Apple just dropped the biggest smartwatch update in years. The Apple Watch Ultra 3 isn’t just another incremental upgrade – it’s a complete game-changer that brings satellite connectivity to your wrist for the first time. This rugged timepiece launches September 19, 2025, and promises to revolutionize how we think about staying connected in remote locations.
Satellite connectivity changes everything
The headline feature that sets the Ultra 3 apart is its groundbreaking satellite capability. You can now send emergency SOS messages, share your location, and even text friends and family when you’re completely off the grid. This technology connects to Globalstar satellites positioned 800 miles above Earth, moving at speeds of 15,000 miles per hour.
Apple redesigned the watch’s internal radio and doubled the antenna signal strength to make this possible. The satellite features include free service for two years with your purchase. In ideal conditions with a clear view of the sky, messages take about 30 seconds to send. Under trees with light foliage, it might take over a minute.
The satellite functionality works through three main features. Emergency SOS connects you directly to emergency services when cellular and Wi-Fi aren’t available. Find My via satellite shares your location every 15 minutes with pre-selected contacts. Messages via satellite lets you send texts, emojis, and tapbacks to anyone you’ve contacted in the last 30 days.
Groundbreaking blood pressure detection
Apple made another medical breakthrough with the Ultra 3. The watch now includes FDA-approved hypertension notifications that can detect chronic high blood pressure. This isn’t a daily blood pressure monitor – instead, it analyzes your heart data over 30-day periods to identify patterns of hypertension.
The feature uses the optical heart sensor to analyze how blood vessels respond to heartbeats. Apple trained this algorithm using data from over 100,000 participants across multiple studies. Clinical validation involved more than 2,000 additional participants.
Hypertension affects 1.3 billion adults globally and often goes undiagnosed because it has no symptoms. Apple expects this feature to notify over 1 million people with undiagnosed hypertension within the first year. If you receive a notification, Apple recommends logging your blood pressure for seven days using a third-party cuff and sharing results with your doctor.
Bigger display with better technology
The Ultra 3 features the largest display ever on an Apple Watch. Apple slimmed the bezels by 24% to create more screen space without increasing the overall case size. The display now measures 1.9 inches with a resolution of 502×410 pixels.
The screen uses new LTPO3 technology with wide-angle OLED viewing. This means you can read the display clearly even when viewing it at sharp angles. The always-on display can now refresh at just 1Hz, allowing moving second hands to tick continuously without draining the battery.
Peak brightness reaches 3,000 nits, making it readable in the brightest outdoor conditions. The display uses flat sapphire crystal for maximum durability. At night, Ultra watch faces automatically switch to red coloring to preserve your night vision.
Massive battery life improvements
Battery life sees a significant boost with the Ultra 3. Apple rates the watch for 42 hours of regular usage, up from 36 hours on the Ultra 2. In Low Power Mode, you get up to 72 hours of use. For GPS workouts, expect 14 hours of continuous tracking.
The larger battery combines with the more efficient S10 chip and LTPO3 display to achieve these improvements. Fast charging provides 80% battery in just 45 minutes, which is faster than previous Apple Watch models. Real-world usage typically sees 25-30% battery drain per day.
Powerful S10 chip enhances performance
The Ultra 3 runs on Apple’s new S10 chip with a quad-core Neural Engine. This processor enables on-device Siri processing for faster responses to health and fitness queries. The chip also powers new gesture controls like double-tap and wrist-flick.
The watch includes 64GB of storage, doubling the capacity of many competitors. The S10 chip supports Voice Isolation for clearer phone calls in noisy environments. It also enables direct media playback through the watch’s speakers.
Advanced health monitoring suite
Beyond hypertension detection, the Ultra 3 includes comprehensive health tracking. The blood oxygen sensor returns after being removed due to patent disputes with Masimo. Sleep tracking now includes a new Sleep Score feature that rates your sleep quality based on duration, bedtime consistency, and interruptions.
The watch can detect sleep apnea and send notifications if patterns suggest this serious condition. Heart rate monitoring includes ECG capabilities, irregular rhythm alerts, and high/low heart rate notifications. Temperature sensing tracks wrist temperature during sleep for more accurate health data.
Fitness tracking covers virtually every activity imaginable, including exotic options like pickleball, barre, and fitness gaming. Advanced metrics include power zones, cadence, stride length, ground contact time, and vertical oscillation for serious athletes.
5G connectivity and improved features
The Ultra 3 includes 5G RedCap (Reduced Capability) connectivity for faster data speeds. This next-generation cellular technology provides better performance for downloading podcasts, streaming music, and maintaining stable connections in weak coverage areas.
The watch maintains all the rugged features Ultra users expect. Water resistance reaches 100 meters with diving computer functionality built-in. The depth gauge works to 40 meters and includes water temperature sensing. MIL-STD-810 certification ensures the watch survives extreme conditions.
New software features with watchOS 26
The Ultra 3 ships with watchOS 26, featuring Apple’s new Liquid Glass design language. The software includes an AI-powered Workout Buddy that provides personalized encouragement during exercise. This feature analyzes your performance data and offers motivational feedback like “you crushed it!” when you achieve personal bests.
New gesture controls make one-handed operation easier. Double-tap your thumb and index finger to perform primary actions like answering calls or opening the Smart Stack. The wrist-flick gesture lets you dismiss notifications by simply flicking your wrist.
Pricing and availability details
The Apple Watch Ultra 3 costs $799, matching the price of its predecessor. This includes a Trail Loop, Ocean Band, or Alpine Loop at no extra charge. Premium bands like the Milanese Loop add $100 to the total cost.
The watch comes in two titanium finishes: Natural and Black. Pre-orders began September 9, 2025, with general availability starting September 19. The Ultra 3 requires an iPhone 11 or later running iOS 26.
Competition comparison
The Ultra 3 faces competition from Samsung’s Galaxy Watch Ultra, which costs $650. The Apple watch offers a larger 1.9-inch display compared to Samsung’s 1.5-inch screen. Apple provides longer battery life at 42 hours versus Samsung’s typical 1-2 day performance.
However, Samsung offers more RAM (2GB vs 1GB) and runs the more open Wear OS platform. The Apple Watch only works with iPhones, while Samsung’s watch supports both Android and iOS devices.
Worth the upgrade decision
The Ultra 3 represents a significant evolution over the Ultra 2. The satellite connectivity alone justifies the upgrade for serious outdoor enthusiasts and adventurers. Hypertension detection could be life-saving for the millions with undiagnosed high blood pressure.
Current Ultra 1 and Ultra 2 owners might find the upgrade worthwhile if they value satellite communication or health monitoring advances. For first-time Ultra buyers, the Ultra 3 delivers the most comprehensive smartwatch experience available for iPhone users.
The Ultra 3 isn’t just a smartwatch – it’s a communication lifeline, health guardian, and fitness companion all rolled into one titanium package. Whether you’re scaling mountains, diving in remote locations, or simply want the most advanced health monitoring available, the Ultra 3 delivers technology that was unimaginable just a few years ago.
