You know it, we know it––Apple is planning a major hardware launch event this September.
A few things are already expected of the Apple Watch Series 11 and the third-gen Ultra, but as usual with Apple, the majority of new features are shrouded under a veil of mystery. Still, there are some rumors that are circulating around––let’s explore them!
Design & Sizes
No changes to the roster
As usual with Apple, we don’t expect any major changes with the design language of either of these wearables.
Given that the Watch Series 10 scored a pretty solid redesign that made the wearable that much thinner than its predecessors, we wouldn’t expect another similar redesign for at least a few years, as Apple has found its happy place with the design language and doesn’t seem to be keen on changing it too much. The aluminum and titanium options will likely persist with this generation as well, and we are happy campers, as it’s great to have such options.
The same applies to the wearable that will potentially take the Apple Watch Ultra 3 name: its rugged and more premium design language still feels super-fresh, so there’s no need for a redesign here. Albeit, rumors claim that Apple might introduce a redesign metal back on the wearable, which is currently utilizing a ceramic back casing. The rest of the assembly will certainly rely on titanium and sapphire glass still.
Size-wise, we expect the Watch Series 11 to be available in two flavors: a more compact 42mm one and a larger 46mm with slightly better battery fail. The Watch Ultra 3 is unlikely to stray away from the standard 49mm size that has become synonymous with the model. The thickness is definitely one area in which the Watch Series 11 will beat its larger and more rugged peer.
Here’s how the two may compare:
| Apple Watch Series 11 | Apple Watch Ultra 3 |
|---|---|
| Sizes 42mm / 46mm |
Sizes 49mm |
| Thickness 9.7mm |
Thickness 14.4mm |
| Materials Aluminum Titanium Ion-X glass |
Materials Titanium Sapphire |
Design-wise, we expect no changes as well. The Apple Watch Ultra 3 will keep its flat display and more rugged style with an oversized digital crown and a customizable Action Button, while sleekness will continue its reign on the regular Watch Series 11.
Water resistance and overall endurance will certainly continue to be a forte of the Apple Watch Ultra 3, which should be water-resistant up to 100 meters, while the regular Watch Series 11 will likely score 5ATM water-resistance just like its predecessor.
Bands
The usual suspects
Both the Apple Watch Series 11 and the Watch Ultra 3 will most probably carry the tradition and will continue using the well-established band-attachment mechanism.
As far as what types of bands we can expect to launch alongside the new wearables, our guess is as good as yours. Apple always releases new straps with its new watches, so we are definitely getting new ones.
Software & Features
watchOS 26 incoming
Both wearables are likely to launch with watchOS 26. The rumor mill is convinced that Apple is about to change the naming scheme of all of its operating systems. Instead of iOS 19, we are about to get iOS 26, instead of macOS 16, we are getting macOS 26, and instead of watchOS 12, we will be getting watchOS 26.
watchOS 26 is expected to feature a visual redesign that will introduce glass-like UI elements, styled after the visionOS aesthetics.
New features that could arrive on both the Watch 11 and the Watch Ultra 3 include blood pressure monitoring. However, don’t expect it to provide you with the standard systolic and diastolic readings that regular blood-pressure monitors do; Apple’s wearables will only be capable of monitoring for signs of hypertension and alerting you if your blood pressure stays high over a long period of time. That’s still a mighty useful feature, though!
We also expect Apple to launch a revamped Health app on the iPhone, which will reportedly feature personalized health recommendations to nudge users to live a healthier lifestyle.
Food tracking could also become part of the Health app, if rumors are to be believed. This could possibly allow you to input any calorie intake throughout the day and track your meals, similar to MyFitnessPal and other similar apps.
Battery and Charging
More efficiency would be welcome
We currently don’t expect any major battery bumps. This is why the Watch Series 11 and the Apple Watch Ultra 3 to gravitate around the same battery sizes as their predecessors. This means a battery in the ballpark of 564mAh for the Apple Watch Ultra 2 and around 327mAh for the 46mm version of the Apple Watch Series 11.
Battery endurance will likely be affected by the efficiency of the new S11 chip that is expected to make the rounds on both wearables. As usual with Apple’s mobile chipsets, we expect that one to be tailored for efficiency.
However, should we expect a major increase aside from the now standard 18-hour anticipated battery life on the regular Apple Watch and 36 hours of standard usage on the Ultra model? We harbor no such hopes, as Apple has committed to such official battery expectations for years, and we’ve found them to be mostly true time and time again.
We expect the Apple Watch Series 11 to be available in two sizes, 42mm and 46mm, with each one available with cellular connectivity (likely 5G).
The Apple Watch Ultra 3 will once again be available in a single 49mm size with cellular connectivity, just like its predecessors.
Specs
Here’s how the Apple Watch Series 11 and the Apple Watch Ultra 3 will likely compare:
| Apple Watch Series 11 | Apple Watch Ultra 3 |
|---|---|
| Models 42mm 46mm both in Wi-Fi or Wi-Fi + Cellular versions |
Models 49mm Only Wi-Fi + Cellular versions |
| Processor S11 chip |
Processor S11 chip |
| Software watchOS 26 |
Software watchOS 26 |
| Battery ~327 mAh 18-hour battery life Magnetic charger, 50% in 30 mins |
Battery ~564 mAh 36-hour battery life Magnetic charger, 50% in 30 mins |
| Sensors HR + VO2 Blood oxygen monitor Blood pressure monitor (hypertension) Altimeter ECG Thermometer |
Sensors HR + VO2 Blood oxygen monitor Blood pressure monitor (hypertension) Altimeter ECG Thermometer |
| Key features Thinner Lighter |
Key features Emergency Siren Action button Titanium + sapphire build |
Apple doesn’t really like to make sudden moves with its Apple Watch range of wearables. We’ve rarely witnessed major surprises with the design, software, or hardware features, and aside from the somewhat unexpected launch of the Apple Watch Ultra a few years ago, everything has been mostly predictable.
And predictability is precisely what we expect of either the Apple Watch Series 11 and the Apple Watch Ultra 3. Slight upgrades here and there and an interface overhaul are likely to constitute a large part of all the new features incoming.
The Apple Watch Ultra 3 will remain the larger and more premium watch, but for most people out there, a regular Watch Series 11 will do a perfect job.
