Bloomberg: Apple Watch Ultra 3 will support 5G and satellite communications

According to Bloomberg's Mark Gurman, this year's Apple Watch Ultra 3 will have satellite connectivity and a new cellular modem with 5G support.

Apple first introduced satellite communication for offline messaging with the iPhone 14, and the feature later appeared in the iPhone 15 and iPhone 16. However, no Apple Watch model has supported it yet.

Satellite messaging support on the Apple Watch Ultra will allow users to send texts even when they're out of cellular or Wi-Fi range, just like on the iPhone. Initially limited to emergencies, the feature has expanded to allow messages to be sent to any contact in iOS 18.

Gurman notes that Apple plans to make this feature a key advantage of the third-generation Ultra, which is expected in September 2025. This will also help the device better compete with brands like Garmin, which already offer satellite-connected gadgets for remote and extreme conditions.

On the iPhone, satellite access currently remains free for two years, and Apple will likely offer the same terms for the Apple Watch Ultra.

By the way, Gurman also reports that in future Apple Watch models, the company plans to abandon Intel modems in favor of MediaTek chips. The MediaTek chip supports 5G RedCap - an energy-efficient, medium-speed version of 5G adapted for wearable devices. Current Apple Watch models still use 4G LTE, although iPhones have been working with 5G for several years.