Updated Sept. 3 with more details of what’s reported about Apple Watch Ultra 3.
A new Apple Watch Ultra is on its way, it seems, expected to launch on Tuesday, Sept. 9 alongside the iPhone 17 series. You can read a full run-down of what’s coming when here. This is what’s expected of the third iteration of Apple’s chunkier, sportier smartwatch.
Apple Watch Ultra 2: what will the Ultra 3 be like?
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Apple Watch Ultra 3 At Last
In September 2024, alongside the Apple Watch Series 10, many expected Apple Watch Ultra 3 to be announced. Instead, the world was treated to Apple Watch Ultra 2 again, but in a new color. This led to the slightly confusing situation where Series 10 had a more powerful and more recent processor than the pricier Ultra 2. It’s thought that in some regards, the two processors had similar performance were about the same, so there were Series 11 features which also worked for the Ultra 2 (in both colors, of course).
Apple Watch Ultra 3 will almost certainly see a return to parity of processors between the regular and Ultra watches. This time, it seems, there’ll be an all-new Ultra 3, with a tweaked design and display as well as a new chip.
Apple Watch Ultra 3 New Processor
The new chip will almost certainly be called S11. Reports suggest it may have similar performance to the S10 released last September in the Series 10 Apple Watch. If that sounds disappointing, remember that Apple has never released a chip that’s not up to performing well.
The new chip could be smaller, too, which leaves more space for other components. Crucially, this could mean there’s room for a bigger battery, which is always a crowd-pleaser.
That said, Apple routinely maintains battery life rather than extending it, instead using the extra energy for new features.
Apple Watch Ultra 3 Display
The iOS 26 beta has code that hints the display will be better by about 12 pixels in each direction, which would make it the biggest Apple Watch display yet. This will most likely be achieved through thinner bezels rather than a changed case.
It will also likely adopt the superior screen tech that came to the Apple Watch Series 10. This meant that select watch faces, like Reflections, could update every second even in standby, meaning a sneaky glance down at your wrist during a dull meeting could tell you the time with to-the-second precision.
The Apple Watch Series 10 display was also brighter than the Ultra 2, so expect that benefit to apply for Ultra 3 as well.
Apple Watch Ultra 3 Blood Pressure Monitoring
Other smartwatches have this, but Apple doesn’t yet. It isn’t a shoo-in this year, and if it does come, it will surely be in Series 11 as well. It’s thought that instead of enabling users to take blood pressure readings, it will monitor in the background and alert if there’s sign of high blood pressure — a bit like the heart rate monitoring does right now.
As is common with health features on Apple devices, the data can be shared with a doctor or other medical professional if hypertension is spotted.
Apple Watch Ultra 3 Connectivity
This could be the first 5G Apple Watch, instead of limiting the cellular model to 4G, which is the fastest cellular connection Apple Watches have managed until now, and it may have satellite connectivity. That’s something Google just announced for the Pixel Watch 4, but this could go on sale before Google’s timepiece. Satellite connectivity means that an emergency SOS feature could be enabled when you’re out of cellular connectivity and possibly non-emergency messaging, when away from the cellular network, too.
Apple Watch Ultra, from the first version, has always been geared towards more outdoorsy types (though don’t beat yourself up if you chose it just because you prefer the design) so being outside cellular connections could be especially useful.
The switch to 5G may happen because of a Mediatek 5G RedCap chip, which is a version of 5G designed for devices like wearables. It doesn’t have the speed of bandwidth of regular 5G, but is faster than 4G.
Apple Watch Series 10 had a redesign with a larger charging coil in a metal case rather than a ceramic back. It meant that the Series 10 was able to charge to 80% in 30 minutes, which is 15 minutes faster than Series 9 could manage.
This is particularly helpful on Series 10 because the battery only lasts one day. The Ultra 2 battery lasts two days, but even so, if this redesign comes to the Ultra 3 (which is not confirmed), and it means faster recharging, it will be a useful boon.
There will be more to learn when the keynote happens on Sept. 9, but these features are intriguing, at least.