Apple Watch Ultra 3 Enhances Battery Life and Introduces Satellite Connectivity

"...The Apple Watch Ultra 3 is like the luxury Land Rover you see in safari brochures: It's adventure-ready on the outside, with all the modern conveniences on the inside...."

"...This smartwatch is ready to carry you back to everyday life without the dust-in-your-teeth, back-busting bounce of a beat-up Jeep...."

"...It straddles that line between rugged and refined, with just enough upgrades under the hood to make it worth the wait...."

"...I remember feeling crushed when I wasn't the one reviewing the Ultra at its debut in 2022...."

"...I was daydreaming about dusting off my scuba license and taking it on a jet-ski ride somewhere exotic...."

"...I sat out the first two Ultras. By round three, I was more than ready to put one on my wrist...."

"...Even for bed...."

"...In a smartwatch landscape where it's competing with feature-first rivals, such as Samsung and Google, and endurance-first brands like Garmin, which offers week-long battery life and satellite features, the Ultra 3 lands right in the middle...."

"...It's the all-wheel-drive SUV of the smartwatch world: built for adventure, but without sacrificing the comfort, convenience and that seamless iPhone integration that only the Apple Watch can offer...."

"...But it doesn't quite bridge the gap for people (like me) who prefer a slimmer, more polished design...."

"...While my husband, who's never owned a smartwatch in his life, would happily wear it all day...."

"...I'd still swap it out for the Series 11 before a night out that required anything beyond tennis shoes...."

"...And just like I can appreciate the engineering of a Land Rover without actually wanting to drive one every day, I can admire the Ultra 3 without crowning it my ride-or-die...."

"...For someone used to charging an Apple Watch almost daily, that extra day of charge felt almost disconcerting...."

"...For context, I got about 28 hours of use out of the Series 11, including a 45-minute run...."

"...I didn't need rescuing that day in wine country, thankfully, but it was reassuring to know the watch did in fact connect to a satellite while I was otherwise cut off...."

"...I even got through a full week of sleep tracking without ripping it off in the middle of the night...."

"...I can appreciate the perks of having the Ultra 3, but not enough to ditch my Goldilocks pick, the Series 11...."

"...I recommend the Apple Watch Ultra 3 for anyone who puts battery life above all else, even with the higher price tag...."

"...The Ultra 3 is the rugged upgrade that lets you go off-roading without leaving the comfort and convenience of Apple's ecosystem...."

"...And with satellite connectivity, its safety guardrails now stretch even further so you can go feed your thrill seeking alter ego without as much reckless abandonment knowing you're always connected...."