Apple Refreshes its Watch Lineup With New Series 11, Ultra 3, and SE3 Models

Apple held its usual September hardware event today, and the company did refresh its Apple Watch lineup before introducing the new iPhone 17, iPhone Air, and iPhone 17 Pro and Pro Max. There’s a new Apple Watch Series 11 with a more scratch-resistant display and longer battery life, a new Apple Watch Ultra 3 with satellite connectivity, and an entry-level Watch SE 3 with always-on display, fast charging, and 5G connectivity.

Apple Watch Series 11

The new Apple Watch Series 11 comes with the same design as last year’s Series 10, but with a more durable display that’s 2x more resistant. The new watch now offers up to 24 hours of battery life, and it also supports fast charging, with just 15 minutes providing up to eight hours of usage. The cellular version also offers 5G connectivity, and Apple redesigned the antenna system to cover more bands.

With watchOS 26, Apple promises “the most comprehensive set of health features” with a new Sleep Score system, an AI-powered Workout Buddy in the Workout app, and hypertension notifications. The latter will use data from the optical heart sensor to analyze how a user’s blood vessels respond to the beats of the heart.

All these new health features won’t be exclusive to the Series 11, however: Hypertension notifications will be available on Apple Watch Series 9 and later, and Apple Watch Ultra 2 and later, with watchOS 26. The feature will be available in more than 150 countries and regions including the U.S. and the EU, and Apple said that clearance from the FDA and other regulators is expected soon.

The Apple Watch Series 11 is available in 42mm and 46mm sizes, and it starts at $399 in the US. Pre-orders start today in more than 50 countries, and shipments will start on September 19.

Apple Watch Ultra 3

The Apple Watch Ultra 3 comes two years after the Ultra 2 model, and it introduces a larger always-on OLED display with a 1Hz refresh rate, 5G cellular capabilities, and up to 72 hours of battery life in Low Power mode. In addition to 5G cellular connectivity, the new fitness-focused smartwatch also adds support for satellite connectivity, just like the new Google Pixel Watch 4.

“Apple Watch Ultra 3 offers Emergency SOS via satellite to text emergency services and notify emergency contacts with a few simple taps. If Apple Watch Ultra 3 detects a severe car crash or a hard fall, and the user is unresponsive while off the grid, it can automatically send situation and location information to emergency services and emergency contacts, when in line of sight of a satellite,” the company explained today.

Apple is making all satellite communication features free for two years with the purchase of an Apple Watch Ultra 3. Emergency SOS via satellite is also included with Apple Watch Ultra 3 without a cellular plan.

The Apple Watch Ultra 3 will support the same hypertension notifications, Sleep Score, and Workout Buddy features as the Series 11. However, the Ultra 3 also offers a more accurate GPS and unique features such as automatic stroke detection for swimmers, offline maps with turn-by-turn directions for hikers, and Waypoints and Backtrack GPS data in the Compass app.

Apple Watch Ultra 3 can be pre-ordered today, with availability beginning Friday, September 19. It starts at $799 and is available in natural and black titanium.

Apple Watch SE 3

The new Apple Watch SE 3 uses the same design as Apple’s previous entry-level smartwatch, but it adds an always-on OLED display that’s 4x more resistant to cracks than the previous generation. The new S10 chip also enables double-tap and wrist flick gestures, and on-device Siri.

Apple promises up to 18 hours of battery life on the SE 3 (up to 32 hours in low power mode), which also adds support for fast charging and 5G connectivity. “The new 5G modem is more power efficient, using less battery for cellular,” Apple said today.

Compared to the Apple Watch SE 2, the SE 3 offers various new features including sleep apnea notifications, temperature sensing, and cycle tracking with retrospective ovulation estimates. However, it doesn’t support the Blood Oxygen and ECG apps, and hypertension notifications are also absent.

Apple emphasized today that its new Watch SE 3 is perfect for allowing kids to connect with family and friends through phone calls and messages. The smartwatch can be easily set up with Apple Watch For Your Kids through a parent’s iPhone.

The Apple Watch SE 3 is available in 40mm and 44mm sizes in midnight and starlight aluminum cases. It starts at $249 and can be pre-ordered today ahead of its September 19 release.