Apple Watch Series 11, Watch Ultra 3 and Watch SE 3: Everything We Know Ahead of Apple’s ‘Awe Dropping’ Event

Apple's annual hardware launch event is all set to take place on September 9. Dubbed ‘Awe Dropping', the event is expected to showcase the iPhone 17 series, which includes the new iPhone 17 Air. However, that is not the end of it. The Cupertino-based tech giant is also rumoured to refresh its smartwatch lineup with the introduction of new models across all three lineups — Apple Watch Series 11, Watch Ultra 3, and Watch SE 3. Like previous years, Apple has remained tight-lipped about the upgrades its latest smartwatches could offer. Fortunately, there is plenty of information courtesy of the rumour mill.

With less than 10 days to go, here is everything to know about the Apple Watch Series 11, Watch Ultra 3, and Watch SE 3 ahead of Apple's ‘Awe Dropping' event on September 9.

Apple Watch Series 11

The Apple Watch Series 11 will not undergo any major design changes over the Series 10. Both 42mm and 46mm variants are expected to retain the same flat-edged design with a curved glass housing an LTPO panel on top. However, there will be iterative upgrades under the hood. The Apple Watch Series 11 will be powered by an S11 SoC, albeit with the same architecture as the previous generations.

The upcoming smartwatches will reportedly debut a new blood pressure monitoring feature. But instead of providing systolic and diastolic readings, it said to be designed to look out for possible signs of hypertension and alert the wearer if any such symptom is detected. If these leaks are accurate, it would be a first for Apple's standard smartwatch lineup.

However, there is uncertainty over its arrival with the Series Watch 11, and there is a chance it could get deferred to future models.

Meanwhile, Apple is also tipped to adopt MediaTek's modem technology for future Apple Watch models, moving away from the Intel modems it currently uses. It could bring 5G RedCap support to the Apple Watch Series 11.

Apple Watch Ultra 3

The Apple Watch Series 11 is not expected to receive major hardware upgrades, but the same does not apply to the brand's flagship smartwatch, ubiquitously known as the Apple Watch Ultra 3. As per the reports, the smartwatch could sport the biggest display on an Apple Watch ever, with a rumoured 422 × 514 pixels resolution.

The Apple Watch Ultra 3 is reported to be powered by the same S11 SoC as the Series 11 and could benefit from the same blood pressure monitoring feature. However, Apple is rumoured to include a new feature that will be exclusive to its flagship smartwatch — satellite connectivity.

As per reports, the Watch Ultra 3 could debut with satellite connectivity, enabling Emergency SOS calls when there is no cellular or Wi-Fi connectivity. If its functionality is akin to satellite connectivity on iPhone, then the purported smartwatch could support satellite-based text messages as well.

With the Watch Series 10, the tech giant introduced a new metal rear casing comprising a larger coil. This allows for faster charging speeds. The same technology could make its way to the Apple Watch Ultra 3.

Apple Watch SE 3

Like the Apple Watch Ultra 3, the Watch SE 3 is also expected to benefit from larger screens. As per reports, it could be offered in 1.6-inch and 1.8-inch display sizes, which are slightly larger than the current Watch SE 2 variants.

The smartwatch is reported to come with the same S11 chip as the Watch Series 11 and Watch Ultra 3 models, without any major changes in terms of processing power. And similar to yesteryears, some big health features will still not make it to Apple's most affordable smartwatch.

The Apple Watch SE 3 is expected to miss out on the blood pressure monitoring feature that we might see on the Watch Series 11 and Watch Ultra 3 models. However, it may still retain core health and fitness tracking functionalities, including heart rate, SpO2, sleep, and respiratory rate.

Upgrades in terms of battery life, charging speeds, and durability are also expected, and more details are expected to surface online in the coming days.

watchOS 26 Upgrades

The Apple Watch Series 11, Watch Ultra 3, and Watch SE 3 are all expected to run on watchOS 26. It will feature some of the same Liquid Glass UI elements that we have seen on iOS 26 beta releases in recent months. It is also confirmed to bring a new feature called Workout Buddy. The OS update leverages Apple Intelligence to offer insights into users' fitness statistics.

Apple Watch users will also get access to improved notifications and Smart Stack for widgets. Lastly, they will have access to a wrist-based gesture to perform certain actions on their Apple Watch.