Apple debuts watches with blood pressure notifications, satellite features
Sign up now: Get ST's newsletters delivered to your inbox
The Apple Watch series 11 is seen during an event at Apple Park campus in Cupertino, California, on Sept 9.
PHOTO: BLOOMBERG
Follow topic:
SAN FRANCISCO - Apple rolled out the first end-to-end update of its smartwatch line in three years, adding blood-pressure notifications to the company’s high-end models and revamping its low-end offerings.
The new watches will all add support for 5G connectivity through a new cellular modem, Apple said at a product launch event
The Series 11 and Ultra watches will include the new hypertension detection system, as well as fresh watch faces. The lower-end SE, meanwhile, gets additional health features, a faster chip and updated displays.
The new Ultra 3 model also adds a feature aimed at hikers: the ability to tap into satellite networks while in areas without cellular coverage.
That capability came to the iPhone 14 in 2022 and was recently added to competing watches from Garmin.
Here are the new features for each of the new Apple Watch models:
Apple Watch Series 11:
The hypertension detection technology, which provides notifications when users are showing signs of high blood pressure.
A new sleep score feature for better understanding the quality of sleep and providing suggestions for improvement.
24 hours of battery life, up from 18 hours.
Cover glass that is twice as scratch resistant as the one on the Series 10.
Apple Watch Ultra 3:
Support for satellite connectivity.
Slightly larger screen with narrower borders around the display.
Hypertension detection.
New sleep score feature.
42 hours of battery life, up from 36 hours. It gets 72 hours in low-power mode.
S10 chip, up from the S9 in the Watch Ultra 2.
Apple Watch SE 3:
An always-on display for the first time.
New sleep score feature.
Wrist temperature sensing, matching a feature available since the Series 9.
S10 chip.
Fast charging support to powering up twice as fast as before.
Front cover glass that is four times more resistant to cracks.
The new models go on sale on Sept 19, with preorders starting on Sept 9, Apple said. The Ultra 3 is priced at US$799 (S$1,025), while the Series 11 starts at $399. The SE starts at $249.
The hypertension notifications will also be available on the Series 9 and Series 10 watches and the Ultra 2 when users download the watchOS 26 operating system, Apple said.
Bloomberg News first reported on plans for the new Apple Watches, including the Ultra 3’s satellite mode and support for 5G. BLOOMBERG
