Apple Watch Ultra 3 might actually be happening this year
Apple Watch Ultra 2. | Image credit – PhoneArena If Apple sticks to its usual playbook, we are likely looking at a September launch for its next wave of products. That includes the iPhone 17 lineup, and this time, it seems like Apple won't be leaving out the Apple Watch Ultra fans. Alongside the expected Watch Series 11, all signs are pointing to the long-awaited debut of the Apple Watch Ultra 3.
Yep, another leak suggests Apple won't skip the Ultra model like it did last year. Apple completely sat out a refresh in 2024, only tossing in a black titanium finish for the Watch Ultra 2 and calling it a day. So, by the time the next model potentially rolls around this fall, it'll have been nearly two years since we've seen any real upgrade to the Ultra lineup.
And hopefully, that wait pays off.
And timing-wise, the Ultra 3 would be a perfect launchpad for Apple's new watchOS 26, which was just previewed earlier this month. The update includes a fresh design language and smarter functionality across the board.
The most noticeable change in the new OS is visual. Apple's calling it Liquid Glass. It's a new real-time design system that makes menus and pop-ups look more dynamic, with light and depth that respond as you move through the watch. Basically, everything looks smoother and more alive.
Video credit – Apple Plus, with watchOS 26, Apple is also bringing its AI-powered Apple Intelligence to the Workout app with a new feature called Workout Buddy. It gives you real-time spoken coaching based on your heart rate, pace, distance, Activity rings, and past performance. And let's be real – that's exactly the kind of feature Ultra users would appreciate while training outdoors or pushing their limits.
Aside from all this, it sounds like the Ultra 3 will stick with the same bright display from the Ultra 2 – that's the one that cranks up to 3,000 nits, which is a step up from the original Ultra's 2,000-nit screen. So, visibility in direct sunlight? Still going to be top-notch.
If you are still holding on to the first-gen Ultra, this might finally be the upgrade that feels worth it. Two years of development should mean a lot more than the usual minor changes we get year after year.
Honestly, I wouldn't mind if more tech companies followed this pattern. Not every product needs a new version every year. Sometimes, real innovation comes from taking your time and dropping something that actually moves the needle.
But first things first – let's see if the Ultra 3 actually shows up this year. After skipping 2024, the bar's already set pretty high. If Apple skips again, the hype for 2026 is going to be off the charts. And if it really ends up being three years? Then yeah, I'd want something big – maybe blood sugar monitoring. Why not, right?
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