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Apple Watch Ultra 3: What to Expect

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The long wait for an Apple Watch Ultra 3 is nearly over, and a handful of new features and changes have been rumored for the device.

Apple-Watch-Ultra-2-Complications.jpg

Below, we recap what to expect from the Apple Watch Ultra 3:
  • Satellite connectivity for sending and receiving text messages when Wi-Fi and cellular coverage is unavailable
  • 5G support, up from LTE on the Apple Watch Ultra 2
  • Likely a wide-angle OLED display that is brighter when viewed from an angle, and offers a higher refresh rate for the always-on display mode
  • S10 chip or newer for faster performance
  • Blood pressure monitoring has been rumored, but it might not be ready in time for the Apple Watch Ultra 3
Last year, the Apple Watch Ultra 2 received a black titanium case option, but otherwise the Ultra model has not received any hardware upgrades since 2023.

After a two-year wait, the Apple Watch Ultra 3 should be unveiled in September.

Article Link: Apple Watch Ultra 3: What to Expect
 
Article Link
https://www.macrumors.com/2025/07/13/apple-watch-ultra-3-two-rumored-upgrades/
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jz0309 said:
IF a new health sensor is not offered, I will not upgrade. It's been far too long already with no new health sensors.
The other listed updates are fine but not convincing for me.
I also don't consider 5G a necessity but more an evolution...

Oh, and most importantly: SpO2 MUST come back
Click to expand...
Agreed. If there’s no new sensors (or at the very least more ACCURATE sensors), then I’ll just spend the money replacing my AWU1 battery. It still looks like new, but only gets about 12-14 hours out of it anymore.
 
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turbineseaplane said:
If those are the “upgrades” do we even need a new version at this time?
Click to expand...
Well, those are like spec updates similar to Mac updates year over year, do we need those? I don't know, it's more of a rhetorical question...
I upgraded from U1 to U2 and felt it was worth it to me for battery and chip performance (I've posted that in a thread when the U2 was originally released).

For me personally, I need new health sensors and features to convince me to upgrade, the other stuff is "nice to have" which is the same reason why I am still rocking my M1Max Studio and have no reason to upgrade that.
 
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McWetty said:
Agreed. If there’s no new sensors (or at the very least more ACCURATE sensors), then I’ll just spend the money replacing my AWU1 battery. It still looks like new, but only gets about 12-14 hours out of it anymore.
Click to expand...
That's a good thought. I have the AWU2 from 2023 and the battery health is still at 97% - it feels like it is a bit less than that though. Replacing it is certainly the most cost effective thing if there isn't a huge reason to get the AWU3. For me I wouldn't want to lose the O2 sensor, gaining other health and/or more accurate ones, is good. Plus if the battery life improves more, that would be nice. (I get about 2.5 days - I have the always on display off since I don't see the point etc).
 
Will it be able to show time faster?

The only reason for updating an Apple Watch for me, would be a new sensor. Or, like someone wrote, more accurate current sensors. I can't do EKG after sports, the amplitude is all over the place :D.
 
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martint235 said:
Battery life of more than two days?
Click to expand...
Probably gonna need to perfect solid state (lithium metal) batteries or some other new battery technology for that to happen. All they can do until that is improve efficiency and/or make the battery bigger. Though technically the latest Garmin watch in smart watch mode (with always on display) last around 6 days so not sure what they are doing differently. My Apple Watch Ultra 2 with the O2 sensor is lasting 2 days max if I am easy with it.
 
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I think that the problem is that the AWU 1 was already a lot of watch in 23.

Nice incremental upgrades though.

Having even longer battery life would’ve even better than these (I’d say the same for all AW really).
 
Think it will have a faster processor/chip and a better display, i.e. similar to the Series 10 display that will allow to show seconds hand on watch faces. Would like to see Apple release many new watch faces.
 
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MacRumors said:


The long wait for an Apple Watch Ultra 3 is nearly over, and a handful of new features and changes have been rumored for the device.

Apple-Watch-Ultra-2-Complications.jpg

Below, we recap what to expect from the Apple Watch Ultra 3:
  • Satellite connectivity for sending and receiving text messages when Wi-Fi and cellular coverage is unavailable
  • 5G support, up from LTE on the Apple Watch Ultra 2
  • Likely a wide-angle OLED display that is brighter when viewed from an angle, and offers a higher refresh rate for the always-on display mode
  • S10 chip or newer for faster performance
  • Blood pressure monitoring has been rumored, but it might not be ready in time for the Apple Watch Ultra 3
Last year, the Apple Watch Ultra 2 received a black titanium case option, but otherwise the Ultra model has not received any hardware upgrades since 2023.

After a two-year wait, the Apple Watch Ultra 3 should be unveiled in September.

Article Link: Apple Watch Ultra 3: What to Expect
Click to expand...
I don’t see Satellite being added, as it requires a lot of power and directional antenna positioning that isn’t realistic.

On the other hand, it could easily use satellite direct to phone service, like the T-Mobile/Starlink offering if it has 5G support.

Blood pressure isn’t realistic. There aren’t any FDA approved ways of doing that from a wrist mounted device without a cuff. Neither is blood glucose, which the FDA has even sent bulletins out about false claims from other watch and ring manufacturers.

I’d like to see blood oxygen return, though. I haven’t upgraded from my original Watch Ultra because the Ultra 2 is missing it. Having asthma, and a history of some other stuff, I like to keep an eye on it.
 
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Totally saw the BP feature not being ready. Something they've been working on for several years, and an amazing technology that is probably very hard to execute. Especially on all skin colors. I get this is a new technology etc...

But this is yet another example of Apple not delivering and delaying things. Seems like every single thing they have been involved with has no major updates coming soon. I'm someone who needs the newest and best things but I may still just keep my AWU1. AWU2 barely brought anything. Last year they just added a color to AWU2 as their own regular line surpassed their top branding line the company offers.They surely aren't brining the spo2 back until that patent expires in what, 2028?

The AI features that were supposed to be here almost a year ago are going to end up being 2+ years later than they told us, and literally showed us that they already had working. So far down in the AI game that other companies are running laps and Apple is still in the pit box figuring out what to do.
 
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They have made the bezels smaller on the Series watches several times - The Ultra could use that, so we would get a bigger display in same case. And more battery life please - if those two are present I will instantly upgrade.

The battery life doesn’t seem to be a priority for Apple on either models though. Just keep it the same all the time is a poor strategy when the competition has better battery on all models
 
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