As expected, Apple's September 9 "awe-dropping" event brought a tsunami of new hardware, including the iPhone 17 and iPhone Air. But those long-awaited models weren't the only launches worth noting — the event also debuted three new Apple Watches: the Apple Watch Ultra 3, the Apple Watch Series 11 and the Apple Watch SE 3.
Now that the livestream is over, these three new Apple wearables are all available for pre-order. All three will ship out on September 19.
Apple Watch Ultra 3
The Apple Watch Ultra 3 announcement confirmed rumors of a satellite texting feature that means adventurers no longer need to carry an iPhone to contact emergency services and roadside assistance (in participating countries). The new model doubles the signal strength to communicate with more distant satellites.
In another boon to off-road explorers, the always-on screen should last for much longer on one charge. Apple's engineers have even managed to enlarge the display without making the watch itself bigger. This larger screen is ideal for apps like the new waypoint face, which will be a godsend for anyone who's ever wanted a video game minimap for their actual life.
As expected, the Ultra 3 also adds a MediaTek modem that will bring Apple Watches into the 5G era, putting them in line with modern iPhones. The long-expected blood pressure monitor was also confirmed.
As for the standard model, we didn't expect the Apple Watch Series 11 to look that different from the Series 10, and Apple served up the iterative improvement we predicted. The new model comes with a new chip, the S11, which lets the Series 11 connect to 5G networks.
As for hardware, the ceramic body of the Series 11 allegedly makes it twice as durable as previous models. It's also confirmed that one charge will last up to 24 hours.
The Apple Watch Series 11 will include the long-awaited blood pressure monitor, which Apple hopes will be a major step toward preventing hypertension deaths worldwide. There's also a new sleep quality monitor called Sleep Score.
Apple also dropped a new entry in the more accessible Apple Watch SE line, which was sorely in need of an update. Back in March, Engadget's Amy Skorheim called for a larger display, an S9 processor, faster charging and a manageable amount of health tracking features.
Apple answered her call with the Apple Watch SE 3, adding fast charging and temperature sensing powers that link to a vitals monitoring app. SE 3 users will also get access to Sleep Score features.
Unexpectedly, the SE 3 jumps ahead to an S10 processor, so even the "budget" Apple Watch will now be able to handle 5G. The Apple Watch SE 3 now supports an always-on display and gesture controls, and can be used to play media when you don't have your AirPods handy.
