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Apple Watch Ultra 3

Jul 02, 2026 Twila Rosenbaum 33 views

Should You Buy the Apple Watch Ultra 3?

The Apple Watch Ultra 3, starting at $799, is Apple's most premium smartwatch, tailored for outdoor enthusiasts who demand enhanced durability and advanced features beyond the standard model. Launched in September 2025, this third-generation Ultra offers a larger, brighter display with reduced bezels, 5G connectivity, satellite communication, and improved battery life. Given that the next refresh isn't expected until September 2026, now is a solid time to purchase.

The Apple Watch Ultra 3: Key Upgrades

The Ultra 3 succeeds the Ultra 2 (September 2023) and competes with high-end fitness watches from Garmin. It remains the largest Apple Watch at 49mm, targeting athletes and explorers. The S10 chip powers new gestures like Double Tap and Wrist Flick, though performance is similar to the S9. The design retains the aerospace-grade titanium case, flat sapphire crystal, and custom Action button, but the display now features 24% thinner bezels, increasing viewable area to 1,245 sq mm (up from 1,185 sq mm), with peak brightness of 3,000 nits and a 1-nit always-on mode that shows a ticking second hand.

Design and Durability

The Ultra 3 is available in Natural Titanium or Black Titanium with a satin finish. The black model uses a diamond-like carbon coating for scratch resistance. The case is 3D-printed using aerospace-grade titanium powder, reducing material waste. The watch is MIL-STD-810H certified, operating from -4°F to 131°F, and is water-resistant to 100 meters (WR100) and EN13319 certified for recreational diving to 40 meters.

Exclusive watch faces include Wayfinder (compass dial, eight complications, night mode) and Modular Ultra (edge data, most complications). The Ultra 3 adds a Waypoint face with live compass and satellite complications.

Display and Chip

The LTPO3 wide-angle OLED display is not only brighter at an angle but also enables a faster refresh rate in always-on mode. The S10 chip (64-bit dual-core, 5.6 billion transistors, four-core Neural Engine) underpins gestures: Double Tap (tap index finger and thumb) to answer calls, play music, etc., and Wrist Flick (dismiss notifications). Storage remains at 64GB.

Health and Activity Features

The third-generation optical heart rate sensor supports hypertension alerts (30-day heart rate analysis for possible high blood pressure), blood oxygen monitoring (limited to iPhone viewing in the US due to patent issues), sleep apnea detection (30-day analysis using accelerometer), ECG, sleep tracking with Sleep Score (numerical quality metric), fall detection, crash detection, and temperature sensing (wrist and ambient). The watch also tracks menstrual cycles and ovulation.

Activity features include the Depth app for diving (time, depth, water temperature, max depth), Oceanic+ dive computer integration, Tides app (high/low tide, height), and enhanced Compass with Waypoints and Backtrack GPS path logging.

Battery Life and Charging

The Ultra 3 boasts up to 42 hours of battery life (up from 36 hours in Ultra 2), with Low Power Mode extending to 72 hours. Fast charging reaches 80% in 45 minutes; a 15-minute charge provides 12 hours of normal use, and a 5-minute charge gives 8 hours of sleep tracking.

Microphone and Speakers

Three built-in microphones with adaptive beamforming reduce background noise during calls. Dual speakers enhance audio volume for calls and Siri. The 86-decibel emergency siren (two patterns, heard up to 600 feet) can be activated via the Action or side button.

Connectivity: 5G and Satellite

The Ultra 3 is the first Apple Watch with 5G (also LTE fallback). Satellite connectivity supports Emergency SOS, two-way messaging, and Find My location sharing when cellular and Wi-Fi are unavailable. A second-generation UWB chip enables Precision Finding for iPhones, AirTags, and HomePod integration. Bluetooth 5.3 is included. Dual-frequency GPS (L1 and L5) provides the most accurate route data of any Apple Watch.

Bands and Accessories

Three sport-specific bands are available: Trail Loop (lightweight), Alpine Loop (durable woven), and Ocean Band (stretches over wetsuits). All bands designed for 44mm, 45mm, and 46mm models fit the Ultra. The depth gauge and seals can be tested by Apple to ensure dive readiness.

Comparison to Series 11 and SE 3

The Series 11 (starting at $399) lacks satellite connectivity, siren, and has shorter battery life and less rugged build. The SE 3 ($249) has an older design, no blood oxygen sensor or ECG, and is targeted at budget-conscious users.

Future Outlook

An Ultra 4 is expected in September 2026, likely with minor updates. A full redesign may come in 2028. watchOS 27 will introduce new Modular Ultra-like watch faces. Future hardware rumors include high blood pressure monitoring, noninvasive blood glucose monitoring (still years away), LG Display HMO technology for lower power consumption, and possible Touch ID integration.