Top 5 Features Coming to the Apple Watch Ultra 3

It can already connect to satellites that how,GPS works > 🤷‍♂️

The watch doesn't connect to satellites. It's a receiver. 😛

/pedant

This is the same article from last week

You literally had this exact same article up last week or was it the weekend? Stop teasing us with these rumoured specs lol.

I think they should change the following with the Ultra:

- Leave the display as it is and make the frame / edges smaller so that the watch is more like 47 mm.

- make the Ultra thinner

- this time an Ultra with a beautiful design would also be good🤣

You literally had this exact same article up last week or was it the weekend? Stop teasing us with these rumoured specs lol.

They have no information about anything and keep rehashing the same crap

We're just about a month away from Apple's annual September event, and we're going to get a new version of the Apple Watch Ultra for the first time since 2023. There are some useful new features rumored for the Apple Watch Ultra 3, which we've summarized below.

Subscribe to the MacRumors YouTube channel ('https://www.youtube.com/user/macrumors?sub_confirmation=1') for more videos.

[LIST=1]
* Satellite Connectivity - The Apple Watch Ultra 3 will be the first Apple Watch to feature satellite connectivity ('https://www.macrumors.com/2025/03/24/2025-apple-watch-ultra-5g-satellite-texting/'), allowing wearers to get help even when out of range of cellular towers and Wi-Fi. It will mimic the satellite functionality on the iPhone 14 and later, so it will support off grid texting. With satellite functionality, the Ultra 3 will better compete with satellite wearables from companies like Garmin.

* Bigger Display - It looks like the Apple Watch Ultra 3 will have slimmed down bezels, allowing for more viewable display space ('https://www.macrumors.com/2025/08/05/apple-watch-ultra-3-display-size/'). So far, we're not hearing rumors of a larger casing size.

* 5G - All cellular Apple Watch models use LTE right now, but rumors suggest Apple will adopt MediaTek's modem chip ('https://www.macrumors.com/2025/03/24/2025-apple-watch-ultra-5g-satellite-texting/') with 5G RedCap support. 5G RedCap is a 5G service designed for wearables that don't need standard 5G speeds, but it should still be faster than LTE.

* Faster S11 Chip - Apple regularly updates the chips in its Apple Watch models, so the Ultra 3 could get an S11 SoC this year. The S11 is expected to have a more compact, efficient design, and we could see battery life optimizations.

* Blood Pressure Monitoring - This one isn't a sure thing, but Apple has been working on a blood pressure monitoring feature for the Apple Watch. It may or may not be ready in time for the Ultra 3, because of issues with accuracy and reliability. If it is ready to go, don't expect exact systolic and diastolic readings. Instead, the Apple Watch will monitor for hypertension and send an alert if the condition is detected over time.

Most of these features are also rumored for the Apple Watch Series 11, with the exception of satellite connectivity and the larger display. The Series 10 got a display size update last year, and satellite functionality is supposedly going to be an Ultra only selling point.

Both the Apple Watch Ultra 3 and the Apple Watch Series 11 will get watchOS 26 ('https://www.macrumors.com/roundup/watchos-26/'), which has the Liquid Glass redesign, an updated Smart Stack and customizable Control Center, and the AI-powered Workout Buddy that'll motivate you to keep fit.

It's looking like Apple could hold its iPhone event on September 9, so that's when we could see the new Apple Watch models debut.

Article Link: Top 5 Features Coming to the Apple Watch Ultra 3 ('https://www.macrumors.com/2025/08/12/apple-watch-ultra-3-top-features/')

with the exception of blood pressure monitoring I do not find any of the other new features compelling to upgrade from my almost 2 year old U2. And if they don't bring SpO2 back, I will not upgrade period.
They took a 2 year break from upgrading the top model - better have something more compelling.
But then again, rumors about AW have always been sparse and incorrect a lot of times, so let's see on Sep 9 or whenever the announcement will be