When Samsung unveiled its latest smartwatches at the Unpacked event in London, one model stood out for serious outdoorsy types: the Galaxy Watch Ultra 2. Alongside its rugged design and water-resistant build — rated for 10ATM and IP69K — the Ultra 2 is built for underwater use. But just because the watch can go deep doesn’t mean it will let you do so for free.
A Diving App, But You’ll Pay to Go Deep
Samsung teamed up with Mares, a well-known diving gear brand, to offer a special Diving app for the Ultra 2. The app is set to arrive later this year and promises features similar to a traditional dive computer. But there’s a catch: to unlock the full experience, users must pay for a subscription to Mares’ services.
The Mares app offers different tiers of access. The free tier includes a basic timer with depth, dive time, and an ascent rate alarm. For more detailed tracking, users will have to upgrade.
What You Pay for What You Get
The middle-tier snorkel mode gives users more detail, like GPS tracking, a dive map, compass, stopwatch, and biometrics. That tier will cost $2.99 a month. But if you’re using scuba gear, you’ll likely want the top-tier scuba mode, which costs $7.99 a month or $59.99 annually. That version includes air and nitrox gas tracking, decompression calculations, and safety alerts — all vital for more serious diving trips.
Mares already offers similar plans for Apple Watch users, charging $8.99 a month or $69.99 a year. These prices are a bit higher, so there’s some room to wonder if Samsung’s pricing could change before the app officially launches.
For casual snorkelers, the $2.99 monthly fee might be an easy way to log dives. But for frequent or professional divers, the $7.99 monthly or $59.99 yearly price could be a factor in deciding whether the Watch Ultra 2 is worth the investment. The hardware is there — now it’s up to users to decide if they’re willing to pay to dive deeper.