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We're only weeks away from Apple's annual iPhone event – rumored to take place on September 9 – and along with the new iPhone 17 series, we're going to get a new version of the Apple Watch Ultra for the first time since 2023.

Apple-Watch-Ultra-2-Complications.jpg

By the time the Ultra 3 is unveiled, it will have been two years since the previous model arrived. The intervening period has left plenty of room for enhancements, especially for users coming from a first-generation Apple Watch Ultra. Here are all of the major new features we're likely to see in the Apple Watch Ultra 3.

Larger Display

Evidence from a recent iOS 26 beta points to a slightly larger display for the upcoming Apple Watch Ultra 3. MacRumors uncovered an image with a resolution of 422 x 514 pixels – higher than the current Ultra 2's 410 x 502 panel.

apple-watch-ultra-snow.jpg

No increase in case size has been rumored, but the larger resolution suggests Apple could be trimming bezel width to expand the viewing area without altering the watch’s overall dimensions. If accurate, this would give the Ultra 3 the biggest Apple Watch display yet, enhancing readability and making better use of the rugged design's expansive front surface.

Newer Processor

Given it's been two years since an update, it's highly likely the Apple Watch Ultra 3 will debut with a new chip.

s9-chip-apple-watch.jpg

The current model uses the S9, while the 2024 Apple Watch Series 10 introduced the S10. Although the S10 doesn't improve performance over the S9, its smaller design creates more internal space for other components. In the Ultra, that could allow for a larger battery, additional sensors, or new connectivity hardware.

On the other hand, leaked internal information suggests Apple could introduce an S11 chip this year, and while the underlying technology is the same as the S9 and S10 chips, Apple could make other tweaks. With the S10, for example, Apple redesigned the chip with a thinner profile so it would take up less space inside the watch. Major performance gains may not arrive until the S12 chip next year, however.

Faster Refresh Rate

By skipping a hardware refresh for the Apple Watch Ultra in 2024, Apple inadvertently allowed the Apple Watch Series 10 to leap ahead in display technology. This imbalance is unlikely to last long, with the next Ultra almost certain to catch up.

Apple-Watch-Series-10-Jet-Black.jpg

The Series 10 debuted with an LTPO3 OLED always-on Retina display, a step up from the Ultra's LTPO2 panel. The upgrade gives the Series 10 a faster refresh rate in always-on mode, making it possible for watch faces to feature a continuously ticking seconds hand.

Wide-Angle OLED

Apple also introduced a wide-angle OLED on the Series 10, which delivers up to 40% more brightness when viewed off-axis compared to the Ultra's OLED display. Taken together with the LPTO3 panel, these advancements make it seem all but inevitable that the Apple Watch Ultra 3 will inherit the same improvements.

apple-watch-series-10-display.jpg


Satellite Connectivity

The Apple Watch Ultra 3 is expected to become the first Apple Watch with satellite connectivity, extending its reach far beyond cellular towers and Wi-Fi. Like the iPhone 14 and later, it will tap into satellite networks for off-grid texting, giving wearers a lifeline in remote areas.

Emergency-SOS-via-Satellite-iPhone-YT.jpg

Earlier this year, Bloomberg reported that Apple was working to bring the feature to the Ultra line. On iPhone, satellite support originally handled only emergency SOS messages, but iOS 18 expanded it to allow standard text conversations. If Apple follows the same model, Ultra 3 owners could message anyone, even when entirely off the grid.

On iPhone, two years of service come free, and it's likely the same arrangement will apply to the Ultra 3 when it launches.

Faster Charging

With the Series 10, Apple debuted a redesigned rear casing made of metal, complete with a larger charging coil and an integrated antenna. The change replaced the ceramic and sapphire crystal back seen on earlier models.

apple-watch-series-10-back-sensor.jpg

The Ultra still uses that older rear design, but the advantages of the Series 10's update make it probable that the Ultra 3 will adopt the same metal back. Beyond structural changes, the redesign improves cellular performance and significantly boosts charging speeds.

In practice, the difference is stark: the Series 10 can reach 80% charge in just 30 minutes, shaving 15 minutes off the Series 9's time. By contrast, the Ultra 2 – with its older back and larger battery – needs a full hour to hit the same mark. A switch to the new casing would close that gap, giving the Ultra 3 much faster top-up times alongside stronger connectivity.

5G Cellular

Reports from Bloomberg and The Information indicate that Apple intends to drop Qualcomm modems from the Apple Watch Ultra with the third-generation model. Instead of relying on Qualcomm hardware or on its own custom modem, Apple is expected to turn to MediaTek, one of the few companies developing 5G solutions for wearables.

apple-watch-ultra-sandy.jpg

The shift would mark a major connectivity upgrade. Current cellular Apple Watch models still depend on 4G LTE, despite the iPhone adopting 5G back in 2020. MediaTek's chip is designed for 5G RedCap, a streamlined version of 5G tailored for connected devices that don't require the f... Click here to read rest of article

Article Link: Apple Watch Ultra 3 Just Weeks Away: Eight Reasons to Upgrade
 
Get rid of the bezels its such a waste of space... I love my AWU2, but there are some tweaks I'd love to see in the future updates.
I don’t think bezels are something they want. It’s a design limitation. They keep getting smaller though and eventually they will be gone.

Also I have one reason NOT to upgrade. Blood oxygen readings displayed on my watch. I’m holding out for this to come back.
 
This will probably be my first smart watch, depending on how the S11 compares. Mostly want one for running and Apple Music without needing to bring my phone with me.
 
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I'm waiting until next year if the processor is not different from the Series 9 & 10.
 
This will probably be my first smart watch, depending on how the S11 compares. Mostly want one for running and Apple Music without needing to bring my phone with me.
Compares to what? If it’s your first smartwatch what does the comparison mean for your usage?
 
I just want better battery life. The Garmin watches are able to last weeks to a month (in certain modes) but I'm lucky if my Apple Watch Ultra last 48 hours.
People (for the most part) charge their phone every day. Why is it so many gripe about doing so with the watch? Is it that stressful and inconvenient to spend a few seconds to put the watch on the charger?
 
So basically, no reason to upgrade.
There is one reason and one reason only why people upgrade and that is desire. All the other stuff the articles mentions are merely rationalizations used to justify desire.

A lot of people on here make a big deal about not having enough reasons to upgrade. Either you have a desire or you don't. If you don''t, that is fine but, realize it's not Apple's duty to justify the one reason.
 
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May or may not upgrade 15 Pro Max, but my OG Ultra is 3 years old next month, and will definitely be upgrading. I would love to be pleasantly surprised by big jump in battery to better compete with Garmin.
 
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I have my Ultra 2 on 24/7 except when I shower every morning. I charge it while I shower, up to 80% as the watch/Apple recommends.

I don't see the problem with battery life or a reason to buy the Ultra 3 unless something else comes along.
 
Not enough changes to tempt me away from my gen 1. I love the hard-edged bezels for the durability they bring. I wear my ultra for a lot of activities where a regular Apple Watch would be too fragile and it withstands the abuse really well. Mostly happy with the device. Apple Watches may never compete with Garmin on battery life. I also have a Garmin Enduro for long activity tracking and Garmin's superior health metrics.

Apple makes the best smartwatches. Garmin makes the best fitness trackers. Neither of them is even remotely close to the other for their dominant use cases.

I wish Apple would overtake Garmin and I could consolidate, but that seems unlikely in the Tim Cook era. The market is too small to motivate Apple and they don't seem to really be trying to improve the health and fitness aspects of their platform to truly compete with competitors like Garmin.
 
I just want better battery life. The Garmin watches are able to last weeks to a month (in certain modes) but I'm lucky if my Apple Watch Ultra last 48 hours.
Yep. My Ultra with 1.5y use if I use the workout app needs charges daily. When I first bought I could go almost two days.
 
People (for the most part) charge their phone every day. Why is it so many gripe about doing so with the watch? Is it that stressful and inconvenient to spend a few seconds to put the watch on the charger?

Maybe not at first, but in a couple years the Garmin will still only need to be charged once a week or two weeks, while the Apple Watch will need daily, or maybe multiple times per day depending on lifestyle..simply because the Garmin isn't charged as often, and therefor the battery gets cycled less, extending the watch's life. My previous Apple Watch couldn't make it though a day, and when it was cold out (sub-freezing) and I went running, I could drop 50-75% in a one hour run, or it would just shutdown in the middle. I could cover it with a sleeve or a sweat band and it helped, but still happened often enough that I no longer trusted it.

Apple makes a very nice smartwatch, but I want less smartwatch and more fitness, as that's my focus. I don't customize screens, need notifications, use Siri, set timers, or view photos. Can't see myself going back to Apple anytime soon.
 
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