Just months after the Apple Watch Ultra 3 landed — the most ambitious smartwatch Apple has ever built — the tech community is already looking ahead. What will Apple bring this fall with the expected Ultra 4? Early leaks, code discoveries, and analyst predictions paint a picture of a watch that may not radically change its design, but promises next-generation health sensors and improved battery life.
🏆 What the Ultra 3 Delivered
The Apple Watch Ultra 3 launched in September 2025 and represented the biggest upgrade in the Ultra lineup after a full two-year wait. Apple added three headline features that shifted the playing field: satellite connectivity, 5G cellular, and hypertension notifications. Alongside these, the battery got a meaningful boost and the display received the thinnest bezels in Apple Watch history.
LTPO3 technology and 24% thinner bezels delivered an active display area of 1,245 sq mm — the largest on any Apple Watch ever. With a resolution of 422 × 512 pixels and brightness reaching 3,000 nits, the Ultra 3's OLED panel remains impressive even under harsh sunlight. LTPO3 also enabled an always-on seconds hand — a subtle detail that underscores the Ultra's premium positioning.
Satellite connectivity enabled Emergency SOS, text messages, and Find My for the first time without Wi-Fi or cellular — a genuine game-changer for hikers, endurance runners, and adventurers operating in remote areas. After months of real-world use, the Ultra 3 proved worthy of its name.
🔮 Ultra 4: What the Rumors Suggest
Before we dive into what's coming, it's worth noting something important: it's not yet 100% certain that Apple will release an Ultra 4 this year. The Ultra line hasn't always followed an annual cycle — the Ultra 2 launched in September 2023 and the Ultra 3 in September 2025, leaving a gap year in between. Still, multiple indicators suggest Apple is preparing something for this fall.
One of the most interesting pieces of intel came from DigiTimes, which reported that at least one 2026 Apple Watch model will feature “significant” exterior changes related to new sensors. This led several analysts to speculate that Apple is preparing a new health monitoring capability that requires physical hardware modification.
On the other hand, information published in November 2025 suggests we won't see a radical Apple Watch redesign before 2028 — likely after the anniversary iPhone expected in late 2027. This means the core architecture with the 49mm titanium case, Action Button, and Digital Crown will remain unchanged.
What We Know So Far
- Design: No radical redesign expected before 2028
- Sensors: Possible “significant” changes related to new health sensors
- Touch ID: Apple code revealed experiments with biometric authentication
- 3D Printing: Apple already uses titanium 3D printing for the case
- Blood glucose: The technology remains several years away
⌚ Potential New Features
S11 Chip with Real Performance Gains
The S10 in the Ultra 3 was technically an upgrade over the Ultra 2's S9, but in practice it delivered no noticeable improvement in day-to-day performance. It was a smaller chip with 5.6 billion transistors and a quad-core Neural Engine, yet app launch speeds and navigation remained essentially identical.
The Ultra 4 is expected to ship with the S11, which could finally deliver a tangible speed increase. A faster Neural Engine would significantly enhance Apple Intelligence capabilities on the wrist — think faster Siri responses, better on-device health data processing, and smoother watchOS interactions.
Battery Life Beyond 48 Hours
Battery evolution in the Ultra line has been steady: 36 hours on the Ultra 2, 42 hours on the Ultra 3. Following this trajectory, an Ultra 4 with 48-hour battery life or more is a realistic scenario. With Low Power Mode, we could see 84+ hours of use — nearly three and a half days without charging, ideal for multi-day outdoor expeditions.
The Ultra 3's fast charging (80% in 45 minutes) is already excellent. If Apple improves this further, a 5-minute charge could cover an entire night of sleep tracking — fundamentally changing how we integrate the watch into our daily routine.
Touch ID on the Watch
Code discovered in an iOS 26 beta in August 2025 revealed that Apple is experimenting with Touch ID biometric authentication on the Apple Watch. Implementation could go either under the display or integrated into the side button.
If Apple brings this to the Ultra 4, it would eliminate the need to type a PIN code every time you put the watch on. For athletes who remove and wear the watch multiple times a day, this would be a major convenience upgrade. That said, the Apple Watch already features wrist detection authentication for Apple Pay, but Touch ID would add an extra layer of security.
Enhanced Satellite Connectivity
The Ultra 3's satellite connectivity opened new horizons: Emergency SOS, text messages to recent contacts, and Find My location sharing every 15 minutes. However, the service still has limitations — text only, a restricted recipient list, and relatively slow data transfer.
An Ultra 4 could improve these features with faster connection speeds, support for more languages, or even basic voice communication via satellite. Apple has offered free satellite connectivity for two years, without yet revealing pricing after that period expires.
🩸 Blood Glucose: The Big Wait
Noninvasive blood glucose monitoring remains the “Holy Grail” of the wearables industry. Apple has been working on this technology for years, and in early 2023 achieved a significant milestone — creating a functional proof-of-concept model that proved viable.
However, miniaturizing this technology to fit inside a smartwatch remains a massive engineering challenge. The majority of analysts agree this feature won't appear before 2028 at the earliest — possibly later.
The Ultra 4 isn't expected to bring glucose monitoring. It could, however, introduce improved sensors that lay the groundwork — for example, more accurate blood pressure readings with actual values (systolic/diastolic) rather than simple hypertension alerts. This would be a massive step forward, given that the current feature merely detects signs of hypertension without providing specific numbers.
💰 Pricing and Availability
The Ultra 3 launched at $799 in the US. Apple follows a consistent pricing strategy for the Ultra line, and a dramatic change isn't expected. However, if significant sensor upgrades are involved, a modest $50–100 price increase can't be ruled out.
If Apple follows its typical timeline, the announcement will come in the first or second week of September 2026. Pre-orders typically open a few days later, with deliveries within 7–10 days. Worth noting that the Ultra 3 came in Natural Titanium and Black Titanium — if Apple adds a third color (Blue Titanium, perhaps?), it would be a welcome surprise.
🤔 Should You Wait or Get the Ultra 3?
This is the classic dilemma every year, and the answer largely depends on your personal needs and how long you can wait.
Get the Ultra 3 now if: you need a top-tier smartwatch right away, you don't care about always having the latest version, or you find a good deal. The Ultra 3 is an outstanding watch that will serve you reliably for years.
Wait for the Ultra 4 if: you always want the newest model, you're particularly interested in new health sensors, or you're upgrading from the Ultra 1/Ultra 2 and aren't in a rush. In that case, a few months of patience will pay off.
Regardless of your choice, the Apple Watch Ultra lineup is at its best right now. Satellite connectivity, 5G, hypertension alerts, and sleep apnea detection make every modern Ultra — whether 3 or 4 — the most complete health and adventure companion you can wear on your wrist. Apple has built an ecosystem that was unimaginable just a decade ago.
