Apple Watch 11 — all the biggest rumored so far

Tom's Guide

6 days ago

• The Apple Watch 11 and Ultra 3 may finally get blood pressure monitoring • Apple's next-gen smartwatches could sport an onboard camera• 5G connectivity and satellite texting is rumored for the Ultra 3 but could also come to the Series 11• A more energy-efficient screen could mean better battery life for the Series 11• The Apple Watch 11 might get a sleep score at last
Few things are certain in this zany world. But there are some facts I'm sure of. For example, the sun will rise and set tomorrow, the taxman will eventually come a-knockin' and Apple will launch a new Apple Watch in the fall.
Last year marked the brand's tenth consecutive Apple Watch release with the debut of the Series 10, and all signs point to the annual release schedule continuing in 2025. The question is, what new features, tech, and advancements will the Apple Watch 11 have to offer?
I've been monitoring all the Apple Watch 11 leaks and rumors since even before the Apple Watch 10 arrived in September 2024. Here is everything I know about the forthcoming Series 11, plus a handful of educated predictions.
The Apple Watch Series 11 will likely launch in September 2025 alongside the iPhone 17, assuming Apple sticks with its usual pattern of rolling out new devices in the fall ahead of the holiday shopping season. Rumors suggest that the Apple Watch SE 3 — also expected in 2025 along with the Apple Watch Ultra 3 —may see a price drop, but don't count on the same for the Series 11.
My hunch is the Apple Watch 11 will cost roughly the same as the Series 10, which starts at $399 for the smaller 42mm non-cellular model and $429 for the larger 46mm non-cellular device.
There's not long to go till Apple drops its new devices, so let's jump into those juicy design-related rumors. The first is a potential upgrade to a more energy-efficient display technology, possibly LTPO or Micro-LED, although the latter now seems like a no-go.
The advantages of switching from OLED to a newer display technology are numerous and include not just better battery life but also the possibility for greater pixel density. That would result in better resolution, along with increased brightness and saturation potential.
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Beyond display improvements, I wouldn't count on any other significant physical changes to the design of the Apple Watch 11 compared to the Series 10. The latest generation ushered in sleeker and lighter cases with larger displays compared to the Series 9, and I fully expect the physical dimensions of the Series 11 to be a match with the Series 10.
That said, according to a report in Bloomberg by Mark Gurman, an onboard camera could be coming to future Apple Watch models. If one does appear in the Series 11, it will most likely be hidden within the display of the device. While on the Ultra Series, Gurman says that the camera will sit along the side of the case near the crown.
Presently, no Apple Watch model supports Facetime video calls. Could the addition of a camera change that? Probably not, says Gurman. Instead, the cameras will likely power Apple's Visual Intelligence features on the watches.
Due to Apple's ongoing legal battle with rival Masimo, the latest Series 10 smartwatches launched in the U.S. with the SpO2 monitoring tech disabled. Will blood oxygen measurements make a comeback in the Apple Watch 11? Your guess is as good as mine.
Still, all signs point to the forthcoming crop of Apple Watches (finally) debuting a blood pressure monitoring feature. However, blood-glucose tracking still seems like a long way off.
If the rumor proves true, the latest-gen Apple Watch models could warn users if early signs of hypertension are detected. Like sleep apnea, hypertension often goes undiagnosed but is quite deadly, causing nearly 13% of all deaths worldwide, according to the WHO, making this potential new feature a very big deal.
Unfortunately, Apple recently admitted that the rollout of Siri 2.0 is behind schedule for iOS, so, a smarter Siri on watchOS may be an even longer wait.
Other possible upgrades include a move from 4G LTE to 5G tech, which would likely result in slightly faster speeds for data plan folks. There's additionally a chance that the Series 11 will support satellite messaging, however, that feature may end up being reserved for the Ultra 3 only.
We do know that the new Series 11 will launch with Apple's WatchOS 26 operating system, paired with a zippier and more efficient S12 processor.
I've been testing the Watch OS26 beta, and from a fitness point of view, the biggest upgrade is Apple's Workout Buddy feature, which uses AI to give you prompts during workouts.
That said, the public beta isn't the finished article, so there might be new metrics within watchOS 26 when it rolls out this fall. I'd love to see a daily energy score from one to 100 based on recent fitness efforts, sleep quality, and other holistic trends. I'd also love a sleep score, which is something Apple has been missing for years.
I'm hopeful that the Apple Watch Series 11 is the first in the brand's longest-running smartwatch line to crack the 18-hour battery life mark.
I'm hopeful that the Apple Watch Series 11 is the first in the brand's longest-running smartwatch line to crack the 18-hour battery life mark. Better power management by way of a more efficient display is likely the ticket to that achievement and it'd be great to see the Series 11 offer both a better screen and greater longevity. A smartwatch editor can dream, but we don't have all that long to wait.