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Apple Watch SE 3 and More Seemingly Confirmed by Last-Minute Leak

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A private account on X with a proven track record today shared alleged details about upcoming Apple Watch and iPad Pro models.

Apple-Watch-SE-3-Mock-Feature.jpg

Here are the alleged devices that the account mentioned:
  • Apple Watch Series 11 with a chip based on the same architecture as the S9 and S10 chips in previous Apple Watch models
  • Apple Watch Ultra 3 with a chip based on the same architecture as the S9 and S10 chips
  • Apple Watch SE 3 with a chip based on the same architecture as the S9 and S10 chips
  • Four new iPad Pro configurations with the M5 chip
All three of the Apple Watch models listed above are expected to be unveiled during Apple's so-called "Awe Dropping" event on Tuesday, September 9, while iPad Pro models with the M5 chip will likely be announced in October.

All of these devices were already rumored, but this leak serves as even more evidence that an Apple Watch Ultra 3 and Apple Watch SE 3 will be unveiled alongside the Apple Watch Series 11. Last year, the Apple Watch Series 10 was the only new model, although the Apple Watch Ultra 2 did receive a new black titanium option.

The current Apple Watch SE was released in 2022, and the Apple Watch Ultra 2 launched in 2023, so those models have not always been updated annually.

As we already reported, based on information discovered by MacRumors contributor Aaron Perris, all of the new Apple Watch models will likely be equipped with an S11 chip that is similar to the S9 and S10 chips in previous Apple Watch models. There is precedent for this, as the S6, S7, and S8 chips were all based on the same architecture.

Related Reading:
Stay tuned for in-depth coverage of Apple's announcements this week.

Article Link: Apple Watch SE 3 and More Seemingly Confirmed by Last-Minute Leak
 
Article Link
https://www.macrumors.com/2025/09/07/apple-watch-se-3-last-minute-leak/
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Nothing new here, just another "leak", a "last minute leak".
I still doubt that the SE3 will be announced on Tuesday
 
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Not sure how I feel about this.

While part of me is glad that the Apple Watch Ultra and iPad Pro M1 I bought a few years ago is still basically the same as the latest and greatest and I can save money, the other part of me was hoping there would be substantial new sensors / features or architecture for the Ultra or iPad Pro which would make me want to upgrade.

i feel like what used to be the tech implementation cycle of “tick - tock” has recently become the tick tick tock. And for Apple, more like the tick tick tick tock (or never ending tick).
 
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Guess the Series 11 will be a minor update with some new color options. The new SE might be slightly bigger and the new Ultra should have a better display. Waiting to see what Apple will announce.
 
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Why do iPads get the new M series chips first? I hope it’s because the M6 is coming faster than normal, and they’re saving it for the MacBook Pro.
 
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jctevere said:
Not sure how I feel about this.

While part of me is glad that the Apple Watch Ultra and iPad Pro M1 I bought a few years ago is still basically the same as the latest and greatest and I can save money, the other part of me was hoping there would be substantial new sensors / features or architecture for the Ultra or iPad Pro which would make me want to upgrade.

i feel like what used to be the tech implementation cycle of “tick - tock” has recently become the tick tick tock. And for Apple, more like the tick tick tick tock (or never ending tick).
Click to expand...
The Toyota of computing.
 
As I understand it, the processor power is the same in s9, s10 and s11, but the chip is getting smaller and maybe more energy efficient with each number increment? Otherwise it can't be legal to sell it as an upgraded chip, which is what customers will automatically think with a number increase each year. I think the Apple watch is a hard sell now for existing customers, as its getting more difficult to come up with new useable features. I think Apple knows this, and that is why they start having software features only working on the latest models, as its becoming more and more difficult to add new meaningful hardware features. A big upgrade would be dramatically improved battery life. Perhaps we will get that this year due to the new Apple modem chip?
 
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jecowa said:
Why do iPads get the new M series chips first? I hope it’s because the M6 is coming faster than normal, and they’re saving it for the MacBook Pro.
Click to expand...
Smaller chips naturally get better yield. This helps improve the program so that when the bigger chips are done being designed, the process issues have been worked out and they are more profitable
 
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dcingie said:
It’s insulting that they’re releasing an s11, which is the same as the S10, which is the same as the S9. Two year old tech at modern technology prices. Not future proofed at all. Scummy, tbh.
Click to expand...
Here’s the deal with this. The Apple Watch doesn’t have a very large battery, so power efficiency is very important. In order to keep the processor more power-efficient, they use the most refined version of a process node, which helps reduce leakage. I imagine next year the Apple Watch will switch to TSMC’s N3P process that the upcoming iPhones will use.
 
Kaptajn Haddock said:
... Otherwise it can't be legal to sell it as an upgraded chip, ...
Click to expand...
It's legal. "S11" and "Apple Watch SE3" are just names. If they are not giving false / inaccurate specs on the spec sheet, they're simply changing the name / branding the components and products.
 
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jecowa said:
Why do iPads get the new M series chips first? I hope it’s because the M6 is coming faster than normal, and they’re saving it for the MacBook Pro.
Click to expand...

If you mean, "Why do iPad pros with the latest M chip get released before any Mac with the M-chip?", the only answer is "Because Apple chose to do that."
 
dcingie said:
It’s insulting that they’re releasing an s11, which is the same as the S10, which is the same as the S9. Two year old tech at modern technology prices. Not future proofed at all. Scummy, tbh.
Click to expand...

Apple sells consumer products. You're insulted because they are not selling you something that doesn't exist?

That's not really logical. "I'm insulted because it isn't raining." It's just not raining.

It's a spec bump, because Apple wants "updated products" to keep shareholders and marketeers happy. They're not demanding someone with an AW10 buy an AW11 - that's only in your head. Like toothpaste, it's always going to be "new and improved".

But you are insulted because they won't sell you something they haven't made yet. This is a weird logic that really doesn't make any sense if you think of Apple as a company who sells consumer goods, just like any other company that sells consumer goods.

Apple isn't an ideology or a lifestyle, past the marketing they're not offering anything other than the goods and services they sell.

You're only "insulted" because you're putting Apple in a separate, non-existant category, and not treating Apple as what it is - they make stuff and they sell it.

If you don't like one of their products, and you don't think it's worth buying, then don't buy it.

There's no reason to be insulted.
 
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dcingie said:
It’s insulting that they’re releasing an s11, which is the same as the S10, which is the same as the S9. Two year old tech at modern technology prices. Not future proofed at all. Scummy, tbh.
Click to expand...
Yeah, I agree. If you’re interested in an Apple Watch and want something powerful and more future-proof, I recommend you waiting for next year’s Apple Watch. The S12 is expected to bring a new architecture to the smartwatch SoC, in addition to an important node shrink.
 
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Populus said:
Yeah, I agree. If you’re interested in an Apple Watch and want something powerful and more future-proof, I recommend you waiting for next year’s Apple Watch. The S12 is expected to bring a new architecture to the smartwatch SoC, in addition to an important node shrink.
Click to expand...

With all due respect, "future-proofing" is a dead concept in modern consumer electronics, and especially so with Apple. A ten year old MacBook Pros still functional today. Even if you order an iPhone 17 tomorrow, that iPhone 17, irrespective of it's specs and features, will be old in five years, and there will be new functionality it can't do.

A base level Mac mini is not going to have a shorter life-span than a Studio with a Max chip. The latter is more former than the former, but both are heavily reliant on their software in terms of how long their life-span will be.

"Future-proofing" with Apple products ceased to be relevant when it was no longer possible to upgrade that product after purchase.
 
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Happy_John said:
With all due respect, "future-proofing" is a dead concept in modern consumer electronics, and especially so with Apple. A ten year old MacBook Pros still functional today. Even if you order an iPhone 17 tomorrow, that iPhone 17, irrespective of it's specs and features, will be old in five years, and there will be new functionality it can't do.

"Future-proofing" with Apple products ceased to be relevant when it was no longer possible to upgrade that product after purchase.
Click to expand...
I agree that you’re at the expense of what Apple wants to support each year, but I understood “future-proofing” in the sense of keeping it snappy after the fourth or fifth software update, something that a SoC that hasn’t changed in two years may suffer from more easily than a more powerful and efficient one.
 
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Populus said:
I agree that you’re at the expense of what Apple wants to support each year, but I understood “future-proofing” in the sense of keeping it snappy after the fourth or fifth software update, something that a SoC that hasn’t changed in two years may suffer from more easily than a more powerful and efficient one.
Click to expand...

It will be snappy after four or five years, or it won't be snappy. What you choose to buy (cheaper or more expensive) no longer has any reasonable influence on that.

It'll primarily be changes to the OS that will make the device feel less snappy as before. You don't get to know or decide how Apple changes the OS, and they will change the OS to be more optimized for their latest hardware, because that's what they want you to buy.

All you can say is whether it's snappy enough for you now. You can't make an informed choice to "future-proof" when you have no knowledge of how the hardware, and the software, and the efficacy of new software's ability to function on legacy devices, will be.

"Future-proofing" was a dead duck in the case of someone buying an intel based Mac Pro in 2018 or 2019. Once Apple Silicon took over, any extra money you spent on that Intel MacBook Pro in order to "future proof" ended up being a waste of money.

It's also worth remembering that, outside of certain specific use cases, the need to buy evermore RAM has slowed down. In 2025 you can get by with 8Gb of RAM (but you'll have page file swopping), 16Gb is absolutely fine for most people, and more if you have specific need of it. That's remained the same for quite a long time now. RAM requirements are no longer doubling every year or two years.

Apple Intelligence is apparently a reason to need more RAM, but Apple Intelligence is far from an "essential function".

Future-proofing has gone from being a very valid buying strategy to being another tactic for Apple ( and others) to upsell.

Don't buy consumer electronics for a possible future. Buy to meet your needs now. Iterative development moves faster than the benefits of future-proofing.
 
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jctevere said:
Not sure how I feel about this.

While part of me is glad that the Apple Watch Ultra and iPad Pro M1 I bought a few years ago is still basically the same as the latest and greatest and I can save money, the other part of me was hoping there would be substantial new sensors / features or architecture for the Ultra or iPad Pro which would make me want to upgrade.

i feel like what used to be the tech implementation cycle of “tick - tock” has recently become the tick tick tock. And for Apple, more like the tick tick tick tock (or never ending tick).
Click to expand...
We’re back in 14 nm++++++++ territory here
 
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