Apple expanded its wearable lineup with three new models—Apple Watch Series 11, Watch Ultra 3, and Watch SE 3—pushing deeper into health insights, connectivity, and performance. The headliners include first-time satellite capabilities on Ultra, 5G across the board, and a hypertension alert feature that leverages long‑term trends rather than one-off readings.
Series 11: Health signals meet 5G
Series 11 introduces a hypertension alert that monitors how blood vessels respond to each heartbeat using the optical heart sensor. Instead of acting on a single snapshot, the algorithm analyzes patterns over a rolling 30‑day window and notifies users when it detects signals consistent with chronic high blood pressure. Apple says it aims to surface potential hypertension for more than a million people in the first year.
That emphasis is timely. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention estimates nearly half of U.S. adults have hypertension, and many are unaware of it. While Apple’s feature is positioned as a wellness alert—not a clinical diagnosis—it could nudge more people toward a cuff-based confirmation and treatment. Cardiologists have long noted that trend data, not single readings, best captures hypertension risk over time.
Sleep tracking also steps up with a new Sleep Score that blends duration, regularity, time in each stage, and wake frequency into a single, easy-to-scan metric. It’s designed to move users from raw data to practical guidance, an approach sleep researchers at institutions like the American Academy of Sleep Medicine have advocated for consumer wearables.
On connectivity, Series 11 adds 5G, promising better coverage and lower latency than the prior LTE models, particularly useful for standalone music, maps, and safety features. Battery life is rated up to 24 hours. Finishes include Jet Black, Silver, Rose Gold, and a new Space Gray, with pricing starting at $399.
Ultra 3: Bigger screen, brighter ideas, satellite ready
Watch Ultra 3 brings the lineup’s most consequential hardware change: satellite connectivity for emergency communications beyond cellular and Wi‑Fi. Users can contact emergency services, send short texts, and share location via Find My from remote areas—situations where, according to the National Park Service, thousands of backcountry rescues occur annually, often in places with no signal.
The display gets a significant upgrade with an LTPO3 wide‑angle OLED panel. Apple says borders are 24% thinner, making this the largest and easiest-to-read screen ever on an Apple Watch, especially at off‑angles in bright conditions. Battery life is rated up to 42 hours, extending to as much as 72 hours in Low Power Mode, a key consideration for multi‑day hikes or dives.
Ultra 3 also picks up Series 11’s 5G and hypertension notifications. The model ships in Black and Natural Titanium, starting at $799, with the rugged build and enhanced radios targeting athletes, explorers, and first responders who demand failover connectivity.
SE 3: The gateway Watch grows up
The new Watch SE 3 jumps to Apple’s S10 chip, a notable leap over the S8 in the prior SE. The payoff shows up in faster app launches, smoother animations, and support for an always‑on display—an “adult” feature finally reaching the entry tier. Gesture controls like double‑tap and wrist flick come along for the ride, adding quick interactions without touching the screen.
Despite the performance bump, SE 3 maintains an all‑day 18‑hour battery rating and, for the first time, supports fast charging. It also adds wrist temperature sensing, enabling retrospective ovulation estimates and more nuanced trends in the Vitals app. Professional groups such as the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists note that temperature‑based cycle tracking can help with fertility awareness, though it is not a contraceptive method on its own.
SE 3 comes in 40mm and 44mm sizes with Midnight and Starlight aluminum cases, starting at $249—positioned as the default family and fitness starter Watch with headroom to grow.
Why this lineup matters
By layering 5G across the lineup and adding satellite to Ultra, Apple is treating the Watch less as a phone accessory and more as a resilient node on your body. That shift opens up use cases—from backcountry SOS to more reliable urban streaming—that benefit from speed and redundancy rather than raw app complexity.
On health, Apple’s long‑term, trend‑based approach mirrors where the field is moving. Organizations like the American Heart Association emphasize sustained patterns for hypertension risk, and consumer wearables are increasingly able to surface those signals at scale. As with Apple’s prior AFib notifications that received regulatory clearance, the key is turning alerts into action: confirm with clinical tools, then treat.
Marketwise, research firms such as Counterpoint Research consistently rank Apple as the top smartwatch vendor by shipments. The new lineup neatly ladders capability: SE 3 for value, Series 11 for mainstream health and speed, Ultra 3 for mission‑ready endurance. It’s a segmentation that gives carriers a clearer 5G story and keeps competitors in multisport and adventure watches on notice.
Pricing at a glance
Apple Watch SE 3: from $249 (40mm/44mm, Midnight, Starlight); Watch Series 11: from $399 (Jet Black, Silver, Rose Gold, Space Gray); Watch Ultra 3: from $799 (Black or Natural Titanium). All models support the latest watchOS features, with existing bands remaining compatible.