The Oceanic Plus app turns the Apple Watch into a dive computer. | Image: Apple
Divers no longer have to wait to use the Apple Watch Ultra as a dive computer. Starting today, you can download the Oceanic Plus app to plan, track, and review dives.
While the Ultra has a native Depth app, it’s not meant to be used as a dive computer. It’s more for activities like underwater pool swims and snorkeling. It mostly tells you the water temperature and time as well as current and maximum depth. Conversely, the Oceanic Plus app was designed by Huish Outdoors to be used as a wrist-worn dive computer for depths up to 40 meters (130 feet). Before dives, users can set their surface time, depth, and gas, which the app will then use to calculate a no-decompression time, which is how long a diver can stay at a given depth. Divers can also view tides, water temperature, visibility, and currents from the dive planner. Following a dive, divers can view their GPS entry and exit locations and a summary of the dive itself.
Image: Apple
The Oceanic Plus app gives color-coded safety guidance.
Image: Apple
Some of the metrics you can view on the Oceanic Plus app.
During a dive, the Oceanic Plus app displays metrics like current depth, maximum depth, no-deco time, water temperature, how long it will take to surface, battery level, and ascent speed. It’ll also display color-coded safety warnings if you’ve reached your no-decompression limit or are ascending too quickly. It also gives safety stop guidance so divers can safely resurface after a dive. Pressing the Action button will also allow divers to set a compass heading.
The Ultra is both EN 13319 and WR100 certified, which is standard for dive accessories. The Oceanic Plus app also adds seven complications to the Ultra in the event that you want to set a watchface specifically for diving.
The main catch is that the Oceanic Plus app isn’t entirely free. There is a free plan that includes dive functions like depth and time as well as logging recent dives. However, features like decompression tracking, location planning, and an unlimited logbook require a $9.99 monthly or $79.99 yearly subscription. In the US, users can also pay $129 per year to use the app with Family Sharing.
Unfortunately, we can’t say how well the Oceanic Plus works with the Ultra just yet. We’ll be testing the app with divers soon, however, so stay tuned.