Get ready for the release of Apple's next supercharged smartwatch
After failing to materialize at the brand’s annual event last September, the Apple Watch Ultra 3 is one of the most anticipated smartwatches of 2025. And we’re now very close to its expected launch, with the latest rumors suggesting the premium edition is scheduled to land in September.
Why is a new Ultra model so likely? Well, despite pre-event rumors last year, the line was a surprising no-show (apart from the Black Titanium Ultra 2 edition launching). Unlike Apple’s custom with its mid-range Series watches, the lack of a new Ultra generation in 2024 proved that we can’t necessarily expect a yearly upgrade for the flagship device.
However, industry insiders and supply chain whisperers are in alignment that a new version is coming in 2025—and that’s where this guide comes in.
Below, we’ll tell you when Apple is expected to announce the Ultra 3, detail the most concrete upcoming changes and price information, and even sneak in the features we’re craving from a next-gen device.
- Best Apple Watch Ultra apps
- Everything new coming in watchOS 26
- Apple Watch Ultra 2: The ultra-running test
Release date: When will the Apple Watch Ultra 3 be announced?
- Reliable analysts and reporters hint at a September 2025 release
- Apple confirms rumors—announcement event set for 9 September
We’re only two generations into the Apple Watch Ultra line, and predicting the company’s plans has already proven trickier than the company’s Series smartwatches.
Apple has updated its mid-range smartwatches annually since the first edition was unveiled in 2015, with the most recent being the Apple Watch Series 10, which was released in September 2024.
We now know the Ultra won’t necessarily receive the same annual refresh treatment. However, a reliable report from famed Apple tipster and analyst Ming-Chi Kuo suggests it is coming in 2025.
This was backed up in January 2025 by Bloomberg’s ever-connected Mark Gurman. Writing in their Power On newsletter, the Ultra 3 is rumored to arrive as part of the annual September refresh.
Both of these voices are among the most reliable in the industry when it comes to reporting Apple’s future, so this is as good an indication as any that the Ultra 3 will arrive in 2025.
Although there hasn’t been much news since, a German outlet citing information from phone carriers has suggested that the Apple event will take place on Tuesday, 9 September.
On 26 August, this date was confirmed by Apple as its ‘Awe Dropping’ event.
While still obviously unknown, the announcement of the Ultra 3 (and Series 11 & SE 3, as expected) would mean we’re likely to see pre-orders open later that week (on Friday 12 September) ahead of an official release on 19 September.
That’s the latest and most concrete announcement/release date information available right now, but, as always, we’ll update this section if anything new emerges over the coming weeks.
Latest Apple Watch Ultra 3 rumors
Though we’re only roughly a month away from the suggested release of the Ultra 3, there hasn’t been a massive influx of rumors. That’s compared to the leaks we typically see involving rival smartwatches from Google, Garmin, and Samsung, at least.
We’ll summarize all the information that has trickled out below.
Design and performance:
The same display type is expected
The key design rumor related to the next-generation Apple Watch Ultra concerns microLED displays, but, at present, there’s very little else.
Rumor mill merchants and supply chain stalkers have remained transfixed on the idea of a microLED Apple Watch for years (or even a MiniLED Apple Watch). Yet, it’s a development that’s consistently swung between ‘nailed-on’ and ‘delayed’ or ‘canceled’.
The latest reports suggest that the plan to introduce an improved display type—delivering increased brightness and contrast, as well as improved battery efficiency—to the Ultra 3 has been postponed indefinitely, with a rumored key supplier seemingly being dropped by Apple.
We would be stunned if this is the latest twist on this one. However, as we always say, when it comes to a potential microLED Apple Watch, don’t get your hopes up.
But a larger display/reduced bezels is looking very likely
Per an iOS 26 beta discovery from MacRumors in August 2025, it looks as though the Apple Watch Ultra 3 is likely to feature a larger screen than its predecessors.
As reported by the outlet, an image asset hidden within the beta software denotes a display resolution of 422 x 514 pixels. It’s a modest but notable increase from the 410 x 502 resolution found on the current Ultra 2.
And with no other generation offering that resolution, and Apple only just refreshing the Series 10 display during last year’s design makeover, this leak is likely referring to an increased display size for the upcoming Ultra 3.
However, this doesn’t necessarily mean the watch itself will get bigger (and not just because previous reports suggest Apple will use the same housing for the Ultra 3). With no credible rumors of an increase in the overall case size, Apple has likely slimmed down the bezels for the upcoming device, allowing for a larger display area within the same physical footprint.
The internals may change (as expected)
Aside from the hints we have of slightly reduced bezels, no other major hardware changes have been rumored or are expected at this stage. That means a new chip, which has traditionally always arrived with a new generation, is about as exciting as things could get.
This appears especially likely after Mark Gurman’s January 2025 update, in which they note the same housing as the Ultra 2 is expected to be used for the Ultra 3.
Health and smart features:
Hypertension detection
Apple’s take on blood pressure monitoring is the most likely health feature to be added for the Ultra 3, given that reports have consistently suggested the feature was delayed for the 2024 models due to reliability issues during testing.
“There have been particular concerns about the blood-pressure feature working properly with the new Series 10 design,” Bloomberg’s Mark Gurman noted.
In January 2025, Gurman updated this report to suggest that hypertension detection would be added via the Ultra 3 (and Series 11). However, we have yet to see any corroborating or additional concrete information to suggest this is definitely in the works.
Improved cellular support—5G and satellite messaging
As Gurman suggested in March 2025, the next Apple Watch Ultra will support satellite messaging. This feature debuted on the iPhone a few years ago and allows users to send texts even when out of cellular and Wi-Fi range.
Interestingly, it’s also said that Apple will move away from Intel cellular modems in future models, opting instead for MediaTek. This, Gurman says, is because MediaTek supports 5G RedCap, a low-powered version of 5G specifically tailored for wearables.
This one has gained momentum since Gurman’s first report, and appears to be one of the most certain improvements set to arrive in the Ultra 3.
AI coaching
Apple Intelligence has been strongly rumored to be a key focus in future smartwatches, with an AI coach under the codename ‘Quartz’ reportedly being developed.
AI could also feature heavily in a potential 2027 model, with a March 2025 report suggesting ‘Visual Intelligence’ will be powered by a camera module on the right side of the Ultra.
Gurman’s latest reports suggest the AI coaching addition remains in Apple’s medium-term focus, meaning it’s unclear whether it will debut on the Ultra 3 or a later model.
At least in its initial iteration, it’s possible this could be limited to the Workout Buddy feature announced for watchOS 26.
How much will the Ultra 3 cost?
- Expected to remain in line with previous generations
Price leaks are relatively uncommon with any smartwatch, and that’s especially true with the Apple Watch.
For what it’s worth, though, we expect the Apple Watch Ultra 3 to cost the same as the first two generations: $799 / £799.
That said, there are a couple of factors that could influence this: a pricing shift for Series 11 and the ongoing global tariff situation. If the mid-range watch jumps up considerably—and it’s possible—Apple could keep things aligned by bumping the Ultra 3.
As for tariffs, well, that’s anyone’s guess—but it wouldn’t be surprising to see it disrupt Apple’s pricing structures in specific markets.
Apple Watch Ultra 3 features we want to see
We will only learn about the significant features of the Apple Watch Ultra 3 if/when the company officially confirms the smartwatch in September 2025.
Yet, after extensively testing the first two generations, a few things are on our wish list.
1. A smaller (and maybe larger) case size
A large part of the Ultra line’s appeal is the in-your-face 49mm case, but it’s also prohibitively large for those with smaller wrists. A bigger case also means it’s heavier, which may not be to everyone’s taste.
We think it’s time for Apple to mimic what Garmin offers with its options in the Fenix 8 range, specifically with a smaller version of the Ultra 3. For those who find the current 49mm size insufficient, perhaps even a 51mm ‘Max’ version could be rolled out.
2. Improved durability
The Ultra range offers a step-up from the Series models in terms of durability, largely thanks to the sapphire crystal display and raised edges; however, it’s still not suitable for being battered outdoors.
We still see plenty of cracked displays and scratched cases from Ultra users on Reddit, and we’d love to see Apple improve the Ultra’s durability (or at least reduce the price of repairs).
3. Multiple case colors
We thought it was virtually guaranteed that Apple would release an additional case color with the Ultra 2, but we had to wait until this year’s black edition to receive our first major change to the standard smartwatch.
Here’s hoping Apple revisits the idea of more colors for the Ultra 3; it’d be nice to have a couple more to choose from, perhaps in line with the iPhone Pro range.
4. Improved battery life
We find it difficult to return to the Apple Watch Series 10 after a spell with the Ultra 2, and the extra day or so of battery life is the biggest reason.
We’re not expecting the Ultra 3 to arrive with staying power on par with something like the excellent Garmin Fenix 8 or Enduro 3. Yet, squeezing an extra day out from somewhere (perhaps a larger edition, as mentioned earlier) would be most welcome.
5. Optimized sensors
This is a bit of a sneaky one, as it’s more software-related than a wish specifically related to the Ultra 3, but we’re hoping for some deeper insights from the next-gen model.
Apple is expected to leverage AI for the next Apple Watch models, and we’d love to see the wide range of sensors already present optimized to introduce exclusive training and health insights – or potentially coaching programs.
