At Apple's "awe dropping" event in Cupertino, California, the company just unveiled the Apple Watch SE 3. Available for preorder today and for purchase September 19, it starts at $249, which is the same price as the last version launched three years ago. However, new features include an updated S10 chip and watchOS 26, always-on display, on-device Siri, 5G, temperature sensing, sleep apnea notifications and sleep score.
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Apple Watch SE 3 health features
In addition to core features like heart rate notifications, fall detection, cycle tracking and crash detection, the SE 3 now includes wrist temperature sensing, which allows for retrospective ovulation estimates and more detailed insights in the Vitals app, sleep apnea notifications and sleep score.
Sleep score helps you better understand your sleep quality and how to improve it. In the SE 3's Sleep app, you can find an overall score after each night of sleep, which provides additional insight into sleep duration and stages. The scoring approach was created with current guidance published by the American Academy of Sleep Medicine, National Sleep Foundation and World Sleep Society, while the scoring algorithm was tested with over 5 million nights of sleep data from the Apple Heart and Movement Study.
Thanks to the SE 3's faster charging, it's even more efficient to wear the watch overnight to track your sleep.
Apple/Screenshot by CNET
With watchOS 26, the Apple Watch SE 3 now features Workout Buddy. Powered by Apple Intelligence, this feature uses workout data to provide personalized, spoken motivation for certain workouts. The Workout app's new layout further enhances the SE 3's fitness experience.
Apple Watch SE 3 battery life
The S10 chip allows the SE 3 to charge up to two times faster than the previous model in just 15 minutes, adding up to 8 hours of normal use. This gives the SE 3 an all-day, 18-hour battery life. In just 45 minutes, it can charge to about 80%.
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