Apple unveils Watch Series 11, SE 2 and Ultra 3: A look at what’s different

Apple Watch Series 11

Apple Watch Series 11 is the company’s thinnest watch yet and promises up to twice the battery life of its predecessor. It features INX glass with a ceramic coating for improved scratch resistance, while the case uses recycled aluminum and titanium. Prices start at $399.

The Series 11 supports 5G and uses less battery on cellular connections. Health tracking has been upgraded to include irregular heart rhythm notifications, blood pressure monitoring, and ECG. With Apple Intelligence, the watch applies machine learning to detect hypertension patterns.

New additions include Workout Buddy (which pairs with AirPods for fitness monitoring), sleep apnoea detection, and a sleep score that simplifies sleep data into an easy-to-read metric. The watch also supports note-taking, live translation, and fast charging, lasting up to 24 hours on a full charge.

Apple Watch SE 3

Apple’s budget-friendly smartwatch now offers 5G, the latest S10 chip, and an always-on display. It’s four times more crack- and scratch-resistant than its predecessor. Starting at $249, the SE 3 also introduces the sleep score feature, temperature sensing, retrospective ovulation estimates, and sleep apnoea notifications.

Health and safety features include cycle tracking, fall and crash detection, emergency SOS, and heart health notifications. On-device Siri, double-tap and wrist-flick gestures, and live translation text make it more user-friendly.

Thanks to watchOS 26, SE 3 supports voice isolation for clearer calls and media playback. Battery life lasts a full day, with 15 minutes of charging providing up to 8 hours.

Apple Watch Ultra 3

The Ultra 3 brings Apple’s largest and brightest display yet, with thinner bezels and 5G connectivity. It introduces two-way satellite communication for messaging and emergency SOS off-grid. Pricing starts at $799.

Battery life stretches to 42 hours on a full charge, or up to 72 hours in low power mode. A 15-minute charge gives 12 hours of use. Like the Series 11, it includes hypertension detection and sleep scoring, plus advanced GPS, customizable workout views, and Workout Buddy enhancements for athletes and adventurers.