The new Apple Watch Ultra 3 brings two-way satellite communication

September 10, 2025

Apple unloaded a lot of new hardware on the “Awe Dropping” event last night. Including the iPhone 17 series, AirPods Pro 3, and a couple of smartwatches. And as expected, the Watch Ultra 3 also went official with a few upgrades here and there. So, without any delay, let’s learn more about the Apple Watch Ultra 3, including its expected price in Nepal.

Apple Watch Ultra 3 Overview:

Design and display

The Watch Ultra 3 continues Apple’s tradition of rugged, premium design with its Grade 5 titanium casing. Available in “Natural” (silver) and “Black” color options, it weighs around 61 grams. It also carries an IP6X dust resistance, 100m water resistance (WR100), and is certified for recreational diving up to 40 meters under EN13319 standards, like the Apple Watch Ultra 2 (review).

The dual-frequency GPS (L1 + L5) support and all the buttons are present as well. The only difference in terms of design on the Watch Ultra 3 is that Apple says it has used a new “3D printing process” to make it, which apparently uses “half the raw material as previous generations”.

Despite the same design, the Watch Ultra 3’s display is slightly bigger now. It still has a 49mm case, but Apple has trimmed down the bezels a little, allowing the screen to stretch closer to the frame and providing a more immersive viewing experience. To compare, the Watch Ultra 3’s display measures 422 x 514 pixels. Versus 410 x 502 pixels on the Watch Ultra 2.

Not only that, but this guy also upgrades to an LTPO3 wide-angle OLED panel. That can get as dim as 1 nit and as slow a 1Hz to save power. The display is protected by a sapphire crystal glass and can reach a maximum brightness of 3000 nits like before. It also features night mode for a couple of watch faces, such as “Modular Ultra”, “Wayfinder”, and “Orienteering”.

You may also be interested in:

Performance

For the time ever, the new Apple Watch lineup does not bring a new chip. The Watch Ultra 3 is powered by the same S10 SiP we saw on the Apple Watch Series 10 (review). And it has the same 64GB of internal storage as the Watch Ultra 2 as well, but it runs on the new watchOS 26 by default. Although the watchOS 26 update will also be available on older smartwatches.

Battery

With that said, Apple does promise slightly better battery life now. The Watch Ultra 3 can go for 42 hours under regular usage compared to 36 hours on its predecessor. Turning on the “Low Power Mode” will still give you 72 hours of juice, while this guy supports fast charging too. According to Apple, you can expect it to fill up to 80% after plugging in for just 45 minutes.

Satellite communication

The Apple Watch Ultra 3 pushes boundaries for the first time by introducing on-device satellite connectivity with redesigned radios and stronger antennas that double the signal strength. Now, the watch can connect directly to satellites as long as it has a clear view of the sky.

This means you can send Emergency SOS alerts, text messages, and share your location through Find My, even if your iPhone is dead or out of range. Apple continues to offer Emergency SOS via satellite for free for the first two years, though future pricing details remain unannounced.

The Ultra 3 is also the first Apple Watch to support “5G RedCap” technology. Unlike full 5G, RedCap (ReducedCapacity) is optimized for wearables, delivering faster speeds and stronger connections without draining battery life.

Health and fitness tracking features

We also get advanced health monitoring, including heart rate, ECG, and blood oxygen tracking. Apple is also introducing hypertension (high blood pressure) detection on the Watch Ultra 3 and the new Watch Series 11. It’s currently under FDA review, and Apple plans to roll it out in 150 countries and regions.

But not to worry, this feature will also be available on older Apple watches, including the Watch Ultra 2 and the Watch Series 10.

The Sleep app also gets a new Sleep Score, helping users better understand their rest patterns. On the fitness side, the Apple Watch Ultra 3 debuts “Workout Buddy”, a virtual training companion that delivers stats, feedback, and encouragement during runs, rides, or walks.

Apple Watch Ultra 3 Specifications:

Dimensions: 44 × 12 × 49 mm
Weight: 61.6 grams (Natural), 61.8 grams (Black)
Display: 2.04 inches Always-on Retina LTPO3 wide-angle OLED, Up to 3,000 nits brightness, Sapphire crystal glass, 422 x 514 pixels
Design: Titanium case, Digital crown with haptic feedback, Action button
Durability: WR100 (Up to 100 meters), EN13319, IP6X dust-resistant
Sensors: Electrical heart sensor, Third-generation optical heart sensor, Blood oxygen, Temperature, Depth gauge, Water temperature, Compass, Always-on altimeter, High-g accelerometer, High dynamic range gyroscope, Ambient light
Processor: Apple S10 chip (dual-core), 64GB storage
Connectivity: Bluetooth 5.3, Dual-band WiFi, LTE, 5G
Navigation: Built-in GPS (L1+L5), Glonass, Galileo, QZSS, BeiDou
Audio: Dual speakers, 3 microphones with beamforming and wind noise mitigation
Battery: Up to 72 hours in low-power mode (or 42 hours in regular usage)
Charging: USB-C magnetic charging cable

Apple Watch Ultra 3 Price in Nepal and Availability

The Apple Watch Ultra 3 is up for pre-order at the usual price of USD 799. We expect the price of the Apple Watch Ultra 3 in Nepal to be around NPR 155,000 when it launches here in a couple of months.