Apple Watch Ultra 3 Watch SE 3: Apple has launched the Watch Ultra 3, its latest and greatest smartwatch, and the new Watch SE 3. The Ultra 3 introduces some out-of-the-box features, such as satellite messaging, a bigger and brighter screen, longer battery endurance, and sophisticated health monitoring tools. In contrast, the Watch SE 3 receives mainstay upgrades like an always-on screen, fast charging, and enhanced health monitoring.
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Design and Display: Bigger, Brighter, Smarter
The Apple Watch Ultra 3 launches with Apple’s largest smartwatch screen to date, and it comes with a new LTPO3 wide-angle OLED screen with narrower bezels and increased brightness. The screen is also compatible with a 1Hz refresh rate in always-on mode, now refreshing every second for more fluid Stopwatch, Timer, and watch face experiences. Apple has also emphasized its design towards ruggedness, providing natural and black titanium finishes for a rugged yet premium aesthetic.
Battery and Charging: More Power for Longer Runs
Battery life is also greatly increased in the Ultra 3. Apple estimates 42 hours of usage on a single charge, which increases to 72 hours on Low Power Mode. Fast charging is also available, whereby only 15 minutes provides up to 12 hours of usage, allowing little downtime for frequent users. Such advancements make Ultra 3 suitable for athletes, explorers, and high-usage smartwatch users.
Satellite Messaging and Connectivity: Always Connected
Apple is adding two-way satellite communication to a smartwatch for the first time. It enables sending and receiving text messages, sharing location, and alerting emergency responders even in the absence of cellular or Wi-Fi connectivity. The feature also works with Find My, updating location every 15 minutes. Apple is providing two years of satellite service for free, which makes this feature that much more compelling. The Ultra 3 also enhances connectivity with integrated 5G support.
Health Features: Smarter Monitoring Than Ever
Introducing the Ultra 3, which brings new hypertension notifications and employs the optical heart sensor to measure variations in blood vessel behavior and warn users of possible high blood pressure. Apple anticipates this feature to detect more than one million cases of undiagnosed cases in the first year alone. A new sleep score system also monitors sleep quality based on wake frequency, duration, and sleep stages. In addition, the Workout Buddy feature, driven by Apple Intelligence, provides customized coaching with real-time verbal encouragement when working out.
Apple Watch SE 3: Affordable with Key Upgrades
The Watch SE 3 also gets substantive updates. It now includes an always-on screen, fast charging, and essential health aspects such as sleep apnea alerts, wrist temperature measurement, and ovulation estimation. Powered by the new S10 chip, the SE 3 also works with one-handed gestures such as double-tap and wrist flick, making it even more convenient for daily use.
Software, Price, and Extras
Both Watch Ultra 3 and SE 3 are powered by WatchOS 26, which brings a Liquid Glass UI, Smart Stack widgets improved, Live Translation in Messages, and a refreshed watch face gallery. The OS utilizes Apple Intelligence to provide features such as on-device Siri and context-aware recommendations.
The Watch Ultra 3 costs $799, while the Watch SE 3 begins at $249. Pre-orders are currently live, with sales launching on September 19. In addition to the watches, Apple also unveiled the AirPods Pro 3, which boasts improved noise cancellation, heart rate tracking, and real-time translation capability.