The iPhone Air and the iPhone 17 fleet of phones took the spotlight during Apple’s “Awe dropping” event. If you weren’t tempted by the new phones, the fact that the entire Apple Watch lineup got refreshed might have been even bigger news to you. Soon, the Apple Watch SE 3, Apple Watch Series 11, and Apple Watch Ultra 3 will arrive, and each is bringing along some big upgrades, which we’ll get into a bit below.
All three are available for preorder starting today, with the SE 3 starting at $249, the Series 11 starting at $399, and the Ultra 3 starting at $799. They’ll all ship on September 19th. We’ll update this post if any attractive carrier deals roll in.
All three watches launch with watchOS 26, which includes the new Liquid Glass design, just like the new updates coming to most of Apple’s other devices on September 15th. The update also includes an AI-powered Workout Buddy to encourage you during exercise. Flicking your wrist up will clear your notifications. The watchOS 26 update will be released for older Apple Watch models (going back to Series 6, SE 2, and Ultra) on September 15th.
We’ve gone hands-on with the upcoming Apple Watches — delivering impressions to the extent that it’s possible in a limited hands-on environment — but we’ll soon be getting each of them in for a full review. We also have initial impressions of the iPhone 17 line, including the iPhone 17, iPhone 17 Pro, and the iPhone Air.
Where to preorder the Apple Watch SE 3
The Apple Watch SE 3 is the first update to Apple’s entry-level smartwatch line since 2022. It has the same S10 chip as the Apple Watch Series 11 and Ultra 3, and an always-on display that Apple says is four times more scratch resistant than the previous model. It supports Apple’s SOS and fall detection features, plus an entirely new feature called Sleep Score, which analyzes the amount of time you spend in each sleep stage and gives you a score based on the overall quality of sleep. The Apple Watch SE 3 also supports sleep apnea detection.
Apple says the SE 3’s charging speed is twice as fast as the previous Apple Watch SE, offering eight hours of battery life off a 15 minute charge. The cellular version of the Apple Watch SE 3 supports 5G for the first time. When you’re not connected to the internet, you can use on-device Siri to handle local requests.
The Apple Watch SE 3 is available in two case sizes: 42mm and 44mm. The 42mm GPS model costs $249, and jumps up to $299 if you want cellular connectivity. The 44mm GPS model costs $299, and the cellular model costs $329. All models are available for preorder from Apple, and you can choose your size, color, and whether you want the GPS or cellular version from the same page.
Where to preorder the Apple Watch Series 11
The Apple Watch Series 11 may look the same as the Series 10 it’s replacing, but it has a 5G cellular modem for the first time. Its displays are the same size, but Apple says the glass it used is twice as scratch resistant. Its heart rate sensor can now measure how blood is flowing through your veins to detect hypertension in the background, a feature that’s currently waiting for clearance at the FDA. That feature is also going to be available on the Apple Watch Series 9 and Ultra 2. It also supports the new Sleep Score feature. The Series 11’s battery life has been bumped to 24 hours, up from 18 hours.
The Apple Watch Series 11 comes two sizes: 42mm and 46mm. The 42mm GPS model costs $399 while the cellular version will set you back $429. The 46mm version costs $499, or $529 if you want the cellular model. All models are available for preorder from Apple, and you can choose your size, color, band type, and whether you want the GPS or cellular version from the same page.
Where to preorder the Apple Watch Ultra 3
The refreshed Apple Watch Ultra 3 has a larger wide angle OLED display that can ratchet its refresh rate down to 1Hz for a more responsive always-on display. The smartwatches case size hasn’t changed, but the display is slightly larger thanks to a reduction in bezel size. It lasts up to 48 hours per charge, and has the same new 5G modem as the rest of Apple’s upcoming smartwatches. It’s also gained support for satellite texting, which will allow you to send a message and enable Find My to share your location when Wi-Fi and cellular service aren’t available.
The Apple Watch Ultra 3 is available in one case size, 49mm, and you can preorder it from Apple for $799.
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