The next-generation Apple Watch Ultra is set to gain satellite connectivity, reports Bloomberg's Mark Gurman. Apple first introduced satellite connectivity for off-grid texting with the iPhone 14, and the feature has been included in the iPhone 15 and iPhone 16, but no Apple Watch to date.
Apple's 2025 Apple Watch Ultra will be able to connect to a satellite network like the iPhone, allowing users to send texts via satellite when cellular networks and Wi-Fi are unavailable. When satellite connectivity first launched, it was limited to emergency text messages, but in iOS 18, Apple expanded it to allow users to send texts to anyone.
Apple is hoping that the satellite feature will encourage Apple Watch owners to update to a new Apple Watch Ultra, with the third-generation model set to come out in September 2025. Satellite connectivity would also allow Apple to better compete with companies like Garmin that manufacture dedicated satellite hardware for use in off-grid emergencies.
The Apple Watch Ultra is aimed at hikers, scuba divers, and adventurers, and satellite connectivity for the device would add another layer of safety for activities that are not near cellular towers.
As of right now, Apple still does not charge for satellite connectivity, and there is no word yet on what the company might charge. All iPhones come with two years of connectivity for free, and that will also likely be the case for the Apple Watch Ultra.
Apple is also planning to stop using Intel cellular modems in future Apple Watch models, instead transitioning to technology from MediaTek. MediaTek's modem chip adds support or 5G RedCap, a 5G service that's designed for connected devices and wearables that don't need standard 5G speeds. The current cellular Apple Watch models still use 4G LTE, even though Apple has been using 5G in iPhones for several years.
