There are three new Apple watches this year, but the real star of the show is the Apple Watch SE 3. The little watch that could has gotten a huge upgrade, bringing the entry-level watch forward quite a few generations.

The Series 11 and Apple Watch Ultra 3 have also gotten some updates, notably the Ultra can now do Emergency SOS via Satellite for free, making it an even better solo adventuring tool.

Apple Watch SE 3

In person, the SE still looks a bit basic, but its small size, I think, will appeal to a lot of Apple Watch buyers. As someone who used an Apple Watch Series 10 46mm, I’ve even been wondering if I’d rather have the smaller 42mm size. Not that the big screen is bad, I’m just not sure I’m getting that much use out of it.

Thus, the SE 3 is a solid option, especially now that it has Apple’s S10 system in package (SIP) and the wrist temperature sensor. These bring a flood of features from the Apple Watch Series to the entry-level device. These include gestures (double-tap, wrist flick), full support for the Vitals app, on-device Siri, and, most notably, the Always-on display.

Apple also added the small speaker from the Apple Watch Series 10, but I haven’t been able to test it. That said, I found it almost useless on the 10, so I imagine most people will never use it here. Inside Apple also increased the charging speeds so it will power up 2x faster than before.

The new Apple Watch SE starts at $329.

Apple Watch Series 11

This watch’s most significant selling feature is its expanded battery life. Apple says it has a larger cell and is now rated for 24 hours. This is great news, especially since Apple has been rather conservative with its battery life in the past. If you don’t do any workouts during the day, you’ll probably get even more than 24 hours.

The watch has also received 5G support, but no Canadian carriers work with it yet. That said, when they do, the watch will be ready. The new SE 3 and the new Ultra 3 also have 5G support.

Both the SE 3 and the new Series 11 also get new iON-x glass which Apple says is the toughest glass ever on a smartwatch. However, that’s not counting Saphire Crystal displays like what’s on the Watch Ultra line and the titanium/stainless steel Series watches.

The main health upgrade on the Series 11 is hypertension notifications, if the watch thinks you might need to see a doctor. However, they’re not cleared by Health Canada yet, so it remains to be seen when Canadians will be able to take advantage of them. That said, it seems like it will work similarly to the neat new Sleep Apnea detection. 

In addition, there’s a new Slate colour that’s quite nice. It has its roots in natural earth colours, which I always appreciate on watches. The price starts at $549.

Apple Watch Ultra 3

Like the other two watches, in the hand the Ultra 3 feels like its predecessors, but it’s been upgraded with a much brighter 3,000-nit display and all the other improvements that I mentioned above.

However, the real ace up its sleeve is that it now has satellite connectivity. This is handy and will allow you to call emergency services from virtually anywhere in the world with a bit of a view of the sky.

If you pay for an Apple Watch cellular plan, you can also use satellite connectivity to send regular messages and share your location with loved ones and friends when you’re off the grid.

Apple has also boosted the Watch Ultra’s battery life from 36 hours to 42, which will really help it last through a long weekend. In low-power mode, it can even last 72 hours. If you want to use the watch for an extended period of time while working out, it will last for 12 hours. In the low-power workout mode, which takes metrics at fewer intervals, the battery bumps up to 20 hours.

This watch still comes in Natural or Black titanium and starts at $1,099.

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