If you're more comfortable hiking mountain trails or gliding under water -- or you just prefer a chunky smartwatch with days of battery life -- your patience over the last couple of years has paid off. Apple today announced the Apple Watch Ultra 3, the next generation of its high-performance smartwatch. The Ultra 3 adds a brighter, larger display, 5G cellular communication, satellite connectivity, a battery life increase up to 42 hours and the ability to detect whether you might be suffering from hypertension.
Apple Watch Ultra fans have had to spend a while watching time pass on their Ultra-exclusive Wayfinder face. The Ultra 2 arrived in 2023, but last year Apple merely added a new Satin Black color, even as the Apple Watch Series 10 gained a better processor and adopted a screen that became the largest in the line. Now the Ultra 3 is here to satisfy those who want the most smartwatch Apple can offer.
The Apple Watch Ultra 3 costs $799 (£749, AU$1,399), with preorders starting today. The first shipments and in-store availability arrive Sept. 19.
We're following today's Apple news closely to see how it compares to everything we expected to see. To learn about what's being released as it happens, including commentary and photos from the event itself, follow along with CNET's Apple event live blog.
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New features of the Apple Watch Ultra 3. Apple/Screenshot by CNET
The Apple Watch Ultra 3 screen size is back on top
The brilliant screen on the Apple Watch Ultra 3 is now slightly larger than its predecessor at a 422x514-pixel resolution (up from the Ultra 2's 410x502 pixels), though the case itself hasn't expanded. Instead, Apple has slimmed the bezel to bring the active edge of the screen closer to the frame.
The screen is also better than the Ultra 2, with an LPTO3 OLED always-on Retina display that has the same faster refresh rate introduced with the Series 10. That means you'll see a second hand that continually updates, or an active stopwatch timer, without having to raise your wrist and engage the screen. Screen brightness when viewing from an angle has also improved, according to Apple.
The Apple Watch Ultra 3 at the Apple Sept. 9 event. Vanessa Hand Orellana
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