Apple Watch Ultra 3 Elevates the Rugged Companion, Includes Satellite Connectivity and Hypertension Notifications

Apple’s new premium smartwatch, the Apple Watch Ultra 3, is out two years after the last one and boasts a bigger screen, longer battery life and groundbreaking features like satellite connectivity s as well as hypertension alerts.

Apple has packed a higher resolution 422 x 514 pixel screen into the Ultra 3, more than the Ultra 2’s 410 x 502, without increasing the size of the case. By slimming the bezels by 24% and using LTPO3 and wide angle OLED technology, the screen is not only bigger but also brighter when viewed from the side. So glancing at your wrist during a hike or mid run becomes easier whether you’re checking a map or monitoring your heart rate. A new Waypoint watch face has a live compass and quick access to satellite features, while Night Mode preserves your vision in low light.

You get up to 42 hours of use in standard mode, a big jump from the Ultra 2’s 36 hours and up to 72 hours in Low Power Mode. For continuous outdoor workouts with GPS and heart rate tracking it lasts 20 hours in Low Power Mode. A new metal back inspired by the Apple Watch Series 10 has a larger charging coil so charging time is significantly reduced – 15 minutes gives you up to 12 hours of use.

Connectivity takes a big leap forward with satellite communication, a first for any Apple Watch. When you’re off the grid—think backcountry skiing or remote camping—the Ultra 3 lets you text emergency services, message friends and family or share your location via Find My, all through satellite networks. Emergency SOS via satellite kicks in automatically after a severe crash or fall, sends your location to responders if you’re unresponsive. Messages are end to end encrypted and you can send SMS or Tapbacks to recent contacts. Apple’s reengineered radio and antenna doubles the signal strength and connects to satellites 800 miles above Earth. And the best part? These features are free for two years, no cellular plan required.

Health monitoring goes to new heights with hypertension notifications, a feature that’s about to make a big impact. Using the optical heart sensor, the Ultra 3 tracks blood vessel responses over 30 days to detect signs of chronic high blood pressure. If detected, it will nudge you to log readings with a third-party cuff and see a doctor. Developed with data from over 100,000 participants and validated in a 2,000-person study, this feature will alert over a million users to undiagnosed hypertension in its first year. It’s not a replacement for medical-grade tools but a proactive step towards catching a condition that affects 1.3 billion people globally, often without symptoms. FDA clearance is coming soon so this will be a widely available health tool in 150 countries.

Sleep tracking gets a thoughtful update with the new sleep score feature in watchOS 26. Each morning the Ultra 3 will deliver a score out of 100 breaking down sleep duration, bedtime consistency, wake-ups and time in each sleep stage. You can see it on the watch face, Smart Stack or Health app on your iPhone with clear guidance on what to improve. Built on 5 million nights of data from the Apple Heart and Movement Study it aligns with sleep expert guidance.

Fitness features remain core and the Ultra 3 delivers with Workout Buddy, a personalized coaching tool powered by Apple Intelligence. It analyzes your heart rate, pace, distance and fitness history to give you spoken motivation through Bluetooth headphones, tailored to workouts like running or cycling. The Workout app itself is more customizable with new views, Pacer and Race Route options. Runners get the most accurate GPS in a sports watch plus metrics like vertical oscillation and stride length. Cyclists can pair with power meters for cadence and power zones, swimmers get stroke detection and water temperature readings. Hikers and divers aren’t left out with offline maps and the Oceanic+ app turning the Ultra 3 into a dive computer. Whatever your sport the Ultra 3 feels like a coach, map and stats tracker all in one.

The move to 5G cellular is another under the radar upgrade. Unlike previous models stuck on 4G LTE the Ultra 3 uses a MediaTek modem for 5G RedCap designed for wearables. This means faster downloads for music, podcasts or apps and better performance in spotty coverage areas thanks to dual-antenna algorithms. It’s not about fast speeds but about being reliable when you’re streaming a playlist or taking a call on the go. Combined with the satellite features the Ultra 3 means you’re connected in more places than ever, whether you’re in a city or a forest.

Its design stays true to the Ultra’s tough roots, available in natural or black titanium. The case is slightly thinner and 100-meter water resistance (WR100) means you can swim or recreational scuba dive. New bands like the reflective Trail Loop and rubber Hermès Scub’H Diving band add style and function. Apple’s environmental push continues with 40% recycled content, 100% recycled cobalt in the battery and titanium in the case, made with a 3D printing process that uses half the raw material. It’s made with renewable energy and the packaging is fully recyclable. Durability and repairability means it’s practical for years to come, with long term software support.

Priced from $799, the same as the Ultra 2, preorders open now and ships September 19, 2025. It doesn’t reinvent the wheel, but sharpens every edge of the Ultra 2.