The Apple Watch Extremely 3, more likely to be introduced on September 9 at Apple’s “It is Glowtime” occasion alongside the iPhone 16, is anticipated to supply fewer upgrades in comparison with its predecessor. Maintain studying to study what the rumored modifications are.
When Apple Watch Extremely 2 debuted final yr, key new options included a 50% brighter show, a quicker S9 chip, a “Double Faucet” gesture for interacting with the watch with out touching the display screen, on-device Siri, and elevated inside storage. Sadly, the subsequent model of the machine is unlikely to achieve these lofty heights. Here is what the rumors say.
Show Know-how
Initially, it was believed that Apple was engaged on an Apple Watch Extremely with a microLED show, which would supply elevated brightness, higher distinction, and improved battery effectivity. Nevertheless, these plans seem to have been postponed indefinitely. Apple labored on microLED show expertise for a number of years, however the challenge was scrapped in 2024 and there are not any present plans for a microLED Apple Watch within the close to future.
On the flip aspect, Apple is rumored to be adopting new low-energy OLED panel expertise in new Apple Watch fashions to additional scale back the ability consumption of its always-on show. If that is the case, it is unlikely that Apple would use the expertise in its newest Sequence mannequin with out additionally bringing it to its newest Apple Watch Extremely mannequin.
Design
The design of the Apple Watch Extremely 3 is more likely to stay largely unchanged. Bloomberg‘s Mark Gurman lately mentioned that this yr’s third-generation Apple Watch Extremely may have “roughly the identical look as the unique.” He has beforehand advised a completely redesigned “Apple Watch X” with a thinner case and magnetic bands is coming, however that is more likely to be a special mannequin to the Extremely, and he mentioned it might be launched “in 2024 or 2025.”
Notably, this yr the bigger of the 2 normal Apple Watch casing sizes within the Apple Watch Sequence fashions, the 45mm dimension, is rumored to grow to be the smallest possibility. An all-new 49mm casing dimension, matching the present Apple Watch Extremely, is anticipated to be launched as the brand new bigger possibility. Provided that the 49mm Apple Watch Extremely is appropriate with bands designed for the 45mm Apple Watch Sequence fashions, it’s potential that Apple Watch bands might be appropriate throughout each Sequence 10 fashions and the Apple Watch Extremely for the primary time.
New Options
The Apple Watch Extremely 3 was anticipated to incorporate improved well being monitoring capabilities similar to blood stress monitoring and sleep apnea detection, aligning with the rumored options of the Apple Watch Sequence 10 / X.
The blood stress monitoring that includes will let customers know if their blood stress is trending upward, and can present an possibility for customers to notice what they have been doing when hypertension occurred. Particular blood stress numbers is not going to be offered, although. In the meantime, sleep apnea detection will use sleep historical past and respiratory patterns to estimate whether or not somebody suffers from sleep apnea, with the watch suggesting that customers contact a physician in that case.
Nevertheless, the event of those options has reportedly encountered important challenges. The hypertension detection function has confirmed to be insufficiently dependable throughout testing, elevating issues about its integration into the refreshed design, which can delay its launch till the next yr.
Equally, the sleep apnea detection function faces points because it depends upon blood oxygen saturation measurements. At the moment, Apple Watches in the USA can’t measure blood oxygen saturation because of a authorized dispute with Masimo. This dispute might doubtlessly be resolved by September, or Apple may argue that the blood oxygen sensor serves functions unrelated to blood oxygen ranges. Alternatively, Apple might announce the sleep apnea detection function and delay its launch till a decision is achieved.
{Hardware} Updates
The Apple Watch Extremely 3 is anticipated to have “virtually no” new {hardware} upgrades in comparison with the Apple Watch Extremely 2, based on Apple provide chain analyst Ming-Chi Kuo. His phrasing would appear to recommend that the rumored blood stress and sleep apnea detection options might be machine studying / software-based, counting on present sensors. Nevertheless, Bloomberg reporter Mark Gurman says the Apple Watch Extremely 3 will function a brand new processor that succeeds final yr’s S9 chip, and that this might “lay the groundwork for some AI enhancements down the street.”
Colours
Apple at present presents the Apple Watch Extremely 2, launched in September 2023, in the identical pure titanium colour because the first-generation mannequin. Previous to launch of the second-generation mannequin, some rumors advised Apple might launch a brand new darker colour possibility. It did not occur.
Nevertheless, we all know that Apple initially designed a first-generation Apple Watch Extremely with a darkish ceramic again that was by no means launched. Furthermore, Bloomberg‘s Mark Gurman in 2023 mentioned it was “theoretically” potential the end might be launched for a later mannequin. Beforehand, the high-end Version mannequin of the Apple Watch Sequence 7 was accessible with a Area Black titanium case. Apple analyst Ming-Chi Kuo believes that if manufacturing yields meet expectations, a brand new darkish/black case colour possibility might be made accessible.
watchOS 11
One factor we will be positive of is that Apple Watch Extremely 3 will run watchOS 11, the most recent model of the Apple Watch working system. Apple previewed the software program throughout WWDC in June, and customers can anticipate a spread of updates and enhancements, similar to further Sensible Stack widgets, Examine In for Messages and exercises, a Vitals app to view key well being metrics, a Translate app, a brand new Apple Pay function referred to as Faucet to Money, coaching load for exercises, further exercise sorts, extra customizable Exercise rings, and extra.