Series 11 and Ultra 3: Apple extends battery life of the Watch
Technically, the new Apple watches differ only slightly from their predecessors. At least there is good news regarding the batteries.
Apple Watch Series 11 – here with sleep index.
(Image: Apple)
Apple's new smartwatches are a moderate upgrade: the top watches Series 11 and Ultra 3 only offer minor improvements. So the Series 11 comes with 5G, the Ultra 3 with 5G, a slightly larger screen and satellite radio – that's pretty much it. New health functions such as the high blood pressure warning and the sleep index are also available for older models. One positive aspect, however, is that Apple has improved the battery life.
24 hours with a standard Apple Watch
For the first time ever, the Series 11 will run for a full 24 hours at a time. Previously, Apple had always used the term "all-day battery life" to mean just 18 hours. Apple has not yet provided any information about the capacity of the built-in battery, but it remains unclear whether this will be provided at a later date. Apple had already published the battery specifications for the iPhone, due to the new EU energy label regulations.
Videos by heise
How exactly the additional six hours are achieved with the Series 11 also remained unclear. It could also have to do with software optimizations as part of watchOS 26. Apple has not made any changes to the processors (System-in-a-Package, SiP) in the Series 11 and Ultra 3: Both models still run on the S10 from the previous year, although this is ultimately just a scaled-down S9 that had been adapted for the thinner Series 10 in 2024. There was obviously not enough time for an S11 – as this would probably only have been marginally faster, so retaining the S10 is actually more "honest". Previously, Apple had installed a new SiP in every Watch model year, even if it was only slightly newer.
The Ultra 3 also revs up when it comes to the battery
Fans of the Apple Watch Ultra can also look forward to more battery power in the third generation of the watch. It should now run for six hours longer – 42 hours instead of 36 hours with the previous Ultra 2 model, although it remains at 72 hours in low-power mode. Here, too, it remains unclear where the actual optimization takes place. Among other things, Apple is installing the LPTO3 display from the Series 10 and the aforementioned 5G modem.
The battery life of the new SE 3 remains unchanged. The entry-level model among Apple's computer watches still runs for 18 hours at a time. It is considered particularly attractive this year because, among other things, an always-on screen, faster charging and double-tap gestures have been implemented – and the S10 is also on board.
Empfohlener redaktioneller Inhalt
Mit Ihrer Zustimmung wird hier ein externer Preisvergleich (heise Preisvergleich) geladen.
Ich bin damit einverstanden, dass mir externe Inhalte angezeigt werden. Damit können personenbezogene Daten an Drittplattformen (heise Preisvergleich) übermittelt werden. Mehr dazu in unserer Datenschutzerklärung.
(bsc)
