The debut of the Apple Watch Ultra 3 is likely right around the corner. This would make it the first new model in the Ultra series since 2023's Ultra 2, but what will the standout features be?
From a bigger screen to more efficient power consumption to an onboard camera near the digital crown, there's no shortage of Apple Watch Ultra 3 rumors. And if even half of them pan out, Cupertino's next-gen premium wearable could be a major upgrade over previous models.
But let's put rumors aside for a moment and talk about the upgrades that we, the users, actually want. As one of the lead smartwatch reviewers here at Tom's Guide, I've got no shortage of strong opinions, including several upgrades I'd like Apple to borrow from the competition.
With that in mind, here are the five biggest Apple Watch Ultra 3 feature enhancements I'm hoping for come fall launch time.
1. Off-grid emergency communications
There have been a handful of leaks hinting at some sort of emergency communication feature coming to the Apple Watch Ultra 3 to assist users when off the grid or away from their phones. As both a smartwatch nerd and an outdoor adventure enthusiast, I'd love to see this one come to fruition.
Of course, Apple isn't the only smartwatch maker rumored to be working on such a tool. Leaks suggest that Google might be working on something similar for the Pixel Watch 4. Either way, another peace-of-mind safety tool joining the likes of fall and crash detection would be a great addition to Apple's top-of-the-line smartwatch.
2. High blood pressure alerts
It seems like every yet-to-launch smartwatch is rumored to debut a first-of-kind hypertension monitoring, yet none of the brands have cracked the code, just yet. Could the Apple Watch Ultra 3 be the first device that alerts users if their blood pressure is abnormally high? I'm hopeful.
Hypertension is a silent killer that often goes undiagnosed, similar to sleep apnea and atrial fibrillation (AFib). With the ability to monitor for potential signs of the condition, the Ultra 3 will become an even more powerful holistic tool, especially with the long-awaited return of SpO2 monitoring for U.S. customers.
3. A daily Sleep Score
While the Apple Watch Ultra 2 is a capable sleep-tracker, despite its heft, Apple is the only major smartwatch maker that doesn't provide users with a daily numeric sleep score based on a combination of sleep metrics. Basically, all of the best smartwatch models, minus Apple, offer it.
The best Garmin watches, Samsung smartwatches, and Pixel Watches all provide a sleep score from one to 100. Often based on total time spent asleep and time spent in deep sleep and REM versus light sleep, this metric can be especially handy at the start of the day. Got a low sleep score? Maybe today isn't the day to meet friends for cocktails after work.
4. A daily Energy Score
Similar to sleep scores, Apple is also one of the only smartwatch makers that doesn't provide users with some sort of daily energy level score, which tends to be based on a combination of recent sleep quality, physical activity, and overall health trends.
Garmin watches have had the feature, called 'Body Battery,' since 2018, while Fitbit first introduced a similar 'Readiness Score' in 2021. Samsung's Energy Score is only a year old, having debuted on last year's Galaxy Watch 7 and Galaxy Watch Ultra.
Arguably more useful than the sleep score, keeping tabs on your energy levels can help you make informed decisions about the intensity of your workouts (or whether to even exercise at all) and even potentially help you spot incoming illnesses (low score despite lots of rest/health lifestyle).
5. Loss of Pulse detection
Last, but not least, I'd love to see Apple emulate Google's Loss of Pulse Detection feature. Similar to fall and crash detection, if a loss of pulse or abnormal pulse is registered in a user, the Pixel Watch 3 can automatically contact emergency services/loved ones and send for help.
Right now, the Pixel Watch 3 is the only smartwatch on the market with this tool, but seeing as virtually every smartwatch feature gets lovingly duplicated eventually by the other big players — the folks at Google I chatted with fully expect this — I'd be thrilled to see the Apple Watch Ultra 3 debut with something comparable.
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