Apple Watch Ultra 2 VERY dim inside and dark enviroments..

This morning I have noticed a similar problem on a new Apple Watch Series 9, the display dims more than expected if I have the window in front of me and a dark wall behind. The problem seems more noticeable with bright light in front and dark behind. I didn't notice the same problem with my Watch Series 7 after updating to WatchOS 10, so the problem might be only on the Series 9 and Ultra 2 ranges. (I erased the Series 7 last night ready to re-home with my sister so I can't check again).

I'm off to Feedback - Watch - Apple to post a change request!

Absolutely right if you haven’t already sent in your feedback about the dimming of the Apple Watch Ultra 2 please send in your feedback. Otherwise we’ll get nothing done. This situation needs to be resolved. Keep calling Apple support and complaining.

www.apple.com/feedback please people we all spent over $800 on this watch. Let’s get them to do something about it now.

Also, when you file feedback (PLEASE DO!) copy this thread into the notes so they can see all the "Me Too" here.

Only way it gets attention is to show them the proof. As it stands, I see in my feedback notes that there are no other reports of this, which is completely untrue.

Complaining here only does so much.

Apple Watch Feedback Page:

What I completely do not understand is why on the brightness there’s only three settings minimum middle end why can’t you just turn the dial to adjust the amount of brightness you want it just doesn’t make sense.

Fellow enthusiasts, let me introduce you to a nifty trick I’ve dubbed the Quantum Photon Replenishment Maneuver. It’s quite simple:

1. First, set your watch’s action button to flashlight mode.

2. Cup your hand over the watch face to create a ‘mini photon echo chamber.’

3. Briefly engage the flashlight for about half a second, then turn it off. Don’t worry, there’s no risk of overcharging, but ensure the light stays on just long enough to activate the process.

Once you remove your hand, you’ll notice your watch springs into a state of ‘heightened awareness’ with the brightness fully restored. Granted, it’s a fleeting fix, but it should buy you just enough time to navigate those crucial moments in the dark.

Seems likely that an optimization or new feature is getting worked that inadvertently messed this up. This is not just a WatchOS QA failure. There were a chain of people involved in the release process that “chose very poorly” on this impact.

In the pantheon of notable Apple software bugs over the last 10 or 12 years, this one is well inside the top 1%.

• we had a 6.2 earthquake a few days ago before the sun came up, shook enough to crack and audibly grind the concrete walls in my apartment. I had my Watch Ultra 2 on, with the default of max brightness. The display was so **** dim I couldn’t see anything on the Watch face, and “Siri set brightness to max” was blocked - no access. Thank God that “Siri turn on the flashlight” worked, although I will note that it took three seconds after the flashlight came on for the brightness to switch from “lame af” to a usable max.
• While riding a bike through the city on my way home tonight, I couldn’t see the route details on the watch face.
• When I got home to an only partially lit house tonight, at “maximum user-controlled brightness” the control panel on my watch ultra 2 was dim I couldn’t tell which button was which to locate/ring my iPhone.

Like everybody else who has faced this issue over the last couple weeks, I tried manually adjusting brightness, hunting through accessibility menus to figure out if there was some setting that inadvertently got flipped on, turned the flashlight mode on and off. No dice. Controlling the brightness on my watch is out of my hands, which is a UX felony offense.

After installing and using Lunar to overrride the brightness settings on my MBPs + XDR Pros at work and home, i’m calling out the watchOS team here to provide that same level of access to watchOS developers.

I have no sympathy for the watchOS team on his one. It’s fall in the northern hemisphere, coming up on winter. For probably 80%+ of watch owners the days are getting shorter and darker. Not the time to be darkening “user-accessible max display brightness” when it’s dark, guys.

I intend to contact the FTC about this. I already prepared a letter. If anyone gives me good reasons not to, I will reconsider. The arrogance and disregard is beyond the pale.

If we have a watch at 3000 nits and a mega bright torch this problem makes no sense, there’s a simple fix Apple. Allow us to manually turn the ambient light sensor off.

I have the same issue, brand new ultra 2 and absolutely UNUSABLE in the dark. It is really ULTRA experience… Apple, where is some software update???

10.2 is “better” on my Series 9. But still not back to where it was on my Series 4. Poor implementation, in my opinion.

Better, but not good enough for me. We really need a setting for minimum brightness.

FINALLY an accommodation in Accessibility!!! Wooooo!!!!!!

Those “keeping current…” Pay attention.

I haven't tried it with other faces yet. I just looked and it's interesting the night mode so far has only showed up on the way finder face. I just looked at two others and I have Style > Dial Color > Color and Complications but no night mode...

the screwy thing is I would expect it to be available under the settings > display and brightness but no luck.

Seems like the auto dim is only on way finder but I wonder if that affects all the others.

I would agree apple needs to fix this.

The same! I bought an Apple Watch Ultra 2 on Amazon and I have until February 1 to return it. If Apple does not fix the screen brightness at night, I will RETURN the product. This is a scandal!!! My old Apple Watch has a brighter screen!!!