Apple’s new Watch lineup doubles down on heart health, sleep, and satellite safety

• Apple Watch Series 11
• Apple Watch SE 3
• Apple Watch Ultra 3

Summary

• All Apple Watch models get 5G; Ultra 3 adds two-way satellite SOS and up to 42-hour battery.
• Series 11 is the thinnest Apple Watch, new Ion-X/ceramic display, Hypertension Notifications, Sleep Score, 24h battery.
• SE 3 offers the S10 chip, always-on display, Workout Buddy, and wrist temp/ovulation/sleep apnea alerts at $249.

At its “Awe Dropping” September event, Apple announced three new additions to its Apple Watch lineup: the Apple Watch Series 11, Apple Watch SE 3, and Apple Watch Ultra 3.

This year’s updates focus on display improvements, expanded emergency features, and two new health tools — none of which come at the cost of battery life. 2025 also marks the first time the entire lineup includes 5G cellular support, with the Ultra 3 going a step further by introducing two-way satellite communication.

Whether you’re curious about hardware upgrades, new software features, or what sets each model apart, here’s a breakdown of the most important takeaways from each of Apple’s latest wearables.

Apple Watch Series 11

5G support, hypertension monitoring, Sleep Score, and more

Kicking off the wearables section strong today, the tech giant unveiled the Apple Watch Series 11: the thinnest Apple Watch ever, and allegedly the most comfortable. The display is made of custom Ion-X (ion-exchanged strengthened) glass with a ceramic coating bonded at the atomic level to provide twice the scratch resistance.

watchOS 26 introduces two standout faces: Flow, which swirls colors in sync with wrist movements, and Exactograph, a modern spin on the regulator clock that separates seconds, minutes, and hours. Apple also refreshed 20 existing faces.

This is the first Apple Watch with 5G, thanks to a redesigned antenna that boosts coverage and performance while conserving battery. Speaking of which, the watch offers 24 hours of battery life so you can wear it through the day and into the night, which is important for the next handful of features.

New features include Hypertension Notifications, which track blood pressure trends over 30-day periods, and Sleep Score, which measures duration, consistency, stages, and awakenings to rate sleep quality. While the hypertension tool isn’t FDA-cleared yet, Apple expects regulatory approval soon.

The Apple Wach Series 11 comes in Jet Black, Rose Gold, and Space Gray, all made from 100% recycled aluminum. Pre-orders start today, September 9, with availability on September 19 starting at $399.

Apple Watch SE 3

Core features made affordable

If you’ve never owned an Apple Watch, this is the model to start with. Apple packed its third-gen Apple Watch SE with the powerful S10 chip, which supports an always-on display for convenient glances, fast charging, and 5G cellular. Despite the always-on screen, the SE 3 still delivers all-day battery life — up to 18 hours.

Feature-wise, the SE 3 brings wrist temperature sensing, retrospective ovulation estimates, and sleep apnea notifications, all of which add to the already robust lineup that includes heart health alerts, Cycle Tracking, Fall Detection, Emergency SOS, and more.

watchOS 26 introduces Workout Buddy, a personalized fitness assistant powered by Apple Intelligence. It’s designed to offer more intuitive, data-driven workouts. Other exciting callouts include Siri getting a spot on the watch, one-handed gestures, voice isolation, and media playback.

The Apple Watch SE 3 comes in Starlight or Midnight, is available for pre-order starting September 9, and will be priced at $249 when it hits shelves on September 19, 2025.

Apple Watch Ultra 3

Emergency SOS via satellite, the largest display yet, and a whopping 42-hour battery life

Now for the crown jewel of the new lineup: the Apple Wach Ultra 3. It’s the most advanced wearable the company offers, and continues to bridge the gap between a rugged sports watch and a daily smartwatch.

Readability in any conditions is a major factor for users interested in this watch, and the Ultra 3 has a new display that employs both LTPO3 and wide-angle OLED technology. Apple made the borders 24% thinner, making it the largest display you can find on any Apple Watch. Despite such a size increase, the battery life now stretches up to 42 hours, depending on usage.

Communication and safety features got a notable upgrade, too. The Ultra 3 supports 5G, two-way satellite communication, and includes a redesigned radio and antenna system that doubles radio strength and allows connections to satellites up to 800 miles above Earth.

Health and fitness tracking has expanded to include Hypertension Notifications, Sleep Score, and other advanced metrics for exercise and recovery.

The Apple Watch Ultra 3 is available in Natural or Black Titanium, and is available for pre-order today, September 9. It will be available for purchase on September 19, 2025, for $799.