off today at 10:00 a.m. Pacific Time, where we're expecting to see the foldable iPhone Duo, the iPhone 18 Pro and Pro Max, Apple Watch Series 12 and Ultra 4 models, new AirPods 5 earphones, and perhaps some other announcements. Apple is providing a live video stream on its website, on YouTube, and in the company's TV app across various platforms. We...
Apple Watch Ultra 2 Black Titanium

New Apple Watch Series 12 and Apple Watch Ultra 4 Features Revealed

Sunday August 30, 2026 7:54 am PDT by
Bloomberg's Mark Gurman today further outlined what to expect from the Apple Watch Series 12 and Apple Watch Ultra 4 set to be unveiled on September 9. While it was initially rumored that Touch ID may be coming to the Apple Watch this year, Gurman reiterated that he does not expect the Series 12 or Ultra 4 to have any major design changes compared to the current Series 11 and Ultra 3 models. ...
apple surprise and shine event

Apple Event Today: iPhone 18 Pro and iPhone Duo Cheat Sheet

Tuesday September 8, 2026 10:24 am PDT by
Apple's biggest event of the year is almost here, and all eyes are on Cupertino. With the first foldable iPhone expected to headline Apple's "Surprise and Shine" event on Wednesday, September 9, at 10:00 a.m. Pacific Time, the rumor mill has been running full throttle, fuelled by the biggest single design change in the life of the iPhone. To get you up to speed, here's a quick reference...

Top Rated Comments

78 months ago

Who really loses there watch
It's not about finding your watch. Its about telling other devices where exactly your watches is.

So when you go to open your front door, the opener knows your watch is EXACTLY 2 cms from the door handle and can unlock it as you reach for it.

Untill now smart locks had to make guesses when your going to open the door based on where you have been.
Score: 7 Votes (Like | Disagree)
Toratek Avatar
78 months ago

is it true they got rid of the sapphire glass on the front of the Apple Watch on the stainless steel models?
No, it is not true.




Attachment Image
Score: 7 Votes (Like | Disagree)
LFC2020 Avatar
78 months ago

So I know bringing this guy up anywhere near these forms gives some people spontaneous brain aneurysms but...

View post on X
So full of himself, it's not funny.
Score: 7 Votes (Like | Disagree)
78 months ago
hope Tesla implements CarKey. would be nice to just wave at the door to unlock instead of relying on sketchy bluetooth via iPhone for distance monitoring.

I believe CarKey will eventually use U1 for passive entry.
Score: 7 Votes (Like | Disagree)
DudeDad Avatar
78 months ago
Here's a screen shot from Apple's site comparing the Series 6 (left), SE (middle), Series 3 (right) - Looks like the front and back of all Series 6 watches are sapphire

Attachment Image
Score: 5 Votes (Like | Disagree)
lanegandy Avatar
78 months ago

Graphite or Titanium??? which one is better?
Titanium is technically higher end but it looks closer to Aluminum in my opinion. It's just a preference thing at that point.
Score: 4 Votes (Like | Disagree)

🔗 Related Apple News & Rumors

Stay updated with the latest Apple ecosystem news and verified rumors