Hypertension notifications, sleep score, 5G: All about new Apple Watch series 11
The Apple Watch Series 11 is here, and it offers an improved set of health features in a thin yet durable watch design.
The Cupertino-based tech giant launched its newest smartwatches at its "Awe Dropping" event on Sept. 9 (Sept. 10 Philippine Time).
The Watch Series 11 has 5G connectivity, the first on the wearable, which allows improved coverage. It's powered by watchOS 26, which carries new features and the Liquid Glass design.
Dubbed the thinnest and yet durable smartwatch, the Watch Series 11 is made of Ion-X glass, with a custom Apple-designed ceramic coating, making it two times more scratch-resistant.
Among its notable features is the detection of possible hypertension—the first Apple Watch to do so. In this new technology, the optical heart sensor tracks how your blood vessels respond to heartbeats. It has a 30-day period of monitoring, and it will notify you if it finds a pattern of hypertension.
The tech giant added that they have yet to secure clearance from the FDA and other regulators.
Apart from its sleep apnea monitoring, the Watch Series 11 will now track sleep quality through a Sleep Score, which measures time spent in each sleep stage and how often you wake up. It provides an overall score to help users identify ways to improve their sleep quality.
Other than these, watchOS 26 will bring features such as the Notes app on your wrist and Live Translation.
The Watch Series 11 boasts up to 24 hours of battery life and support for fast charging. The tech giant says you can get up to eight hours of power with just 15 minutes of charing.
This watch is available in colors jet black, silver, rose gold, and space gray, made of 100% recycled aluminum.
Watch SE 3
The new Apple Watch SE 3 is powered by the company's S10 chip and equipped with an Always-On display, a first for the SE lineup. It also supports intuitive gestures like double-tap and wrist flick, making it easy to navigate and access features with just one hand.
In addition to fall and crash detection, the SE 3 includes wrist temperature sensing, enabling ovulation estimates simply by wearing the watch; no need to manually log your cycle as required in many other apps.
It also introduces a Vitals overview feature, giving you a snapshot of your overall health. Just like the Series 11, it monitors sleep apnea and provides a sleep score.
The watch offers up to 18 hours of battery life.
Users will also be able to play their favorite podcast or workout playlist directly through the built-in speaker, without needing to pair AirPods.
The SE 3 is available in two colors: starlight and midnight.
Watch Ultra 3
For adrenaline junkies, Apple refreshed its rugged Watch Ultra line. The Watch Ultra 3 features an increased screen area with OLEDs and LTPO3, allowing for better visibility in dusty terrains or underwater.
There's also the Workout app with Workout Buddy, a generative voice that provides personalized feedback on your workouts.
For extreme adventurers, this watch allows you to stay connected with its 5G and satellite connectivity across countries and regions. There's the Emergency SOS to allow you to easily call for help, as well as send messages and share your location with your loved ones. It's powered by a redesigned antenna and radio, which allows you to reach satellites 800 miles above Earth.
The watch, made of 100% recycled titanium, boasts 42-hour battery life and comes in colors black and natural titanium.
The new watches will be available on Sept. 19, but are now up for pre-order. Here's how much it costs in the Philippines:
- Watch Series 11: P26,490
- Watch SE 3: P15,990
- Watch Ultra 3: P54,990
