The Apple Watch Ultra 3 promises to be the most exciting installment in Apple’s rugged, outdoor-going smartwatch lineup, and unless Apple surprises all of us, it should be unveiled later this year.
We’re expecting the Ultra 3 to debut alongside a new Apple Watch Series 11 and Apple Watch SE 3. But should you be thinking about upgrading as we head into September? After all, the Apple Watch Ultra 2 is getting on for two years old; last year’s drop was simply a new colorway with no other changes.
So what can we expect from this year’s Ultra 3? What are some of the exciting rumored features that might give you cause to make the leap? And what changes aren’t coming, such that you might be happy with your current model? Here are four reasons to think about upgrading, and a couple of reasons why you might want to skip.
Reasons to consider upgrading…
New chip
The Apple Watch Ultra 2’s chipset now lags behind the Apple Watch Series 10 by one iteration, given that the newer chip was put inside the latter with its launch last year. As such, a new chip in the Apple Watch Ultra 3 is guaranteed.
After all, Apple can’t ship its best Apple Watch in 2025 without its best smartwatch chip. As such, we’d expect a new S11 SiP to feature this year, or at least the same chip used in the Series 10. Apple is normally reserved on the details, but these chips are usually snappier and more efficient with each passing installment.
Blood pressure and hypertension monitoring
The headline Apple Watch Ultra 3 upgrade this year should be a blood pressure and hypertension monitoring system. According to the latest rumors and leaks, this will work similarly to Apple’s sleep apnea function, detecting elevated or abnormal readings rather than giving a specific readout.
So while this might not be a replacement for conventional blood pressure monitoring, it’s a massive health upgrade that will make this year’s model very enticing.
5G
The Apple Watch line should switch to MediaTek modems for 2025, and one of the biggest upgrades will be 5G. This will reportedly be Reduced Capability 5G, which should drastically improve cellular connectivity for the Apple Watch Ultra when you’re out and about trying to stream music, take calls, or listen to podcasts without your iPhone to hand.
All Apple Watch Ultra models come with cellular, so you don’t even have to pay extra for the privilege, either: just the data plan costs.
Satellite connectivity
Another big bonus connectivity upgrade is likely to be satellite connectivity. According to reports, the Apple Watch Ultra 3 will feature satellite capability just like the best iPhones, allowing users to send off-the-grid text messages, even when they don’t have any cell service.
It’s possible this feature could be limited to contacting emergency services, like it was initially on iPhone, or it could be fully-fledged for sending texts, like the more advanced iteration we have on iPhone now.
Upgraded display
Apple is likely to add the more potent OLED LTPO3 display from the Apple Watch Series 10 to its Ultra 3 for the same reasons it will upgrade the chip, namely to ensure the Ultra isn’t eclipsed by the Series 11.
To that end, we’d expect the display to be up to 40% brighter when viewed from an angle.
Reasons you might want to skip
No new design
The Apple Watch SE 3 is the only model tipped for a redesign this year. While the Ultra and Ultra 2 both have distinctive designs, they haven’t changed since launch, and the Apple Watch Ultra 3 is likely to continue this trend.
As such, if you were hoping to upgrade for a new form factor, some shiny new buttons, or a larger display, this might come as a disappointment.
High price
If you bought an Apple Watch Ultra or Ultra 2 in the last few years, you were probably hoping to get a good few years out of your investment. We’d expect the Ultra 3 to retain the $799 price tag of its forebears, making it a big ask for all but the most serial upgraders. Don’t expect an Apple Watch Ultra 3 price cut this year.
Blood glucose
Apple is still reportedly years away from cracking the holy grail of smartwatch development, blood glucose monitoring.
It’ll likely feature in future iterations, but there’s no prospect of it being included in the watch this year, meaning you’ve got a bit longer to wait if this is a feature you’re holding out for.
Blood oxygen
If you’re in the US, there’s a chance the Ultra 3 might not feature blood oxygen monitoring. Apple is in the throes of a patent dispute with Masimo over the tech, and hasn’t been able to include it in its Apple Watch Series 10 in the US.
With no sign of the spat being resolved, US customers are facing the prospect of another year without the feature and a new set of Apple Watch models in September that won’t herald its return. If your watch has blood oxygen monitoring, it’s one feature you could actually lose if you upgrade.
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stephen.warwick@futurenet.com (Stephen Warwick)
