It’s all over the news that Apple might plan something big with its Apple Watch Series 10 or Apple Watch X, to celebrate its 10-year anniversary. But what about the Apple Watch Ultra 3? In 2023, Apple introduced the Apple Watch Ultra 2 with features galore. Now that the Apple Watch Ultra 2 has set some high standards, it has raised expectations for the upcoming premium wearable. Although we are more than two months away from seeing the Apple Watch Ultra 3, we already have some rumors and speculations about Apple’s 2024 flagship smartwatch. Here’s everything we know about the Apple Watch Ultra 3.
Apple Watch Ultra 3 Rumored Design
Sadly, we aren’t going to see any new designs on the 2024 Apple smartwatches. The next-gen Ultra 3 won’t get a major redesign, but the current one only dates to 2022. The Apple Watch Ultra 3 is likely to arrive with the same iconic design, but there’s a surprising rumor about its appearance.
According to TrendForce, the next-gen Apple Watch Ultra 3 will be even bigger than the current Apple Watch Ultra 2, which features a 1.93-inch display. Back in December 2023, TrendForce claimed that the Apple Watch Ultra 3’s display would see around a 10% increase in size, clocking in at 2.12 inches.
Well, these Apple Watch Ultra 3 design rumors have raised some concerns. The existing Ultra Watch 2 already features a big display, and people with thin wrists may find it pretty heavy and difficult to wear for a long time. If Apple is planning to come up with a bigger Ultra 3, it should also find some clever ways to reduce the weight and bezels of its smartwatch. Otherwise, the Ultra 3 might not appeal to a lot of people.
Apple Watch Ultra 3 Display
Debuted in 2023, the Apple Watch Ultra 2 features an improved, brighter display that’s capable of reaching up to 3,000 nits of peak brightness, compared to 2,000 nits on the original Ultra. This offers enhanced visibility in any environment, even in bright outdoors.
Initially, there were rumors that Apple was working hard to bring the microLED display technology to its Apple Watch. The upcoming Apple Watch Ultra 3 was poised to feature a microLED display for increased brightness levels and improved battery efficiency. Unfortunately, after working on the project for several years, Apple scrapped its in-house effort for a microLED Apple Watch in the near future. Apple analyst Ming-Chi Kuo and Display Chain Supplier Consultants also corroborate the rumors of Apple’s canceled work on the microLED technology for its smartwatch lineup. Another report from The Elec claims that we might have to wait until 2026 to see a microLED Apple Watch.
On the other hand, the Cupertino tech giant is also expected to adopt more energy-efficient LTPO panels to reduce the power consumption on Apple Watch’s Always-On Display. According to The Elec, Apple will switch to a new low-temperature polycrystalline oxide (LTPO) thin-film transistor (TFT) technology for its 2024 Apple Watch models. There are strong speculations that Apple will expand the use of LPTO OLED technology for more devices. For reference, the current iPhone 15 and 15 Plus feature LTPS panels, whereas the iPhone 15 Pro & 15 Pro Max use the more advanced LTPO panels which support variable refresh rates.
Apple Watch Ultra 3 Specs & Features
If you’re expecting some massive upgrades and exciting features on the Apple Watch Ultra 3, let me break this to you- unless Apple is intentionally keeping secrets, the upcoming premium Apple smartwatch isn’t going to offer any mind-blowing additions. Thankfully, we might see some long-anticipated health tools on the news models.
Just like the Apple Watch Series 10, the Apple Watch Ultra 3 is expected to arrive with an array of advanced health features like blood pressure monitoring and sleep apnea detection. With blood pressure monitoring, users can know if their blood pressure is increasing and get information on what they were doing when hypertension occurred. However, the watch won’t provide specific systolic and diastolic readings. Meanwhile, sleep detection will use the collected sleep data and breathing patterns to tell you if you have any signs of sleep apnea.
However, the development of these features is facing some challenges. Last week (July 7) Mark Gurman reported that Apple has been developing blood pressure monitoring and sleep apnea detection, but the “effort hasn’t gone smoothly” and “Apple has run into some serious snags.” The hypertension detection feature wasn’t very reliable during the testing and there are concerns about its integration into the refreshed design, which may force Apple to delay these features until next year.
Also, the sleep apnea feature might not make a debut on Apple’s 2024 smartwatch lineup due to Apple’s ongoing legal dispute with Masimo over the blood oxygen monitor. Masimo, a Californian-based medical tech company has claimed that Apple’s blood oxygen monitoring feature, which debuted with the Apple Watch Series 6, uses the technology patented by them. The health firm filed a lawsuit in 2021, which led Apple to remove blood oxygen monitoring features on its smartwatches to avoid a ban. The battle might be resolved by September. If not, Alternatively, Apple could announce the sleep apnea detection feature at the launch but hold its release until they have a conclusion.
Of course, all the 2024 Apple Watch models will run on the newly announced watchOS 11 (currently in Beta) which brings some nice additions to Apple’s timepieces. Some of the most interesting watchOS 11 features include summarized notifications, customizable Activity Rings and Smart Stack, Training Load insights, and Apple Intelligence support.
Apple Watch Ultra 3 Hardware Upgrades
Unfortunately, there’s nothing much to expect here. Apple Analyst Ming-Chi Kuo told MacRumors that the 2024 Apple Watch Ultra will arrive with ‘almost no’ hardware upgrades, compared to the Apple Watch Ultra 2. He believes that the expected health features like blood pressure monitoring and sleep apnea detection will use machine learning and the existing health sensors. However, Mark Gurman believes that the Ultra 3 will not get a new design this year, but it will apparently feature a new processor to succeed the S9 chip on the Apple Watch Ultra 2. The new Apple Watch Ultra 3 processor could “lay the groundwork for some AI enhancements down the road.”
Apple Watch Ultra 3 Colors
Both Apple Watch and Apple Watch Ultra 2 come in a natural titanium color. Before the launch, there were rumors that the Apple Watch Ultra 2 might come in a darker color, but that wasn’t the case. Also, Apple originally designed a dark ceramic black color for the first-generation Apple Watch Ultra, which was never released. There are some rumors that we might finally see the new color with the Watch Ultra 3. Also, when Ming-Chi Kuo said the Apple Watch Ultra would remain “roughly the same” in 2024. He also mentioned that Apple may offer a new dark/black case color option for the first time.
Apple Watch Ultra 3 Battery Life
The Apple Watch Ultra 2 already offers an impressive battery life that can last up to 36 hours on a single charge. Compared to the 542mAh battery in the first-generation Apple Watch, the second-generation Apple Watch packs a slightly larger 564mAh battery. The upcoming Apple Watch Ultra 3 is likely to deliver the same battery life, lasting up to 36 hours and 18 hours on LTE. With the updated low-power mode, the Watch Ultra 2 can last up to 72 hours. The charging will also be consistent with the Ultra 2. Thanks to fast charging support, you can top up the battery to 80% in about an hour, making it convenient for everyday use.
Apple Watch Ultra 3 Expected Release Date & Price
Previously, Kuo said that we shouldn’t set hopes to see the Apple Watch Ultra 3 in 2024. He suggested that Apple might need some more time to develop the advanced health management features. Later on, Kuo changed its mind and said we can expect Apple to release the Ultra 3 during its usual timeline.
If we look at Apple’s schedule, it usually unveils its new Apple Watch models sometime in September, along with the new iPhone series. The company hasn’t deviated from its schedule in the past eight years. So, it’s safe to say that the Ultra 3 will be released sometime in September.
At the moment, there’s no information on how much the Apple Watch Ultra 3 will cost. If we play the prediction game, the Ultra 3 would carry the same price tag of $799, with which the previous two Ultras hit the markets. However, if Apple is planning some significant upgrades behind the curtain, the Ultra 3 might boast a more premium price tag.
That’s everything we know so far about the Apple Watch Ultra 3. We’ll update this piece as the rumor cycle evolves. Stay tuned!
Anshuman Jain
Sagnik Das Gupta
