Apple Watch Ultra 3 Debuts: Strong, But Lags Behind Rivals in True ‘Ultra’ Innovation for 2025

The highly anticipated Apple Watch Ultra 3 has officially launched alongside the iPhone 17 series, marking Apple’s latest entry into the premium smartwatch market. While undoubtedly Apple’s most advanced wearable to date, early assessments suggest it plays it safe, failing to deliver the groundbreaking innovation seen in some competitors in 2025.

Key enhancements for the Ultra 3 include a slightly larger display, a new, more efficient chip, satellite SOS capabilities, and 5G RedCap support – a new 5G standard optimized for low-power devices like wearables. Battery life has seen a modest increase to 42 hours (up from 36 on the Ultra 2), extending to 72 hours in low-power mode. These are solid upgrades, making the device better equipped for its adventurous target audience.

However, critics point out that the Ultra 3’s improvements aren’t revolutionary compared to the broader market. Diving depth remains capped at 40 meters, falling short for professional divers. Real-world battery life still hovers around two days, a figure surpassed by rivals. The return of blood oxygen sensing, while welcome, is more a re-enablement than a new feature, following past legal disputes. Furthermore, its exclusivity to iPhone users limits its market reach.

In stark contrast, devices like the Huawei Watch Ultimate 2, also available in 2025, are pushing the boundaries of what a rugged smartwatch can be. The Huawei model boasts a record-setting 3,500-nit display, an ultra-durable zirconium alloy case, and professional-grade diving capabilities up to 150 meters, complete with sonar communication. Its health tracking is more comprehensive, featuring a unique X-TAP sensor for quick, multi-metric scans. Crucially, the Huawei Watch Ultimate 2 offers significantly longer battery life, reaching up to 4.5 days, nearly double that of the Ultra 3, despite housing a massive 867 mAh battery with fast charging.

While Huawei’s offerings face availability restrictions in markets like the U.S., they serve as a clear benchmark for what’s technologically feasible in 2025. The comparison highlights areas where Apple, despite its market dominance, appears to be holding back. Industry observers suggest that features like extended battery life, advanced diving modes, and integrated comprehensive health scans, demonstrated by competitors, might form a roadmap for future Apple Watch Ultra models, perhaps the Ultra 4 or 5.

Ultimately, the Apple Watch Ultra 3 is a strong contender within the Apple ecosystem, but it doesn’t necessarily represent the pinnacle of smartwatch innovation available today. Apple’s strategy appears to be one of incremental refinement, leaving some to wonder if the company is missing an opportunity to truly define the “ultra” category.

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