The GPS functions of three Apple watches, including the Apple Watch Ultra, no longer rely on iPhone.

CTOnews.com, December 21, if you are considering buying Apple Watch, you should know some information about GPS. Apple has confirmed that even if the iPhone is nearby, Apple Watch Ultra, Apple Watch Series 8, and Apple Watch SE (Generation 2) will not take advantage of the GPS signal on the iPhone. All three Apple Watch models have built-in GPS, while previous models still use iPhone's GPS signal.

CTOnews.com learned that Apple officially wrote in its official update log recently:

Even if your iPhone is nearby, Apple Watch Ultra, Apple Watch Series 8, and Apple Watch SE (Generation 2) will use the built-in Apple Watch GPS. To extend battery life, older Apple Watch models will use GPS on your iPhone when it is available.

Apple has more confidence in the three new Apple Watch models that extend battery life by using the GPS on the iPhone. Apple also introduced a low-power mode in watchOS 9, which can extend battery life with GPS and heart rate data disabled.