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Diving is one of the few activities where safety rules are
based on the assumption from the very beginning that help may not be available.
According to professional diver Vytis Vilkas, underwater there is usually no
backup call, no connection to the surface, or the ability to quickly transmit
information. Therefore, everything – from planning to reaction – must work
without external means. This principle remains, but additional means are
emerging that allow you to have a backup communication channel even during deep
or limited visibility dives.
Signals that everyone learns
Although diving equipment and training methods have improved
over the decades, the main method of communication underwater has remained the
same – visual signs. Divers communicate with hand signals, flashes of light, or
touches, because neither voice nor communication devices work at depth. This is
a universal system that is taught in basic courses and allows you to
communicate even when divers speak different languages. The world's largest
diving training organization PADI – Professional Association of Diving
Instructors – states that the most commonly used hand signals are
internationally recognized and allow divers of different languages to
communicate underwater without words. Meanwhile, the Recreational Scuba
Training Council (RSTC) has approved a standardized set of basic signals, which
most training agencies follow.
However, this system has its limits, which are determined by
the environment itself. In poor visibility, mud or stressful situations,
signals can be overlooked or misunderstood. “Hand and light signals are most
commonly used, especially when diving in the dark or underground. We usually
have no contact with the surface, so when conditions become difficult, signals
alone are not enough. For example, if the water is murky, you have to
communicate by touch. In such situations, communication becomes difficult –
although the signals are simple, they are not always properly understood,” says
Vytis Vilkas. Therefore, preparation is of paramount importance for safety:
clear agreements before diving, team discipline and trust in the people you are
diving with. “The most important thing is experience and preparation. During
the courses, everything is explained in detail: checking the equipment, talking
before diving, discussing plans and possible problems. The more you talk and
plan before diving, the safer the dive and the fewer misunderstandings between
team members. In more serious dives, you usually dive with the same team – you
know the people, you know what to expect, and this increases safety,” the
instructor adds.
Technology in everyday diving
Although diving often still relies on human preparation and
team agreements, technology has long become a part of everyday divers’
equipment – especially where accuracy is required. Divers use computers,
decompression planning systems, bottom timers and other devices that help track
time, depth or gas consumption. However, none of them is considered the only
solution - in professional diving, all equipment is duplicated, and advanced
devices always have simpler, more mechanically reliable counterparts.
Although diving often still relies on human preparation and
team agreements, technology has long become a part of everyday divers'
equipment - especially where precision is required. According to technical
diving instructor Vytis Vilkas, the difference between technology and human
preparation is clear: "You can have the most advanced computer, but if you
yourself do not understand what is happening, it will not help. However, when
the brain begins to function poorly due to cold, fatigue or stress, a computer
that does not feel emotions and does not succumb to environmental influences
becomes more reliable. In such cases, its information can be more logical than
a human decision."
Current technologies can provide an additional layer of
security. “Technology allows divers to see more – depth, time, temperature, and
now to stay in touch. This is especially important when visual contact is lost,
visibility changes, or the situation develops differently than planned. This
option has already been integrated into the Huawei Watch Ultimate 2 smartwatch,
in which communication works even underwater,” says Urtė Eidžiūnaitė, Head of
Product Training at Huawei in Lithuania.
Underwater sonar communication
The Huawei Watch Ultimate 2 has
become the first smartwatch that allows messages to be transmitted between
divers underwater. The communication does not work via radio signals, but via
ultrasonic waves, which propagate even under high pressure.
The watch allows you to send
pre-prepared messages up to 30 meters away, and an SOS signal up to 60 meters
away when it is no longer possible to communicate using signs.
Unlike traditional diving equipment, this solution does not
require additional transmitters or a surface station - the connection is built
directly into the watch, which also acts as a full-fledged dive computer. It is
resistant to water pressure, which occurs at a depth of 150 meters, records
depth, time, decompression data and other readings, and if necessary becomes a
backup communication channel where it simply did not exist before. “Most divers
do not use complex professional communication equipment. Therefore, it is quite
logical that such a function appears precisely in a watch – a device that
divers often wear. No additional transmitters or separate equipment are needed
here: one device that you already use for diving simply provides another useful
opportunity – to transmit a message or SOS signal. Such a solution is suitable
not only for experienced divers, but also for beginners or amateurs who want to
have a backup communication method without complex equipment. In addition, the
watch is also designed for other extreme activities – from climbing to night
hikes, therefore it becomes a universal tool for outdoor sports,” says U.
Eidžiūnaitė.”
The Huawei
Watch Ultimate 2 is readily available in the EU with a starting price of
approximately €899 / £799.99, but it has limited to no official availability in
the USA.
EU Price and Availability
The Huawei Watch Ultimate 2 was launched in Europe in
September 2025 and is currently available for purchase through various
retailers and the official HUAWEI UK Store and other local European Huawei
online stores.
Price: The base model (with a
fluoroelastomer band) is generally priced around €899 or £799.99. A version
with a titanium band is also available for a higher price.
Availability: It can be purchased online
via national Huawei websites and major retail partners across Europe.
USA Price and Availability
Official US availability for the Huawei Watch Ultimate 2 is
highly limited or non-existent due to ongoing geopolitical issues.
Availability:
Huawei does not have a major retail presence in the United States for its
smartwatches, and the Watch Ultimate 2 is not expected to be officially
released or supported in the US market.
Price: There is no
official US pricing. If the watch is available through unofficial third-party
importers, prices will vary and consumer support/warranty options would be
uncertain.
