Apple’s rugged flagship smartwatch is gearing up for its next iteration. With the Apple Watch Ultra 3 having launched in September 2025, rumors and supply chain reports point to the Ultra 4 arriving in fall 2026 — likely announced alongside the iPhone 18 series in September.
Here’s a breakdown of the most credible expectations.
Design: A Thinner, Redesigned Body
One of the biggest anticipated changes is a major redesign. Reports suggest a thinner titanium case (potentially reduced by around 15% in thickness compared to predecessors) for improved wearability while maintaining the Ultra’s adventure-ready durability.
Expect refinements like slimmer bezels, a potentially larger or brighter LTPO3 OLED display (rumored up to 3200 nits), new material finishes, and redesigned buttons or action button. The overall aesthetic should remain premium and tough — suitable for extreme sports, diving, and outdoor use — but feel more refined and less bulky for everyday wear.
This evolutionary-yet-notable update aligns with the line’s relatively young history (original Ultra in 2022), focusing on iteration rather than a complete overhaul.
Health and Sensors: Doubling Down on Monitoring
The Ultra 4 is expected to significantly upgrade its health-tracking capabilities. Key rumors include:
• Blood Pressure Monitoring: A new feature using the optical heart rate sensor (and possibly additional tech) to detect abnormal patterns and provide notifications. This is reportedly under FDA review and could represent a more advanced or clinically oriented implementation.
• Doubled or Redesigned Sensors: Supply chain info points to a ring of up to eight sensors on the back, doubling the sensor count for better accuracy across metrics like heart health, sleep, fitness, and more. A revised sensor layout is frequently mentioned.
Other potential enhancements include improved sleep tracking, advanced sports metrics (powered by future watchOS versions), and better overall data precision for athletes and health-conscious users.
Performance, Battery, and Features
• New S11 Chip: Expected to bring better efficiency, faster performance, and improved responsiveness without draining the battery faster.
• Battery Life: Rumors point to strong endurance, potentially up to 72 hours in low-power mode, making it ideal for multi-day adventures.
• Connectivity and Other Upgrades: Enhanced cellular (possibly dual antennas), better satellite SOS, improved GPS, and deeper integration with Apple Intelligence features. Touch ID has been rumored in the past (possibly via the action button), but it’s considered less certain now.
• Durability: Continued or enhanced water/dive resistance, with possible new modes for low-visibility conditions.
Pricing is likely to stay in the $799–$899 range, consistent with prior Ultra models.
MacDailyNews Take: The Apple Watch Ultra 3 remains an excellent choice today — it’s Apple’s most capable smartwatch with premium build and features, often available at a discount. If you need a rugged watch immediately, it’s hard to beat.
However, if you’re excited about the rumored thinner design, blood pressure insights, and sensor leaps, holding out for a few months could be worthwhile. The Ultra 4 shapes up as potentially the most significant update to the lineup yet.
Apple hasn’t officially confirmed any details, so treat the above as educated speculation from credible supply chain and analyst reports. We’ll know more as we get closer to the expected fall event. In the meantime, the current Ultra models continue to set a high bar for what a premium adventure smartwatch can be.
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