Apple Watch Ultra 4 needs to steal these two features from the Garmin Fenix 9 right away

The Apple Watch Ultra 4 is rumored to be unveiled during Apple's Surprise and Shine event on September 9th, and it will be competing against Garmin's flagship sports watches, the Fenix 9 and Fenix 9 Pro, announced on August 25th. Both Apple and Garmin have consistently delivered some of the best sports watches available, with Apple making significant improvements in accuracy, battery life, and training analysis features with each Ultra generation.

However, there are still two features that Garmin's Fenix 9 Pro has that would be beneficial to include in the Apple Watch Ultra 4. First, the ability to have maps within activity screens would be a simple update that's already standard across many sports watches. On the Apple Watch Ultra 3, maps and navigation can be accessed, but maps can't be displayed as a data screen during workouts, forcing users to exit the Workout app to view them.

The Garmin Fenix 9, on the other hand, allows users to view the map screen and even overlay activity stats for a more seamless experience. This feature could potentially be updated as a software feature during Apple's September event, benefiting older Apple Watch models as well. Second, a built-in flashlight would be an impressive addition to the Apple Watch Ultra 4.

While most of Garmin's top watches now feature a built-in flashlight, which is incredibly useful for various tasks such as navigating in the dark, finding lost items, or providing extra light during evening runs, the Apple Watch Ultra 4 currently lacks this feature. Although users can use the screen as a makeshift torch, it's not as bright, easy to direct, or as convenient as a built-in LED light.

Any kind of built-in flashlight would greatly enhance the Apple Watch Ultra's functionality and align well with the "surprise and shine" theme of the September event.