A refresh of the Apple Watch Ultra might be coming soon. Here’s when you can expect Apple’s next Ultra smartwatch and what the rumors suggest about its differences from the Apple Watch Ultra 2.
When Could the Apple Watch Ultra 3 Be Released?
Apple does a pretty good job of keeping its product release dates under wraps. But it’s also hardly ever a surprise when the fall Apple event is announced. We anticipate that the next Apple Watch will be released around September 2025.
Here’s why the rumors are growing:
- It would make sense for the Apple Watch Ultra 3 release date to mirror the last two models. The first Ultra and the second generation arrived in September 2022 and 2023, respectively. However, the Apple event in September 2024 passed by with no mention of a new version.
- Analyst Ming-Chi Kuo says the Ultra 3 will arrive in 2025.
Is Apple Even Considering the Release of Any Kind of Smartwatch?
Apple dominates the smartwatch market. To think it’s given up on releasing another model just doesn’t track. It’s less about if and more about when.
Kuo suggested that Apple wouldn’t release a new Apple Watch Ultra in 2024 because “it needs more time to develop innovative health management features” and to “address issues related to Micro LED production.”
That tells us that the company skipped offering a new Ultra watch in 2024 to provide more time to make it the best it can be. Meaning: it’s coming.
Our Thoughts on Potential Apple Watch Ultra 3 Features
Without any official word from Apple and still some time before the rumored release date, there’s little we know about the features coming to the Apple Watch Ultra 3. At the very least, we expect improvements similar to those seen in the first two models, such as a newer chip and longer battery life.
Here are some other changes that could come to the 2025 Apple Watch Ultra:
- Satellite texting: This could be the first Apple Watch to adopt the iPhone’s satellite texting capabilities, which allow you to send texts via satellite when you lack access to a normal mobile or Wi-Fi network.
- Blood oxygen monitoring: Due to a patent dispute, the blood oxygen feature included in the Ultra 2 is not available in the US. This issue might be resolved by the Ultra 3 launch.
- Blood pressure trends: The next Apple Watch Ultra will have the ability to measure blood pressure trends, which could help indicate hypertension.
- watchOS 12: Given its release date, the Ultra 3 will run watchOS 12. Check out everything we know about watchOS 12 to get a glimpse of what this watch might be capable of.
- New chip: The S9 chip in the Ultra 2 powers on-device Siri and its handy double-tap feature. An even better chip will no doubt open up the possibility for more useful improvements that might include integration with the Apple Vision Pro VR headset.
- More local storage: Storage was doubled with the Ultra 2 (from 32 GB to 64 GB), and while another doubling sounds excessive, some significant AI features in this watch might need more storage. Considering rumors of a big Siri update, more local storage would be smart.
- Watch size options: We’d also like Apple to offer different sizes for its Ultra series smartwatch, as 49mm is quite large. Samsung’s watches come in multiple sizes, and both Google and Samsung allow you to choose from various colors. Conversely, if you’re looking for an even larger Apple Watch, 2026 might be the year you upgrade.
- microLED: Rumors have gone back and forth about when we’ll see a microLED Apple Watch. Benefits to battery life, response times, lifespan, and more are well understood, but high costs have kept it out of Apple’s smartwatch lineup. Forbes reveals the latest on this, reporting that “Apple is looking at potential new suppliers and processes” for an Apple Watch with microLED, but that new products are probably still years away.
- Digital Crown upgrade: One Apple patent describes replacing the Digital Crown’s mechanical parts with a light-based sensor system. This could shrink the crown and free up internal space for better components.
USPTO
