Apple’s Watch Ultra 4 no longer lists GLONASS among its supported satellite-navigation systems. MacRumors spotted the change in Apple’s technical specifications and reported that the new Ultra supports GPS, Galileo, QZSS and BeiDou, while the previous Ultra 3 also listed GLONASS. Apple has not given a public reason for the change.
GLONASS is Russia’s global navigation satellite system and is one of several networks that can contribute positioning data. Removing one system does not mean the watch has lost satellite navigation altogether. Apple’s official specifications still list multiple systems and dual-frequency positioning for the Ultra 4, which is designed for outdoor activities.
The change may have a limited effect for most users. Modern receivers can combine signals from several constellations, and the usefulness of a particular system depends on location, antenna design, receiver behavior and the conditions around the wearer. MacRumors notes that consumer devices often receive only the L1 GLONASS signal, while the Ultra is built around a broader dual-frequency positioning approach.
Apple’s official product announcement focuses on the Health Sensing System, the S11 chip and longer workout battery life. The satellite list appears in the technical specifications rather than in the launch presentation. That makes the navigation change easy to miss, but it is relevant to hikers, runners and other users who compare the watch by its mapping hardware.
Apple Watch Series 12 still lists GLONASS, according to the same report, so the change is specific to the Ultra 4 specification rather than an across-the-board removal from Apple’s watch lineup. Users should not assume that the omission alone predicts a real-world accuracy loss. Independent field testing will be needed before drawing that conclusion. For now, the confirmed fact is narrower: Apple’s published Ultra 4 specification names four satellite systems instead of five.
The Apple Watch Ultra 4 specification is the reference point for this navigation change. Independent field testing will show whether the listed constellation set affects users in practice.
