Apple’s media event on Tuesday served as the announcement platform for a ton of goodies, among them, the company’s long-awaited Apple Watch Series 11 and Apple Watch Ultra 3.
The Apple Watch Series 11 announcement cited new features such as hypertension detection, Sleep Score, 5G connectivity, and more. The physical elements of the Apple Watch have been upgraded, with Apple offering an improved Ion-X front crystal with 2x better scratch resistance thanks to a new Apple-designed ceramic coating that hardens the surface. Titanium models continue to feature sapphire front crystal.
Under the hood, the Apple Watch Series 11 sports the same S10 chip as the Series 10, although 5G connectivity is now available on cellular models for the first time. A redesigned cellular antenna covers mode bands and simultaneously engages the two system antennas when needed, significantly increasing the signal strength, especially in areas with weak coverage.
Where the battery is concerned, the Series 11 offers 24 hours of battery life, up from 18 hours found in previous generations of the Apple Watch. The new device also supports fast charging, which can charge up to eight hours of battery life in only 15 minutes.
The new hypertension feature works to detect signals of high blood pressure over time. While Apple says it won’t detect all instances of hypertension, it expects to notify more than 1 million people of unknown hypertension in the first year. Apple is expecting approval from the FDA and other regulators. The company went on to explain that the system uses data from the optical heart sensor to analyze how a user’s blood vessels respond to the beats of the heart. The algorithm works passively in the background reviewing data over 30-day periods.
The Sleep Score feature offers insights into sleep quality at a glance, and measures sleep duration, bedtime consistency, how often you wake up, and how long you spend in each sleep stage. The feature breaks these elements down, offering an idea as to what to prioritize to improve.
The Apple Watch Series 11 continues to be available in both 42mm and 46mm casing sizes, and is available in both Wi-Fi only and cellular-enabled models. Aluminum models are available in Jet Black, Silver, Rose Gold, and Space Gray, while polished titanium cases come in Natural, Gold, and Slate. The retail price begins at $399 with pre-orders having begun on Tuesday and the retail launch beginning on Friday, September 19.
Apple also announced the much-awaited Apple Watch Ultra 3, which now offers satellite connectivity, 5G cellular, and the largest ever display.
The display is the largest ever on an Apple Watch. Apple used LTPO3 technology and wide-angle OLEDs to make the borders 24 percent thinner while keeping the same case size. The screen now updates once per second in always-on mode instead of once per minute, so you can see the seconds hand tick without lifting your wrist. Over 20 watch faces support the faster refresh rate, including Stopwatch and Timer.
The Apple Watch Ultra 3 offers a new battery, complete with up to 42 hours of normal use and up to 72 hours in Low Power Mode. For continuous GPS workouts, Low Power Mode now lasts 20 hours with full heart rate monitoring, and 15 minutes of charging provides 12 hours of battery life.
Apple’s new satellite connectivity feature allows users to text emergency services, message contacts, and share their location when they don’t have cellular or Wi-Fi coverage. The company claimed that the device can detect a car crash or hard fall while you’re unconscious and off the grid, wherein it will automatically contact emergency services.
The device can also send regular texts, emoji, and Tapbacks to anyone you’ve messaged in the past 30 days, even without cell service. Apple says it had to redesign the radio and antenna to make this work, and that the antenna now has double the signal strength to reach satellites 800 miles overhead moving at 15,000 mph. The new Find My via satellite feature allows the device to send your location every 15 minutes to contacts you’ve previously added to Find My. Apple currently offers two free years of satellite access with the smartwatch, and the Emergency SOS works without a cellular plan, while messaging and location sharing require an active cellular subscription. Finally, a new Waypoint watch face provides live compass navigation and quick access to satellite communications. And Night Mode helps preserve night vision during outdoor adventures.
For the athletes out there, the Workout Buddy feature usese Apple Intelligence to offer spoken motivation during exercise based on the user’s heart rate, pace, distance, and workout history. The feature works with Bluetooth headphones and requires an Apple Intelligence-supported iPhone nearby. The feature is available in English for popular workout types.
If you’re planning on swimming, the Apple Watch Ultra 3 offers water resistance to 100 meters, and the titanium case comes in natural or black finishes.
Pre-orders for customers in Australia, Canada, France, Germany, India, Japan, the UAE, the UK, the U.S., and more than 50 other countries and regions opened on Tuesday, with availability in stores beginning Friday, September 19.
Stay tuned for additional details as they become available.
