The Apple Watch Ultra range of smartwatches is the premium end of rugged outdoor accessories. So how can the company improve over its Apple Watch Ultra 2 that launched in September 2023?
Rumours have been doing the rounds suggesting we might see some impressive upgrades when the new model arrives. So, here’s all we know so far about the Apple Watch Ultra 3 smartwatch.
When will the Apple Watch Ultra 3 be released?
Apple has yet to confirm a release date for the Ultra 3, of course, and although the previous releases for Ultra generations (see below) suggested it would arrive in September 2024 with the iPhone 16 range, Apple only announced the Watch Series 10.
Since then, Mark Gurman has said in his Power On newsletter for Bloomberg that the Apple Watch Ultra (and next generation of Apple Watch SE) will be updated in 2025.
“Some of this is because Apple’s hardware innovation has slowed down, so it makes sense to save up two years’ worth of features to make a bigger splash.” said Gurman on Apple switching to a two-year refresh cycle.
The wait goes on then, but Apple did announce a new edition of the Apple Watch Ultra 2 in September that might tickle your fancy (below).
It’s called Black Titanium, has a satin finish and has a matching back strap (Trail Loop, Alpine Loop, and Ocean Band) along with a new Titanium Milanese Loop band.
It includes the new sleep apnea detection feature (FDA clearance pending) and is available to buy now for £799/$799.
Here’s when the last two generations made their debuts:
How much will the Apple Watch Ultra 3 cost?
Again, there have been no announcements regarding any potential costs of an updated Apple Watch Ultra, so we look to the models that have been released so far to give us some guidance.
Here’s how the two previous generations have been priced:
- Apple Watch Ultra – $799/£849
- Apple Watch Ultra 2 – $799/£799
As you can see, Apple seems to have settled on a price point for its Ultras, with the UK even getting a price cut to bring it into line with the US figure. We’ve seen nothing so far to indicate that these costs will go up in 2024, so expect to pay around $800/£800 for the Apple Watch Ultra 3.
What new features will we see in the Apple Watch Ultra 3?
While no official announcements have been made regarding the new Ultra, there are a few stories out in the wild that suggest what Apple may have at the end of our sleeves at the end of this year.
Maybe temper your expectations though, as perennial tech leaker Ming Chi Kuo did post in October last year that ‘The 2024 new Apple Watch will unlikely have significant innovative experiences’.
It’s unclear whether he meant the standard model or the new Ultra, but the image he used to accompany his predictions was of the Apple Watch Ultra 2, so things might not be too different if you’re planning to buy the next model when it arrives (hopefully) later this year.
One change he did point out though was in the potential introduction of a ‘black/dark’ colourscheme that would immediately differentiate the Ultra 3 from its predecessors.
A Micro LED display?
This one has been doing the rounds for a while. In fact, the idea was thought to have died a death at the end of last year, but a new report from the5Krunner site (which specialises in outdoor running equipment) suggests that we still might yet see a microLED display in an Apple Watch Ultra.
It points out that there are now two microLED small displays available from the company, although they are found in the Apple Vision Pro headset.
While this seems to make it more likely that the technology will transition to other Apple products, the report states that this is more likely to be in 2025 (and therefore the Apple Watch Ultra 4) then in the coming months. So, it looks like it will be an OLED display again for the Apple Watch Ultra 3.
Industry analyst Ming Chi Kuo seems to have confirmed this in his Apple Watch predictions post on Medium (link above), where he states that ‘The 2024 new Apple Watch will not adopt Micro LED…The 2025 new Apple Watch will likely use Micro LED, but I wouldn’t be surprised if it’s postponed to 2026.’
This is a shame, as Micro LED offers the potential for brighter panels with better battery life, which is a big deal with a product that’s aimed to be used out in the wild most of the time.
This is echoed by a more recent rumour (via GSMArena) which states Apple plans to introduce microLED displays in the Apple Watch Ultra by 2026. Additionally, Apple is expected to use microLED panels in its AR glasses, which are also slated for mass production in 2026.
This suggests that 2026 could be a pivotal year for Apple’s microLED ambitions. The impact on LG, Apple’s previous display supplier, is still uncertain, particularly regarding any potential compensation for the cancelled project.
New colour
There were plenty of rumours in the run-up to the launch of the Apple Watch Ultra 2 that we’d be given a choice of either the standard titanium colourway or an attractive Space Black option.
These hopes were dashed when Apple stuck with its silver livery on the Ultra 2, but as we’ve mentioned above, industry analyst Ming-Chi Kuo has posted that a ‘black/dark’ livery could appear on the Ultra 3, with the caveat of ‘If production yields meet expectations’.
New processor
A pretty nailed on upgrade for the Apple Watch Ultra 3 is in the processor.
The original Apple Watch Ultra was powered by the S8 SiP, and this was changed for the S9 SiP in the Apple Watch Ultra 2. It should follow suit then that we see the latest S10 SiP in the Apple Watch Ultra 3.
If we see the same advances between generations, then expect double the transistors onboard, a neural engine that’s twice as fast, and general improvements across the board.
A new Digital Crown
One interesting innovation that’s been reported widely regards a patent granted to Apple that outlines a potential update to the Digital Crown.
The new design appears to limit the rotation of the crown, but instead has touch-sensitive elements that would allow Apple to minimise its physical movement, reducing the potential for failure.
There are also light sensors outlined in the patent, which has people speculating that it could be some kind of new ambient light control, while also allowing a shorter stem for the crown, which in turn makes space for additional hardware in the body.
That’s all we’ve seen so far about the Apple Watch Ultra 3. Of course, we’ll keep updating this article as more details come to light.
Until then, you can check out our selection of the best Apple Watch deals as well as see the competition available in our best smartwatch roundup.
