Apple just hosted its much-anticipated "Awe-Dropping" event, and it would not be an exaggeration to say it lived up to its name for the major hardware upgrades it announced. While the iPhone 17 series remained in the spotlight, the tech giant also introduced its new Apple Watches, and we remained hooked on the new Apple Watch Ultra 3. Since it is the company's Pro series and has not been revamped since Ultra 2 came out in 2023, it has been widely awaited. This year's model brings improvements internally and externally, and could be a promising upgrade.
Apple Watch Ultra 3 launches with larger display, slimmer bezels, satellite connectivity, and more
Apple seems to focus on improving the display and making the two-year gap worthwhile. Apple Watch Ultra 3 has the largest display yet, making it perfect for keeping track of your fitness data and viewing notifications or navigating maps. Since the Cupertino giant incorporated its latest LTPO3 OLED technology, this has brought about some major improvements in the wearable's refresh rate, brightness, and overall efficiency.
The peak brightness of 4,000 nits makes it perfect for outdoor use and offers major improvements in terms of visibility. With the help of a wide-angle OLED panel, the new watch is 40 percent brighter when viewed from the side, and you can glance easily even if you are not keeping your wrist straight. The bezels have also been reduced by 24 percent, giving more visual space and making the smartwatch aesthetically more appealing.
The Ultra 3 model is equipped with a 5G modem, mirroring the offering of the Watch 11 and SE 3 series. Battery life is also seeing massive improvements since Apple is claiming that the Ultra 3 can survive for 42 hours on a single charge. So, we see a significant jump in the longevity of the smartwatch, especially with the new 5G model and always-on display.
Performance remains a major focus every time Apple introduces any hardware. We can see that with the Apple Watch Ultra 3, which is getting a new S11 chip that brings both efficiency gains and a space-saving architecture to ensure extended battery life, more room for other components, and an overall smoother performance with reduced lag. This, however, is not the biggest leap yet, as the Ultra 3 lives up to the rumors that have been circulating for quite some time, and that is the SOS satellite messaging feature.
The Apple Watch Ultra 3 offers satellite messaging, which could be the main selling point of the model, given its ability to send and receive messages even when off-grid. While iPhone offers the Emergency SOS feature, the extension of this capability to the smartwatch could be a major appeal factor for users who tend to go on outdoor adventures and could greatly benefit from a feature like this.
The Apple Watch Ultra 3 seems to be borrowing design elements from the Apple Watch Series 10. It features a redesigned metal back casing with an integrated antenna and a larger charging coil, reducing charging times and allowing for faster charging speeds. The health tracking capabilities are also seeing a massive improvement, especially with the addition of blood pressure trend detection, which will help detect patterns over time. While it would not provide medical-grade readings, observing patterns can help detect any signs of hypertension. A daily sleep score is also added to keep track of your sleep pattern.
Apple Watch Ultra 3, with its bigger display, faster charging, connectivity support, and new health capabilities, makes it a compelling upgrade for Ultra 2 users and could be the most capable smartwatch the tech giant has built yet. The price remains unchanged as the Apple Watch Ultra is available for only $799 and will start shipping on September 19th, 2025.
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