Even fans will be surprised. 6 features of upcoming Apple Watch
6 Apple Watch innovations coming in 2025 (photo: Pexels)
The upcoming Apple Watch promises to be a real revolution in the world of wearable technologies. There are rumors about 6 features that can dramatically change the experience of using these devices, reports MacRumors.
Detection of hypertension
Bloomberg journalist Mark Gurman reports that blood pressure monitoring will be the next big feature of the Apple Watch, which will appear in the Ultra 3 model.
According to rumors, this feature will not provide accurate systolic and diastolic blood pressure readings but will monitor whether the user's blood pressure is rising and send a notification if hypertension is detected.
After receiving the notification, the Apple Watch user will be able to transfer the information to a medical professional for additional examination.
Hypertension is known as the "silent killer" because it can go undetected and undiagnosed, leading to heart problems and death. High blood pressure often has no symptoms until it reaches an advanced stage, and early detection with the Apple Watch can save lives.
Currently, the Apple Watch can already detect atrial fibrillation or irregular heartbeat and perform a single-lead ECG. There is also a function to monitor blood oxygen levels.
The company has been working on this feature for several years now, and Apple was rumored to have originally planned to introduce it in 2024.
Blood pressure monitoring (photo: MacRumors)
A bright display with a faster refresh rate
One of the consequences of Apple not updating the Apple Watch Ultra in 2024 was that the Apple Watch Series 10 surpassed it in terms of display technology. Probably, this year Apple will at least equalize these models.
The Apple Watch Series 10 has an LTPO3 OLED display with Always-On Retina, while the current Ultra uses LTPO2. LTPO3 allows the Series 10 to operate at a higher refresh rate in Always-On mode, which allows you to display seconds on some watch faces.
In addition, the Apple Watch Series 10 features a wide-angle OLED display that is 40 percent brighter when viewed from an angle. Apple Watch Ultra 3 will most likely receive these display improvements.
New chip
After two years without updates, it's likely that a new chip will appear in the Apple Watch Ultra 3.
The current Apple Watch Ultra model is equipped with the S9 chip, but with the release of the Apple Watch Series 10 in 2024, the S10 chip was introduced. Although the S10 is not more powerful than the S9, it is more compact.
The new chip will free up space inside the Ultra for other components, such as a larger battery. If Apple chooses the S11 chip, it could be more powerful or have new built-in features.
The S9 chip (photo: MacRumors)
Satellite connectivity
Last year, Marc Gurman announced that the Apple Watch Ultra 3 would receive satellite connectivity, a feature that is currently only available for the iPhone.
This option will allow Apple Watch Ultra users to connect to a satellite network to send messages when cellular and Wi-Fi service is unavailable. When satellite communication was first introduced for the iPhone, it was limited to emergency text messages, but in iOS 18, Apple expanded it to allow messages to be sent to anyone.
Satellite connectivity will help Apple better compete with companies such as Garmin, which offer specialized satellite equipment for use in out-of-service areas.
The addition of satellite communications to the Apple Watch Ultra will provide additional security in environments where there are no cell towers. The company probably expects this feature to be an important motivator for users to upgrade their Apple Watch Ultra.
Currently, Apple does not charge for satellite communications, and it is not yet known how much the company will charge for this service. All iPhones include two years of satellite service for free, and it is likely that the same practice will apply to the Apple Watch Ultra.
iOS Satellite Connectivity (photo: MacRumors)
5G connectivity
According to The Information's Mark Gurman and Wayne Ma, Apple is planning to ditch the Qualcomm modem used in the Apple Watch Ultra in the third version of the device. Instead of using a C1 modem or another Apple-branded chip, the company plans to switch from Qualcomm to MediaTek. MediaTek is one of the few companies capable of developing modems for 5G.
MediaTek's modem chip supports 5G RedCap, a 5G service designed for connected devices and wearables that don't require standard 5G speeds. Current Apple Watch models with cellular connectivity use 4G LTE, although iPhone 5G will be available in 2020.
Updated back panel and faster charging
The Apple Watch Series 10 has a completely redesigned metal back with a larger charging coil and built-in antenna.
The current Apple Watch Ultra model uses a ceramic and sapphire back, not a metal one. The Ultra 3 is likely to feature a new back design like the Series 10, as it improves cellular performance and allows for faster charging.
The new metal panel allows the Series 10 to charge to 80 percent in just 30 minutes - 15 minutes faster than the Series 9. Whereas the old back design on the Apple Watch Ultra 2 required 60 minutes to charge to 80 percent.
Updated Apple Watch Series 10 back cover (photo: MacRumors)
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