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Apple Watch Series 3

Review: Apple Watch Series 3 with cellular further establishes an emerging computing platform

Launched in September 2017, the Apple Watch Series 3 keeps the classic design of earlier models but packs in quite a few new features. Alongside improvements, including the faster S3 processor and W2 wireless chip, was a cellular variant for the first time. Today, Apple sells it only in a GPS variant.

● Dual-core S3 processor ● W2 wireless chip ● First model with cellular - GPS-only today ● Find great Apple Watch deals ● Discounted prices start at $199

Page last updated: 1 year ago

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Apple revealed the third generation of the Apple Watch line during Apple's September 2017 event . The Apple Watch Series 3 improved upon its predecessors with upgraded components and a model with a cellular connection.

The Apple Watch Series 3 is still for sale in 2022, nearly 5 years after its release. Apple kept the device around for a low-priced entry point for consumers. Even when the Apple Watch SE was revealed, Apple didn't stop selling the aging Series 3.

Rumors suggest the " Apple Watch Series 8 " lineup could finally bump the Series 3 out of the market. Although, Apple will still provide watchOS updates to the Series 3 for at least a few more years for customers who may have purchased their watch recently.

Apple Watch Series 3 Features

External design

From the outside, this Apple Watch has the same familiar design as the Apple Watch Series 2, with a square OLED Retina display, protected by sapphire crystal in the stainless steel and ceramic models, and Ion-X glass for the aluminum versions. Available in two sizes, the 38-millimeter model has a resolution of 272 x 340 pixels, while the 42-millimeter has a 312 x 390-pixel display. Both are capable of 1,000 nits of brightness.

The Apple Watch design hasn't changed much since its 2015 release

The Side button and Digital Crown are on the device's right, which is used alongside display taps, swipes, and gestures to navigate watchOS menus. The Digital Crown was one of the few elements to receive a visual change in this generation, with now-obsolete cellular models brandishing a red dot, denoting their added connectivity option.

To the rear is the heart rate sensor, a collection of LEDs and sensors that can detect blood flow in the user's wrist. It does this via a technology known as photoplethysmography. Apple increased the rear crystal's size, but only by 0.25 millimeters, making it a barely noticeable change to the vast majority of users.

The back casing for the Apple Watch was also offered in two different materials, depending on the model. The standard version without cellular connectivity has a “composite back,” while LTE-equipped models used a ceramic back cover.

General specifications

As is customary, Apple made changes to the internals of the Apple Watch, improving it in both performance and features compared to previous models.

Apple developed the S3 processor for the third-generation smartwatch, a dual-core chip that boasts a 70% performance increase over the S2. As well as providing quicker app launch times and smoother graphics compared to its predecessor, this addition also made it possible for Siri to speak back to the user, using the Apple Watch's built-in speaker.

Accompanying the S3 is the Apple-designed W2 wireless chip, making Wi-Fi connections 85% faster while at the same time making Bluetooth and Wi-Fi 50% more power-efficient.

Some models had an increase in storage capacity. The standard model has 8 gigabytes of storage, while the cellular version includes 16 gigabytes. Today, Apple only sells the 8GB GPS version.

The barometric altimeter was new to the 2017 release used to sense how high the Apple Watch is from sea level. The sensor is used in various ways for activities, such as elevation gain and counting the flights of stairs climbed.

The Apple Watch also includes a gyroscope, accelerometer, and ambient light sensor alongside its rear heart rate sensor. All models include 802.11n Wi-Fi support, as well as Bluetooth 4.2 connectivity.

The device is also water-resistant to 50 meters.

Cellular connectivity

The Apple Watch Series 3 with cellular is no longer sold

Apple offered two types of Apple Watch in this 2017 model. The company gave the standard model the suffix “GPS” while labeling the cellular model “GPS + Cellular.” This second model has cellular radios, allowing it to connect to a mobile network independently. This allowed it to work without being tethered to a nearby iPhone .

It had a red dot on its Digital Crown, indicating cellular capabilities.

Apple later retired the cellular version of the Apple Watch Series 3, though the Apple Watch Series 6 and later includes cellular variants.

Using a full LTE and UMTS cellular radio, which the Apple Watch seamlessly switches to if an iPhone is out of range, the Apple Watch can communicate with various online services. These can include streaming audio services such as Apple Music , accessing Find My Friends , Messages , and third-party apps such as WeChat.

Apple Music streaming through the Apple Watch wasn't immediately available. Apple later introduced it as part of an update for watchOS 4.1 in October 2017. Streaming through the LTE connection does affect battery life , similar to how streaming while using the built-in GPS functionality can lower the usage time to just three hours.

You can assign the watch the same phone number and account as your paired iPhone. This allows text messages and calls to pass through to the Apple Watch even if far away from your iPhone. You can also receive and place calls using the Apple Watch's built-in speaker and microphone. However, it will also pair with AirPods for a more private conversation.

To add LTE connectivity without changing the design or size, Apple used a built-in eSIM. This design decision takes up one-hundredth of the space of a traditional SIM card, eliminating the need to add a SIM slot. The display also doubles as the antenna for the Apple Watch for cellular communications, rather than using a separate aerial component.

Due to the nature of how the Apple Watch Series 3 can connect to the phone network, it will only work through a limited number of carriers, a list Apple has published on its website . In the United States, the supported carriers include AT&T, Sprint, T-Mobile, and Verizon, with customers expected to pay $10 per month to add the device to their service plan.

Apple has slowly iterated on watchOS to make it more independent

Apple announced the next major OS update for Apple Watch, watchOS 7 , at WWDC 2020. The update launched in September 2020. Significant changes include handwashing timers, sleep tracking, and mobility metrics. Apple Watch Series 3 and newer can migrate to the update.

Building on top of the basic tracking offered in Bedtime, the sleep tracking system included in watchOS 7 provided more data about how a user sleeps. By tracking small movements using the built-in accelerometer, users could see how well they slept and keep track of their long-term sleep patterns.

New workout methods included dancing, core training, functional strength training, and cooldowns. The update also added support for Apple Fitness+ , the company's new integrated workout streaming and tracking service.

Apple also made changes to watch faces. The new Chronograph Pro watch face adds a tachymeter, used to calculate speed based on the time to travel a fixed distance. Developers can also add more than one complication per app to a single watch face.

Watch-face sharing was another significant change, allowing users to share their creations with others via messages, URLs, or a long press of the Apple Watch's face. Apple also curates Apple Watch face configurations.

The latest update includes handwashing tracking. When the Apple Watch detects the user is washing hands, such as by hearing running water, the display will show a 20-second timer to ensure they properly clean their hands. As with sleep tracking, the Health app will provide details of how often the user washes their hands and offers more tips on limiting the spread of disease.

Coinciding with updates made to Apple Maps on iOS, changes are also being made to reflect the Apple Watch experience, including turn-by-turn directions prioritizing cycle routes. This includes excluding routes with stairs and warnings about steep inclines.

Apple also improved how Siri performs on-device dictation. This helped with the accuracy of voice-to-text messaging.

Styles and Bands

There are multiple case and band combinations available

Aside from the 38mm and 42mm sizes, there were initially many models of Apple Watch Series 3 and various bands. Today, Apple only sells the 2017 model in black and white variants with Sport Bands.

Initially, the standard color options for the aluminum case versions were Silver, Space Gray, and the new addition of Gold. Each also included a band. These included the original Sport Band or the Sport Loop, which you could easily tighten onto the wrist via a small loop.

The Stainless Steel cases included Silver and Space Black options. They could be paired with the Sport Band or a color-coordinated Milanese Loop.

The Nike+ models returned with this generation, complete with the branded Nike Sport Band and Nike Sport Loop variants, in various colors, aimed at athletic users.

The Apple Watch Nike+ also shipped with exclusive watch faces. Additionally, it could launch the Nike+ Run Club app by tapping the dedicated complication. Nike updated its Nike+ Run Club app on October 2 ahead of the Nike+ model launch, adding Audio Guided Runs, the "Cheers" social networking function, and an activity history feature.

The Apple Watch Hermes models gained more leather band options in this generation, including the Single Tour Rallye in perforated Gala calfskin, claimed to be inspired by the classic Hermes driving glove and the Single Tour Eperion d'Or based on an equestrian scarf pattern designed by Henri d'Origny. These models also included a new watch face, inspired by the Carrick Hermes watch designed by Henri d'Origny in 1993.

Another Hermes band launched in December 2017, with the Noir Swift Leather Tour Medor in the 38-millimeter format priced at $589 for the band alone.

The premium Apple Watch Edition models used ceramic cases. They were available in either black or white, with a matching Sport band.

New Sport Band options were released in the online Apple Store in December 2020. The new options, priced at $49 each, included dark teal, spicy orange, and a canary yellow "Flash" band.

Apple Watch Series 3 Teardown

The customary deconstruction by iFixit for the third generation of Apple Watch revealed that, while it was mainly similar to the Series 2, Apple made some improvements to the Series 3's internals.

The LTE model included a "whole new section" of RF chips, with ST Microelectronics believed in providing the components that make up the eSIM. Other chips, along with Apple's W2 wireless chip, came from Avago and Skyworks, among others, while the barometric altimeter has been moved to a new location next to the microphone.

Notably, the battery in the Series 3 is a 1.07 watt-hour unit. It provided an almost 4% increase over the 1.03 watt-hour battery in the Series 2. However, this still suggests Apple is relying on chip improvements elsewhere to compensate for the power demands of LTE communications.

iFixit gave it a 6 out of 10 repairability score. The majority of logic board repairs and the micro soldering of replacement component cables are out of reach for most users. However, it is theoretically possible to replace the screen and battery if the right tools and parts are available.

Emergency Calling

Press and hold the side button to make an emergency call

The ability to make phone calls on the LTE-equipped Apple Watch Series 3 made the now-defunct wearable's now-defunct cellular variant handy in an emergency. It was capable of requesting assistance with the Emergency SOS function. You trigger this by holding down the side button on the Watch for a prolonged period. After that, it eventually sends text messages to emergency contacts or places a call to emergency services.

In November 2020, a Reddit poster attempted to use the feature on an unactivated Watch running watchOS 4.1 but initially failed. Following an email from Apple Executive Relations explaining it can trigger the function without activation, a second test connected a call to 911 after three minutes.

One early example of the Apple Watch Emergency SOS feature working was the November 2020 story of kite surfer John Zilles, who crashed his hydrofoil in shark-infested waters a mile off the California coastline. Using the Apple Watch, Zilles called his son to send his number to the harbor patrol before calling himself. A patrol boat later rescued him.

The Emergency SOS feature also helped save one woman's life in late 2017 , after a drunk driver rear-ended a car, causing it to fly into the air. Kacie Anderson, who triggered the alert with her Apple Watch after recovering from blacking out, was found to have a severe concussion, brain swelling, and bulging disks from the accident and is still recuperating from the injuries.

Apple Watch Series 3 Pricing

The Apple Watch Series 3 costs $199 for 38mm and $229 for 42mm. While it initially had a cellular variant, it is now only sold in GPS.

1. Features
2. Teardown
3. Emergency calling
4. Price guide

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Apple Watch Series 3 review

Three years later, the Apple Watch Series 3 is still one of the best smartwatches around. As long as you get the non-LTE model, that is.

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I've owned multiple iPhones, iPads, iPods and MacBooks over the past decade. I wore a first-generation Apple Watch and then a Series 2. The Apple Watch Series 3 with LTE is the first Apple device I've used that didn't just work out of the box. And while I did eventually get it running, other issues — as well as its high price — make this connected watch a tougher sell than the non-LTE version. While I didn't love the cellular Series 3, the Bluetooth model is one of the best smartwatches and even our top pick among the best cheap smartwatches . It's also one best fitness trackers you can buy, if you're on the hunt for a workout-oriented wearable. Our Apple Watch Series 3 vs. Fitbit Charge 4 face-off details the benefits you'll get with the Apple smartwatch over a traditional fitness tracker.

With watchOS 7, you'll still get the latest software features without having to splurge on a $399 Apple Watch Series 6 , or $279 on the Apple Watch SE , too.

See our Apple Watch SE vs. Apple Watch 3 and Apple Watch 6 vs. Apple Watch 3 face-offs for advice on whether you should upgrade.

The good news? With the release of the Apple Watch Series 7 later this fall, Apple announced that the Apple Watch Series 3 will remain on sale, starting at $199.

The promise — and reality — of LTE

A smartwatch aims to put easy access to your smartphone on your wrist. But cellular connectivity has the potential to remove your phone from the equation altogether. Early criticism of the Apple Watch included that it leaned too heavily on the phone for basic tasks. Software updates and faster processors have made that less of an issue; now, the watch can run apps natively and access Wi-Fi networks that your iPhone has connected to in the past. But it still requires your phone to be its relay device for phone calls and notifications, and it can't do much when your iPhone is out of range and there are no known Wi-Fi networks around.

The LTE Apple Watch Series 3 is designed to bridge that gap, but that's it. It's not an iPhone replacement. If you're expecting to leave your phone for extended periods of time and use the watch to handle all your tasks, you will be disappointed. That disappointment sinks in after you add up the costs — $399 for the 38-millimeter model or $429 for the 42-mm version, and then an extra $10 on your monthly cellphone bill so that the watch can draw from your data bucket. All that, and it can't even last a full day on its own.

But even though I knew the watch couldn't replace my iPhone, I still had high hopes. Those floated down to earth as soon as I unboxed the device.

Apple Watch Series 3 activation: A frustrating process

The Series 3 pairs to your iPhone the same way past generations did, with a dynamic image on the watch face that you scan with your iPhone camera. That part is just as seamless as usual. But then I got to the part where I had to activate the watch's cellular connectivity.

I eventually got my watch activated on AT&T's network, but it took a trip to my nearby AT&T store and the help of five customer service reps — four in-store and one over the phone — more than an hour to navigate the complicated setup process.

I ran into a myriad of issues when trying to activate the watch on my AT&T plan. A customer service agent couldn't help me figure out the problem over the phone, so I eventually paired the device to an Apple-provided iPhone 8 on T-Mobile to test it out.

I experienced some launch-weekend jitters with phone call reliability, where calls on the watch over LTE would fail, but those issues seem to have been resolved. (If you run into a similar problem, try deactivating the watch's data plan, and then reactivating and rebooting. That did the trick for me.) A look at Twitter and Reddit shows that other Series 3 buyers experienced the same early problems I did.

A watchOS update that Apple pushed out a few weeks after the Series 3's launch fixed a bug that affected the watch's ability to switch from Wi-Fi to cellular. The software update also added a manual setting in the Control Center, accessible by swiping up on the watch face, that lets you toggle among the iPhone's connection, a Wi-Fi network and the watch's own cellular connection.

MORE: Smartwatch buying guide

Before the update, you could connect to cellular only by putting your iPhone in airplane mode or leaving it out of Bluetooth range altogether. Now, if your watch gets hung up trying to connect to a Wi-Fi network, you can manually push it to connect to cellular.

Apple Watch Series 3 cellular connectivity: Battery killer

I quickly discovered the LTE Series 3's limitations when I left my iPhone at home. I started the day with a 3.5-mile run, during which I streamed Apple Music's Pop Workout radio station the entire 37 minutes. When I returned home to eat breakfast, I checked my watch battery. It had drained to 60 percent after running every battery-sucking feature simultaneously. I managed to squeeze another 12.5 hours out of the watch by not relying on it too heavily for the rest of the day.

These activities aren't battery killers on the Series 2 or Series 3 without LTE, but with the Series 3's constant cellular connection, you can forget about it lasting 18 hours on a charge. Simply being connected to a cell network will reduce the battery life with mixed use from 18 hours to about 8 hours.

That's why the watch is designed to rely on your phone's connectivity to keep its own cellular connection from draining the device — and why it's so important to have manual control over that connection.

Apple Watch Series 3 design: Unchanged, in a good way

Apple's ability to put a cellular modem and bigger battery into the Series 3 without dramatically adding to its size is impressive. The watch is slightly thicker than the Series 2 — about two sheets of paper thicker, Apple says — but not noticeably so. The 38mm Apple Watch Series 3 is the only LTE smartwatch that looks good on my wrist. The Series 3 also comes in a larger, 42mm size for people with larger wrists.

The ultrabright, 1,000-nit OLED display has the same size and resolution as the previous models: 272 x 340 pixels on the 38mm model and 312 x 390 on the 42mm version. The screen is Ion-X glass on the aluminum models and sapphire crystal on the stainless-steel and ceramic versions. The aluminum variety comes in gold, silver and space gray, while the ceramic version is available in white and gray.

Basically, it's still one of the better-looking smartwatches on the market (yes, even though it's square).

Fitbit Versa 3 vs. Apple Watch 3 : Which smartwatch should you buy?

Apple Watch Series 3 fitness-tracking: Better than ever

Working out is the one use for which an LTE Apple Watch is perfect. There is nothing quite like lacing up my sneakers, pairing my AirPods to my watch and hitting the pavement with no phone weighing me down. (I love my iPhone 7 Plus, but it feels like a giant barnacle attached to my body when I'm running.) Knowing that I can still get text messages and important notifications on my watch is reassuring.

Both Series 3 models, the one with cellular and the one without, sport a new barometric altimeter, which is a handy new data point for measuring elevation. That's useful for hiking and skiing as well as actual stair climbing. I knew I climbed a lot of stairs, considering almost all subway stations are located underground, but I never really tallied them up before. After I saw that I powered through 21 flights of stairs after a Mets game at Citi Field, I realized why I was so tired (and promptly took a nap).

Otherwise, the Series 3 with LTE has the same great fitness-tracking features that the Series 2 and Series 3 without cellular connectivity have, including accurate built-in GPS and an equally accurate heart rate sensor. Apple's watchOS 4 upgrade put more fitness-tracking features on all of its smartwatches, such as alerts when your heart rate is elevated and support for high-intensity, interval-training workouts. A feature that connects your watch to your gym's equipment for more accurate exercise tracking is slowly rolling out.

Apple has added a feature to the LTE watch that allows you to turn off cellular connectivity and the heart rate sensor to save battery life, which is great if you're going on a long run. I toggled on this feature for one run, but if you do this frequently, it makes it kind of pointless to own an LTE watch. But with or without LTE, the Apple Watch 3 is one of the best fitness trackers .

Series 3 music: The missing piece falls into place

Apple touted the Series 3's music-streaming capabilities in a series of TV commercials ahead of the device's launch. Yet Apple Music streaming took weeks to arrive on the watch.

The good news: Now that it's here, Apple Music streaming over cellular is an incredibly unique feature that actually makes me feel like I could ditch my phone someday. Apple packaged the streaming service in two apps: Apple Music, which requires a $10-per-month subscription, and Radio, a free watch app that anyone can use to stream songs. Streaming music makes the smartwatch experience almost — dare I say it — magical.

There was no lag as I launched a radio station in my house, where my watch was connected to my iPhone, or when I moved out of Bluetooth and Wi-Fi range as I set off on my run. Apple Music never stuttered or dropped, even as I ran through Brooklyn's massive, tree-filled Prospect Park.

I was hoping that the Series 3 would also support on-device podcast playback, but that hasn't happened due to limitations in watchOS 4, as Overcast developer Marco Arment details here .

I still have to carry my phone with me when I want to listen to podcasts on my commute, which I do every day. The watch does allow you to control audio playback and save music offline from Apple Music to listen to via Bluetooth headphones, but those features are neither new nor exclusive to the LTE model.

( Editor's note: With watchOS 6, you can stream podcasts and audiobooks over cellular. You can also store them directly on the watch for offline listening. )

Now that it's here, Apple Music streaming over cellular is an incredibly unique feature that actually makes me feel like I could ditch my phone someday.

Series 3 phone calls: Better with Bluetooth earbuds

Sure, you can phone home from your watch. But do you really want to? Making or taking phone calls from your wrist is something of a novelty, and you'll definitely tire of it. A pair of Bluetooth earphones, such as Apple's AirPods, elevates the experience — it's about as pleasurable as a phone call can possibly be.

When I first reviewed the watch, the device started to heat up after a few minutes of talk time. I actually had to end a 13-minute phone call because the watch became uncomfortably warm on my wrist. After the software update, I didn't experience those overheating issues.

The watch's call quality is comparable to that of my iPhone, and when it's paired with Apple's AirPods, talking on the watch is effortless. You will definitely look like you're talking to yourself without a phone in hand, but if you don't care about looking slightly awkward in public, then proceed.

For quick check-ins with friends or significant others, the watch will do just fine.

Why you don't need LTE

When the watch is connected to a cellular network, it can quickly make calls, respond to messages using voice dictation or the Scribble handwriting-to-text feature, and activate Siri to answer questions or pull up directions. I experienced some issues downloading emails from my Gmail account in Apple's native Mail app on cellular, and there were periods of time when the cellular connection would unexpectedly drop (denoted with a red X at the top of the display), even when I hadn't moved.

The things I love most about the Apple Watch have nothing to do with its LTE capabilities. I appreciate being able to save music offline to listen to with AirPods, use Apple Pay to buy stuff without carrying my wallet around, glance at the Siri watch face to get an overview of my day and track my daily activity in the Workout and Activity apps. But I can do all those things with a Series 3 that doesn't have LTE, and those models start at $329. In fact, you can get all of these features with every watch Apple sells.

Series 3 vs. Series 5

The Apple Watch Series 3 is more affordable now that the Series 5 is the newest watch in the lineup. But the Series 5 also has bells and whistles that the Series 3 can't match, including a larger, more immersive always-on display, built-in compass, faster processor, and advanced heart health features such as an FDA-cleared ECG app for taking on-the-go electrocardiograms and a passive atrial fibrillation alert that monitors your heart's rhythm in the background.

If display, speed and medical-grade health features are essential, the Series 5 is worth the splurge. But if what you're after is a solid smartwatch that works well with your iPhone, then the Series 3 is just fine. Check out our in-depth Series 3 vs. Series 5 face-off here .

Bottom line

The Series 3 with LTE has had its problems, like the Wi-Fi software bug and launch-weekend carrier hiccups. But the watch has already improved by leaps and bounds, thanks to a software update that added streaming music and manual control over cellular and Wi-Fi connectivity so your watch doesn't get stuck somewhere between the two. Longer battery life will continue to be a struggle at this size, even though the Series 3 has a bigger battery than its predecessors.

There are moments when LTE makes the watch feel truly magical: receiving a text while I'm running with just the Apple Watch and AirPods, or downloading emails without a phone nearby after escaping the office to pick up lunch. But those moments aren't as frequent as I would like them to be. If you want the Series 3, get the non-LTE version, which starts at an affordable $199.

I can imagine a future in which a smartwatch can replace a smartphone for most of the tasks we use it for, but the Series 3 with LTE is not that future. At least not yet.

Credit: Shaun Lucas/Tom's Guide

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Caitlin is a Senior editor for Gizmodo. She has also worked on Tom's Guide, Macworld, PCWorld and the Las Vegas Review-Journal. When she's not testing out the latest devices, you can find her running around the streets of Los Angeles, putting in morning miles or searching for the best tacos.

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Apple Watch Series 3: Cheat sheet

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Just as Apple’s iPhone revolutionized the smartphone industry , Apple’s Watch is changing the watch that millions of people wear, from office workers to fitness buffs to retirees. The Apple Watch is designed to help people stay connected, active, and motivated, and it boasts an industry-leading customer satisfaction rating of 97% worldwide.

Since the launch of the Series 2 device , Apple Watch has experienced significant growth. Apple CEO Tim Cook reported at the company’s September 2017 special event that the Apple Watch grew over 50% last quarter compared to the previous year. Cook further confirmed that the Apple Watch has become the world’s number one watch.

SEE: Lunch and learn: BYOD rules and responsibilities (Tech Pro Research)

The Apple Watch Series 3 introduces significant new features that improve functionality. The biggest change, bordering on revolutionary, is the addition of cellular connectivity. Apple Watch users are no longer tethered to their iPhone; instead, they can remain connected, make and receive calls, stream music, send and receive texts, and more without having their iPhone nearby. ( Note on Sept. 23, 2018: Check out our Apple Watch Series 4 cheat sheet .)

New Watch Series 3 models pack a faster dual-core processor and barometric altimeter. Series 3 devices also offer new styles and bands, which help owners demonstrate individuality by mating a variety of different band options ( types and colors ) with Apple’s many Watch case styles.

Several important new watchOS 5 features were announced at Apple’s 2018 World Wide Developers Conference (WWDC) . The new release, expected in Fall 2018, adds improved Siri functionality, new Shortcut customizable Siri-based reminders, more accurate health and fitness tracking, walkie-talkie capability, and podcast support.

This Apple Watch Series 3 cheat sheet has the details you need to know to determine whether this wearable is right for you. We’ll update the guide periodically as new information about the watch is available.

Executive summary

What is Apple Watch Series 3? Apple Watch Series 3 is the newest generation of Apple Watch. In addition to telling time across the world, the digital wearable device tracks health and fitness, provides access to iTunes Music, connects to numerous applications, and now offers the option of sending and receiving calls, text messages, and email without needing to have your iPhone nearby.
Why does Apple Watch Series 3 matter? Apple Watch Series 3 introduces significant new connecting technologies without requiring an iPhone, which provides greater freedom of movement and mobility. The new devices, thanks to the debut of watchOS 4 , will include a significant heart rate monitoring advancement believed to potentially assist the detection of previously undiagnosed health conditions.
Who does Apple Watch Series 3 affect? While users who have a compatible iPhone will enjoy the greatest benefits when using an Apple Watch, almost everyone seeking a contemporary digital wearable watch and fitness device is impacted by the Apple Watch Series 3. The wearable also affects IT departments that adhere to BYOD or mobile computing policies.
When is Apple Watch Series 3 available? Apple began accepting pre-orders for Apple Watch Series 3 models on September 15, 2017. Most Apple Watch Series 3 orders begin shipping September 22, 2017; Nike+ Apple Watch Series 3 units begin shipping October 5, 2017. (See Apple’s site for pricing and availability details .) Apple watchOS 4 is available on September 19, 2017; it is compatible with all previous generation Apple Watch models and will be loaded, by default, on all Apple Watch Series 3 devices.
When is watchOS 5 available? Apple’s new watch operating system entered beta testing following the June 2018 WWDC and was promptly pulled following reports the update was rendering wearables inoperative. Many new features will be introduced when bugs are worked out and the new release debuts as anticipated sometime in the Fall of 2018.

SEE: All of TechRepublic’s cheat sheets and smart person’s guides

What is Apple Watch Series 3?

Apple Watch Series 3 is the newest generation of Apple Watch, which has become the world’s number one watch. In addition to telling time, surfacing customizable news alerts, tracking health and fitness information and reminders, linking to Apple’s iTunes Music, and connecting to a multitude of Apple and third-party applications, Series 3 models also offer customers versions with built-in cellular connectivity.

Integrated full LTE and UMTS cellular networking, along with a built-in eSIM card, combine to constitute a potentially revolutionary feature. With the technology, Apple Watch Series 3 models can send and receive phone calls, text messages, and email without needing to have an iPhone nearby.

Thanks to the S3 dual-core processor, Series 3 watches accelerate device performance up to 70%. Wi-Fi connectivity improves, too, thanks to Apple’s custom W2 chip.

An integrated barometric altimeter provides accurate vertical feet gain, even when exercising or adventuring without an iPhone. And built-in GPS and GLONASS further extend the watch’s standalone fitness, navigation, and adventuring capabilities.

SEE: Ebook–Reducing the risks of BYOD in the enterprise (TechRepublic)

New models offer fashion-conscious owners new styles and bands. Series 3 devices include many of the mainstay options, including Space Gray, Stainless Steel, Space Black Stainless Steel, and Silver Aluminum cases with a variety of traditional bands, as well as new Gold Aluminum and Dark Gray Ceramic styles, and a comfortable stretchy new Sport Loop Band and a new two-toned Sport Band.

Additional resources

Here’s what you need to know about the new Apple Watch Series 3 (ZDNet)
Apple watchOS 5 will include upgraded notifications and extended use of NFC chip (TechRepublic)
Why the Apple Watch Series 3 and Apple TV 4K just got more useful for business (TechRepublic)
Apple Watch Series 3 hands-on: The $399 stealth watch-phone (CNET)
Photos: Apple Watch Series 3: Once more, with calling (CNET)
Apple Watch 3 vs Apple Watch Series 2: What’s new? (CNET)
Apple’s new iPhone 8, iPhone X, Apple Watch and more (CBS News)

Specifications for the Apple Watch Series 3

Apple Watch Series 3 models are available in three case materials: aluminum, stainless steel, and ceramic. Four band types are available: Sport Loop, Sport, Leather, and Stainless Steel. Band colors are available in a wide range, including silver, gray, pink, white, red, brown, green, blue, and black.

Series 3 models include GPS or GPS and cellular connectivity.

Four Apple Watch Series 3 models are available: Apple Watch, Apple Watch Nike+, Apple Watch Hermès, and Apple Watch Edition.

As with previous Series 1 and 2 versions, Apple Watch Series 3 models can be purchased in 38mm and 42mm case sizes.

Faster S3 dual-core processors and W2 Apple wireless chips power the Series 3 models, which also feature all the following:

Built-in GPS and GLONASS
Barometric altimeter
Water resistant to 50 meters under ISO standard 22810:2010
Heart rate sensor
Accelerometer
Ambient light sensor
Siri speaks
16GB capacity
Ceramic back
2nd-generation OLED Retina display with Force Touch
1,000 nits display
Ion-X glass (on aluminum case models)
272 x 340 pixels (38mm cases)
312 x 390 pixels (42mm cases)
Rechargeable lithium-ion battery
Up to 18 hours battery life

The owner’s Apple Watch Series 3 and iPhone must both be on the same cellular provider’s network for the watch to function properly.

Compare Apple Watch Series model specifications (Apple)
Apple Watch Series 3 specs (CNET)
Apple Watch Series 3 – Technical Specifications (Apple)

Why does Apple Watch Series 3 matter?

Apple has a track record of revolutionizing numerous industry segments, including the Mac and personal computing, the iPhone and smartphones, the iPad and tablets, and now the Apple Watch continues that streak.

Apple Watch Series 3 introduces significant new connecting technologies without requiring an iPhone. The benefit is greater freedom of movement and enhanced mobility.

The new devices, thanks to the debut of watchOS 4, will include a significant heart rate monitoring advancement believed to potentially assist the detection of previously undiagnosed health conditions, such as atrial fibrillation. New workout options, including auto-sets for pool swims and high-intensity training, also debut with the new models.

5 Apple Watch apps to simplify your workday (TechRepublic)
With iOS 12, Siri finally becomes the AI-powered business assistant we needed (TechRepublic)
Why healthy employees are vital to your business’s success (TechRepublic)
Stanford, Apple to Collaborate in New Heart Study (Stanford Medicine)
Video: Why smartwatches could still catch on (TechRepublic)
Enterprise wearables predicted to top $55 billion by 2022, driven by advances in data security (TechRepublic)
IDC report: Basic wearable devices drop in sales while smartwatch shipments grow (TechRepublic)
Apple’s iPhone 8, iPhone X, Apple Watch, augmented reality: What it all means for business (ZDNet)
Wearables in business: Deployment plans, anticipated benefits and adoption roadblocks (Tech Pro Research)

Who does Apple Watch Series 3 affect?

Watch Series 3 models connect and synchronize with compatible iPhones–Apple Watch Series 3 GPS + Cellular models require an iPhone 6 or later running iOS 11 –thereby further extending the iPhone’s existing applications and functionality. Users with compatible iPhones will benefit most from using an Apple Watch, though almost anyone seeking a contemporary digital wearable watch and fitness device is impacted by the Apple Watch Series 3.

Apple Watch Series 1 and 2 owners are minimally impacted, although that changes with the anticipated Fall 2018 release of watchOS 5, which will not be supported on 1st Generation devices. However, the legacy devices are compatible with watchOS 4, the release with which Watch Series 3 models are loaded upon launch.

The Apple Watch also impacts business professionals. In addition to using the device to track calendar information, email notifications, news alerts, phone calls, instant messages, and common reminders, owners can leverage cellular-connected Series 3 devices to remain connected to their office when not carrying iPhones. This benefit poses a potential problem for tech administrators.

SEE: BYOD policy (Tech Pro Research)

IT departments must review the new device’s capabilities and determine what corresponding policies the organization might need to implement in response. For example, with Apple Watch Series 3’s introduction of standalone cellular connectivity, the devices possess internet connectivity without the presence of a standalone iPhone, so long-standing corporate policies that protect the organization by precluding personal phone possession or operation in the workplace may require updating to address the Series 3’s new cellular feature.

Health and fitness users are specifically targeted, too, with planned watchOS 5 innovations that include more accurate health and fitness measurement and tracking. In addition to a new competition mode, which includes personalized coaching and permits Apple Watch users to challenge friends to fitness competitions, new yoga and hiking modes will be supported. New running features add pace alerts, cadence rate tracking, and mile pace alerts. Users no longer need to remember to start and stop workouts, either, as watchOS 5’s automatic workout detection performs that task for them.

Plus, the device’s new connectivity feature profile will press competitors to maintain pace or fall behind.

Ten unexpectedly useful Apple Watch apps (ZDNet)
Original Apple Watch won’t get watchOS 5 update–even if you spent $17,000 for gold (CNET)
Apple Watches incompatible with watchOS 5 (Apple)
Developers: These are the iPhone X, iPhone 8, Apple TV 4K, and Apple Watch Series 3 features you need to know (TechRepublic)
iPhone 8 or iPhone X: Which one should CIOs prefer for their users? (TechRepublic)
The Complete Apple Watch Development Course (TechRepublic Academy)
The 5 best transit apps to get you there on time (Download.com)
BYOD approval form (Tech Pro Research)

Competitors to the Apple Watch Series 3

While competing fitness devices and digital wearables don’t provide such tight iCloud and iPhone integration, and few others offer cellular data networking, several products strive to compete with the Apple Watch Series 3, including the following.

Casio Pro Trek SmartOutdoor Watch
Garmin vivoactive
Huawei Watch
Motorola Moto 360
Samsung Gear S2
LG Watch Urbane 2nd Edition
Sony SmartWatch 3
TAG Heuer Connected Watch
Apple Watch 3 vs. Fitbit Ionic, Gear Sport and Garmin Vivoactive 3 (CNET)
Luxury bands going high-tech to compete against Apple and Samsung in smartwatch showdown (TechRepublic)
20 crazy-expensive watches that are way cooler than the Apple Watch (TechRepublic)
Wearables: Fit for Business (ZDNet special feature)
Best Wearable Tech of 2017 (CNET)

When is Apple Watch Series 3 available?

Customers could start placing orders for Apple Watch Series 3 devices on September 15, 2017. Apple Watch Series 3 orders, with the exception of Nike+ models, began shipping September 22, 2017. The Nike+ Apple Watch Series 3 units began shipping October 5, 2017. See Apple’s site for specifics about Apple Watch Series 3 pricing and availability .

All new Apple Watch Series 3 models ship with watchOS 4. Apple introduced the latest version of its watchOS on September 19, 2017.

As is common with many new technology products, Apple’s Series 3 launch wasn’t without hiccups. Multiple media reports confirmed the new device encountered glitches making calls and accessing data when an iPhone wasn’t nearby. An Apple spokesperson admitted the watch can experience cellular connectivity issues when connected to open Wi-Fi networks lacking connectivity and announced it was exploring fixing the issue via a software update.

Compare Apple Watch Models (Apple)
Apple Watch Nike+ (Apple)
Apple Watch 3 only offers about an hour of talk time over LTE (ZDNet)
T-Mobile backs down on cap for Apple Watch 3 data speed (CNET)
Hardware Purchasing Task List (Tech Pro Research)

When is watchOS 5 available?

The next big Apple Watch event is the release of watchOS 5. The beta was released the same day as Apple’s 2018 WWDC keynote: June 4th, 2018. The beta, however, was quickly pulled from the developer portal after reports it was rendering wearables inoperative. Apple scrambled to address the issues and re-released the first beta one week later. Those seeking to download the watchOS 5 will find complete instructions on Apple’s development site . Once any final bugs are worked out, the new release should be available in Fall 2018.

watchOS 5 introduces many new features. In addition to the health and fitness improvements mentioned earlier, a new Walkie-Talkie feature permits instant voice communication with friends and contacts possessing compatible Apple Watches.

Siri operation and performance is tweaked, too. In addition to providing third-party applications with access to Siri, new Siri Shortcuts permit creating customized shortcut alerts and reminders, while Siri’s artificial intelligence and machine learning capabilities will help the virtual assistant better surface predictive alerts, notifications, and recommendations based on the user’s habits and routines.

watchOS 5 will also provide support for Weblinks. Users receiving News alerts, notifications, and messages that contain web links will now be able to tap those links and view mobile versions of those web pages directly on the Apple Watch.

SEE: Video: Apple focus on fitness with new watchOS 5 (CNET)

watchOS 5 packs a new podcasts app, too. Cellular model users, in particular, will likely find that enhancement helpful, as they’ll now be able to listen to podcasts without having an iPhone present (such as when walking, hiking, cycling, or running).

There is one significant watchOS 5 drawback: 1st Generation Apple Watch owners will be staring down forced upgrades if they wish to take advantage of the new features, as 1st gen Apple Watches (model numbers A1153 and A1554) will find their devices incompatible and unable to support the upgrade.

Apple releases second beta of iOS 12, macOS Mojave, watchOS 5 and tvOS 12 (ZDNet)
Apple pulls watchOS 5 Beta 1 from developer portal after reports of bricked devices (MacRumors)
watchOS 5 preview in pictures (CNET)
watchOS 5 adds Walkie-Talkie, automatic workout detection for Apple Watch (CNET)
watchOS 5 Preview (Apple)
watchOS 5 compatibility (Apple)

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Apple Watch Series 3 a Top Performer in Consumer Reports Testing

Cr evaluates step counting, heart rate, and voice calling, sharing is nice.

We respect your privacy . All email addresses you provide will be used just for sending this story.

The Apple Watch Series 3, unveiled on Sept. 12, arrived with some compelling fitness features, along with an LTE cellular connection in some versions that lets users receive calls and text messages without having to carry a smartphone.

And, after undergoing our standard smartwatch tests—plus a few new ones—the Series 3 has emerged with a Consumer Reports recommendation, ranking among the Samsung Gear S3 Frontier and Gear S3 Classic models near the top of our ratings .

The Apple Watch Series 3 (42mm) Stainless Steel Case with GPS + Cellular earned high marks for step counting and heart-rate tracking. The watch, which starts at $499, also scored well on scratch resistance, with the sapphire crystal glass surface on its face surviving our most extreme test.

We also bought and tested an Apple Watch Series 3 (38mm) Aluminum Case GPS, $329, and an Apple Watch Series 3 (38mm) Aluminum Case GPS + Cellular, $399. These watches earned favorable ratings, too, but finish slightly lower in our rankings, mainly because their Ion-X glass wasn't quite as scratch-resistant.

Within days of the watch going on sale, a number of users and reviewers reported that cellular versions of the watch dropped calls frequently. Apple acknowledged that there was an issue and released a software fix for it. However, even before that software update, our lab wasn't able to reproduce the problem despite running a series of cellular-connection tests.

Here's a more in-depth look at what our testing found.

No Dropped Calls

In addition to making calls and receiving text messages, the Series 3's new cellular connection allows runners and others who enjoy living life on the go to field emails and stream music well beyond the bounds of WiFi—much like a smartphone.

But some early reviewers complained about losing the cellular connection mid-call when they ventured too far from a smartphone or passed by "unauthenticated" WiFi hotspots.

Test Results: Apple Watch Series 3

To evaluate those reports, one of our testers placed a call on the watch using Verizon's network and walked about 700 feet away from his phone, down a ramp and into the CR cafeteria, then returned to where he started. On the way, he passed through a number of WiFi networks set up in the building. The call did not drop.

Next, we entered a lab with a WiFi network that the watch was connected to. We turned off the WiFi, made a call (still on Verizon) and then restarted the WiFi network to see what would happen. The call did not drop.

We also ran a test in which we left the lab's router on but disconnected it from the internet, creating a WiFi connection with no internet access. In another test, we exposed the phone mid-call to a WiFi network that did not require a password.

"We tried to make the problem happen, using the descriptions we had," says Maria Rerecich, director of electronics testing at Consumer Reports. "We were not able to duplicate it."

But, she adds, that doesn't definitely prove that consumers won't experience problems with dropped calls. "I would never rule it out," she says.

After Consumer Reports testing was completed, Apple released an update to the watch's operating system, saying that it "fixes issues that in rare cases were causing Apple Watch to join unauthenticated (captive) Wi-Fi networks, such as those found in public places like coffee shops and hotels." Those are networks that require you to go to a company web page as the first step in joining a network. Apple said the update should fix the problems some users had reported.

A Little Hot on the Wrist

A thermal imaging camera picture shows the heat from a call on the Apple Watch Series 3.

We also performed two experiments to see how much the watch heats up during calls—another concern raised by some reviewers.

In one trial, we used a heat-sensing camera to observe the hot spots on the watch. In the other, we used a heat sensor on the back of the watch to measure temperature changes.

During a 20-minute call, the watch's temperature rose from about 83° F to a peak of 95° F. (While internal body temperature generally hovers around 98.6° F, typical skin temperatures are a few degrees cooler.)

"There's a definite and significant temperature increase," says Rerecich. "But it's not excessive."

She compared it to the heat you feel against your cheek when using a smartphone. It may feel uncomfortable, but it doesn't burn you.

Accurate and Tough

A level 8 pick scratching the glass on a Series 3 watch.

In addition to the special procedures we devised to look into cellular and heat issues, we put the Series 3 watch through the in-depth, standard testing we use with all smartwatches evaluated at Consumer Reports.

The Series 3 models received favorable reviews from our testers for ease of use, as did its predecessor, the Series 2.

However, the new watches were much easier to read in bright light.

And, just like the Series 2 watches, the new watches received high marks for heart-rate monitor accuracy and step counting, features that have become increasingly important as the line between smartwatches and fitness trackers blurs.

The testers also evaluated the Series 3 watches on measures of toughness.

First, we confirmed that they meet Apple's water-resistance promises, able to survive a simulated plunge of about 164 feet (50 meters, to be precise) in our pressured dunk tank.

During our scratch test, the stainless steel 42mm model distinguished itself from its siblings. Its sapphire crystal glass was more scratch-resistant than the Ion-X strengthened glass used in the aluminum versions of the watch.

We ran picks calibrated to the 10-point Mohs Hardness Scale across the watch faces: The Ion-X watch faces were scratched when we applied a level 8 pick, similar in hardness to a masonry drill bit. The sapphire crystal withstood both that and the even harder level 9 pick.

Our labs are continuing to evaluate the new watches, and in particular we are exploring how much the cellular connection will affect battery life. We'll let you know when those results are in.

Editor's Note: This article has been updated to include information about an update to the Watch Series 3 operating system.

Bree Fowler

I write about all things "cyber" and your right to privacy. Before joining Consumer Reports, I spent 16 years reporting for The Associated Press. What I enjoy: cooking and learning to code with my kids. I've lived in the Bronx for more than a decade, but as a proud Michigan native, I will always be a die-hard Detroit Tigers fan no matter how much my family and I get harassed at Yankee Stadium. Follow me on Twitter (@BreeJFowler).

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Apple Watch 3 review

The apple watch 3 is still a powerful wearable.

TechRadar Verdict

The two versions of the Apple Watch 3 impress - but the cheaper, non-4G version of the wearable delivers good value for money and top fitness capabilities from the wrist.

Good smartwatch battery life

Clear, bright screen

Fantastic fitness features

Only iPhone compatible

Siri still patchy

High price for 4G model

Why you can trust TechRadar We spend hours testing every product or service we review, so you can be sure you’re buying the best. Find out more about how we test.

LTE, design and screen
Specs, watchOS 6 and a new engine
Apple Watch 3 fitness
Apple Watch 3 battery life

The Apple Watch 3 (or Apple Watch Series 3 if you're being particular) has been superseded several times over, most recently by the Apple Watch 7 , and Apple Watch SE - the latter of which could be a real rival for it, since they're both budget models.

But the Watch 3 remains for sale on Apple's official store - which is more than we can say for the Apple Watch 4 or even the Apple Watch 5 - and it has been discounted heavily now, too. Specs and features-wise, it's about on par with the newer Apple Watch SE, though likely for a lower cost.

The Watch 3 is available in two forms – one with cellular connectivity, and one with just GPS. As the replacement for the Apple Watch 2 , this device was the flag-bearer for fitness and longevity, with run and cycle tracking on board and a water-resistant casing for swimming, plus the same heart rate monitor on the underside.

And while newer models pack in extra features and faster chipsets, Apple has kept supporting the Apple Watch 3 with software updates, which adds sleep tracking, new workouts, and a whole lot more. It's one of the best cheap smartwatches right now.

Apple Watch 3 price and release date

Launched September 22 2017, still on sale from Apple
Price starts at £179 / $199 / AU$319
LTE version starts at £299 / $299 / AU$469

Screen sizes: 38/42mm Weight: 42.4g/52.8g Software: watchOS 4 RAM: 768MB Storage: 16GB GPS: Built-in Battery capacity: 279 / 341mAh Wireless charging: Yes, Qi

At launch in late 2017, the Apple Watch 3 was the most expensive wearable the company sold but now the price has shrunk since the launch of the Apple Watch Series 4 and Apple Watch 5. It's still not an inherently cheap smartwatch, but it's a lot more affordable now.

There are two variants of the Apple Watch 3, one with LTE / cellular capabilities and one with just GPS onboard.

The former costs £299 / $299 / AU$469 / AED 1,199 or £329 / $329 / AU$519 / AED 1,329 (for the 38mm and 42mm bands respectively) these days thanks to a serious discount after the release of the Apple Watch 5.

The 3 series GPS version is much cheaper at £199 / $199 / AU$319 for the 38mm and £229 / $229 / AU$369 for the 42mm.

It's worth noting also that while Apple has discontinued the Apple Watch 4 and 5, you can still get the Apple Watch 3 direct from the company, so it's easy to get hold of.

Do we need LTE?

Connects pretty well, can be a touch patchy
Extra cost to stream your data from the Watch

The biggest upgrade the Apple Watch 3 brought was its own cellular connection inside, so it can work independently of your phone.

Does that mean you can buy one without owning an iPhone? Sadly not… not by a long way. In reality it means that you can receive phone calls and some app notifications when your phone is at home, but otherwise it’s totally dependent on your handset.

In terms of notifications, if the app you want to use hasn't been upgraded to work in 'standalone mode' (as in, doesn't need a phone connection to function) then you won’t get updates and notifications even if the LTE connection is enabled.

The ability to connect to a cellular network is fine, but doesn't feel like the most crucial feature to add in - although some people have already reported it's saved their life .

The call quality from such a small device is really rather impressive – we conducted a phone chat with someone while running, and both the voice quality out of the speaker and the sensitivity of the microphone were excellent.

It meant we could run pretty much normally and still hold a conversation without having to hold the Watch 3 to our head. In fact, it was so loud you’ll need to move quickly to stop people listening in.

It's less useful when driving - the ambient noise makes it harder to hear what's being said - but it'll do in a pinch and save you from illegally grabbing your phone. We would question whether you really need the functionality – not least because you have to pay extra for it.

It’s particularly galling that you need to spend between $5-$10 / £5 / AED 25 per month to have your data - that you’re already paying for - pumped to your device.

If adding data to the Watch was free and just naturally extended to the wrist, it would be fine, but the added cost makes it hard to recommend the LTE version for this reason.

50 million songs on the wrist

One other upgrade is the addition of music streaming, something that was announced at launch of the Apple Watch 3 but curiously wasn't there at launch.

This feature - if you've paid all the money to have the LTE-enabled variant of the Watch 3 and are paying out extra cash each month to have the data - is actually quite a good addition.

You're getting two things with the new Apple Music streaming capabilities: Apple Music directly, and Beats Radio. These are both accessed the most simply through Siri - you can tap through the Watch to get there, but it's very fiddly.

The easiest way is to ask Siri on the go to play the kind of music you want - whether that's by genre, a playlist you've already created but not synchronized, or just a certain song.

It's not perfect - especially when outside and walking or running - but when it works it's a dream, a futuristic scenario where you command almost any song in the world via a chat with your wrist.

How streaming music on the Apple Watch 3 made me listen to opera by a lake

You definitely need to be embedded in the Apple Music system for this to work well - you can't browse playlists on the wrist, for example, and just asking Siri to 'Play some running music' results in some odd choices. However, a running playlist you've already created can be accessed in a second.

Well, we say in a second... far too often Siri would have a problem connecting and would tell us to 'Hold on... I'll tap you when I'm ready'. And then not connect for ages, forcing a retry.

The whole Apple Music streaming setup is brilliant when it works, when you ask for some music you'll enjoy and it plays something you enjoy.

It's a little too glitchy at times to fully feel like you're constantly connected to so many songs - and you'll generally have your phone with you, which is a far better way to access songs, but it's a nice feature and one that will only improve.

Despite the Apple Music streaming capabilities, we still can’t really see a good reason to recommend the LTE variant of the Apple Watch 3, as the notion of not needing your phone to go running was taken care of by adding GPS to the watch with the second-generation model.

Do we want another time when we're always connected? Isn't a workout a time to switch off? And are you willing the pay the much-larger price premium to have the capability to listen to music or use apps away from the phone?

With that in mind you should only consider the Apple Watch 3 LTE variant if you’re worried about not being contactable when out exercising, or inexplicably leave your phone in places.

Apple Watch 3 design and screen

Almost identical design to previous models
Screen is still vivid and bright
Smaller display than the Apple Watch 4

The design of the Apple Watch has become pretty iconic, in the way that people just know you’re wearing the iTimepiece. When you see a footballer wearing a Fitbit you'll have to peer to see which model it is, but with the Apple Watch it's instant recognition.

Unlike the iPhone, we don't see the need to upgrade the design that much with a watch, and Apple's done pretty well to keep the chassis almost identical given that it's now packing in a new chipset and cellular connectivity in the two sizes of device (38mm and 42mm).

It's done so by integrating the antenna into the screen, which is an innovative way of saving space... although the Watch couldn't have stood to be made any chunkier, such is its square, curved design.

There has been a slight upgrade in the manufacturing process though, as clicking the Digital Crown or the power button feels firmer than on the Apple Watch 2.

This is subtle, but it's something we've noticed every time we've used the Watch 3. Apart from that, the only key difference is on the Digital Crown, which now sports a red dot to signify it's the new model.

It's nothing major, but we did get a question about it when wearing the Watch, showing that people are interested when a new Watch appears.

It’s elegant and light, and while some have yearned for a circular display, the 1.65-inch display (on the 42mm version) is certainly the optimal size and shape for displaying more data – and as mentioned, Apple has brute-forced acceptance of its watch design into the market.

The screen itself, which uses OLED technology, has always been one of the most attractive on the market. It’s clear, vivid and bright, and we never had an issue with not being able to see it when out and about.

Well, that’s not entirely true – the screen does switch itself off to preserve battery when needed, and that means you have to flick your wrist to see the display.

While this is far from ideal, Apple has tuned the algorithm to such an extent that even a tiny little flick will fire up the display – and while this isn’t always as accurate when running, for example, it’s a lot, lot better than we saw with the first version of the Apple Watch.

Image Credit: TechRadar

Current page: LTE, design and screen

Gareth has been part of the consumer technology world in a career spanning three decades. He started life as a staff writer on the fledgling TechRadar, and has grown with the site (primarily as phones, tablets and wearables editor) until becoming Global Editor in Chief in 2018. Gareth has written over 4,000 articles for TechRadar, has contributed expert insight to a number of other publications, chaired panels on zeitgeist technologies, presented at the Gadget Show Live as well as representing the brand on TV and radio for multiple channels including Sky, BBC, ITV and Al-Jazeera. Passionate about fitness, he can bore anyone rigid about stress management, sleep tracking, heart rate variance as well as bemoaning something about the latest iPhone, Galaxy or OLED TV.

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Apple Watch Series 3 review: Still the best smartwatch, but the Fitbit Versa is a close second

The Apple Watch Series 3 offers built-in cellular for data and even phone calls. It works remarkably well, but not without a cost -- in battery life and money.

Nearly 20 years writing about tech, and over a decade reviewing wearable tech, VR, and AR products and apps

Editors' note, Sept. 12, 2018: The Apple Watch Series 3 reviewed here is now available for a reduced price of $279. The Apple Watch Series 1 has been discontinued . Apple also announced the Apple Watch Series 4 , which will start at $399 for the Series 4 model, $499 for the LTE model. Pre-orders for the Watch Series 4 will start on Sept. 14, and the watches will be available on Sept. 21.

Apple Watch Series 3

The bottom line, update, 2018.

Apple launched the Apple Watch Series 3 in September 2017 in a realized hope that the third time's the charm. With improved fitness tracking and music syncing, plus the ability to connect to a cell network instead of relying on your phone, the Apple Watch is still the best smartwatch out there.

Instead of duking it out with a smartphone manufacturer, Apple's main source of competition is the much more affordable Fitbit Versa . Fitbit finally caught up on the design front and the Versa has better battery life, but it lacks the communication features of the Apple Watch. While the Versa has only been available since April 2018 and won't get a refresh for a while, you can likely expect an updated Apple Watch as early as this September. We'll see a Watch OS5 release fairly soon as well.

Check out CNET's best wearables for more information on competitive products.

Our review of the Apple Watch Series 3 -- originally published on September 20, 2017 and which otherwise is mostly unchanged -- can be read below.

I spend a lot of time with a phone in my face.

That's why I was attracted to the original Apple Watch . It sold the fantasy of a watch-as-phone: An iPhone Micro on my wrist. One less gadget.

But because the Apple Watch had to be paired to my iPhone to do anything constructive, the phone never went away. I just ended up alternating between staring at two different screens.

That's changed now, kind of, with the Apple Watch Series 3 . It adds built-in support for cellular connectivity. The full Dick Tracy communicator, much like Samsung, LG and others have already tried.

Better take some AirPods (or wireless headphones with a good microphone).

I've been testing the Apple Watch Series 3 for a week, using it as my phone, fitness tracker, Apple Pay wallet and iPod. And, yes, I've even been making phone calls with it. It lets you stay connected in those few places where even phone addicts may skip the phone: Going for a walk around the block. At the gym. At the pool or the beach. In the bedroom, while you're trying to fall asleep.

The irony of having a watch that's a phone means you're more tethered, not less. But you're more limited, too. For better or worse, this isn't a full micro-iPhone. There's no camera. It's not easy to respond to emails and messages. I can't really tweet, read stories or watch videos. And you still need an iPhone to set it up and get the most out of it.

Alternatively...

Fitbit Versa review: This $199 answer to the Apple Watch is mostly great

Other caveats abound. Battery life limitations severely curtail phone calls and GPS-aided workouts. There's still more Apple needs to do to maximize fitness tracking and streamline the software. And you'll be paying monthly subscription fees (for wireless service and for Apple Music) to get the most out of it.

All that said, the Apple Watch Series 3 is the best phone watch I've tried. Setup is easy, and toggling from cellular to Bluetooth and back again is mostly seamless.

But I still find myself reaching for the iPhone.

Editor's note: See the "Connection quirks" section below for information on a Wi-Fi issue on the cellular Series 3 models. More testing is still to come. Ratings are provisional until those tests are completed.

Cellular, and how it works

The big upgrade on the Apple Watch Series 3 is that it adds always-connected cellular functionality. It works works on all major cellular carriers -- in the US, at least -- which is nice.

Cellular supports data and voice -- where there's the proper coverage, of course -- and the Watch uses the same number as your iPhone. The catch, of course, is that it costs money: $10 per month in the US, above and beyond your existing wireless fee. And despite the fact that the Watch is designed to free you up from your phone, you'll still need your iPhone to set it up and to install apps. And no, it doesn't work with Android phones.

The Apple Watch communicates to the outside world in three steps. It looks for your iPhone first, pairing via a Bluetooth connection if it's nearby. If not, it tries Wi-Fi (new networks can't be added on the Apple Watch directly, but it syncs and knows networks that your iPhone does). If neither of those options are available -- say, if you're out hiking -- the Watch then enables LTE cellular, which is otherwise switched off to conserve power.

Calls are similar to Apple Watch when paired... but now you're untethered.

That auto-switching between Bluetooth, Wi-Fi and cellular is managed by Apple 's new W2 wireless chip. It saves some battery life, but it takes getting used to. In my tests, a red "X" appeared sometimes on top of the watch screen to suggest disconnecting from Wi-Fi, but vanished once LTE had kicked in. A new Apple Watch watch face, Explorer, shows signal strength as from one to four green dots. Otherwise, signal strength pops up in the swipe-up control center where Bluetooth, Airplane Mode and other quick settings live.

Maps on demand.

I could check things on Apple's apps, but third-party apps wouldn't always work. And also, to get notifications from third-party apps in the cloud, your iPhone needs to be powered up somewhere so the Watch can communicate with it via the cloud. So, yeah: even if you're out running without your iPhone, it still needs to be powered up and online somewhere. Weird, but true.

Apps can't be installed directly from the watch, either, unlike on Android Wear and Samsung Gear watches. But I could easily check my email, even on my work account (which automatically imported settings from my iPhone during setup).

Siri can speak on the speakerphone now and works via cellular. Sometimes she understands.

Calls can be dialed directly on-watch with a keypad, or made via tapping existing contacts. Writing messages is still limited to scribbling letters, tapping emoji, or dictation. Siri talks now, too -- she's no longer limited to on-screen text responses. That said, Siri isn't a great conversationalist, and often asked me to "check my iPhone." Again, that's not a great experience if the phone is five miles away.

Some playlists just automagically end up on your watch.

Connecting quirks

Some reviews have noted that the LTE version of the Series 3 has problems connecting to LTE when open Wi-Fi networks are nearby, a bug that Apple has admitted to . Apple confirmed these issues to CNET, too. It's unclear exactly when the problem will be fixed via software update, but I was told it would be soon. (In the meantime, to disconnect from a problem Wi-Fi network, you need to forget the network using your phone.)

I didn't experience those specific issues, but I did have weird experiences with notifications. iMessages sometimes popped in all at once or not at all. And third-party notifications, like Twitter, require your phone to be on and connected to a network somewhere, even if it's not nearby. If it's not, you won't get those pings on the watch. Also, many third-party apps don't currently support LTE connection yet. We'll keep testing this. AirPod connectivity sometimes didn't automatically work, either.

It's unclear how many of these will be smoothed over in software updates. Phone functions were generally fine, and so was email. Messages and notifications came in fits and spurts.

Music: iPod on your wrist, at last

The iPod is gone : long live the new iPod .

Apple Watches could always store music, but they were bad at it: syncing music from a cloud-based Apple Music account was always a time-consuming ordeal. Most other smartwatches are the same. WatchOS 4 now syncs music more automatically, and it's a huge difference. The first time I used the watch, after an overnight charge I found a few playlists and albums waiting for me when I went walking. Others can be added and synced when the watch is charging.

But music is effectively an Apple Music-only proposition. Your iTunes library is always available to you, but for the more sophisticated playlist management -- and real-time music streaming, which isn't coming for a few more weeks -- you need an Apple Music subscription. Spotify, Pandora and Google Play Music subscribers need not apply. Nor, oddly, can podcasts be downloaded to the Watch.

Wireless headphones are also required. AirPods are a perfect fit for the cellular watch, so much so that they feel like an essential accessory. For the most part, they pair instantly. Sometimes, however, I needed to swipe up and select them from the watch control center.

Caveats notwithstanding, the Apple Watch finally feels like that iPod Shuffle on my wrist that I used to wear years ago.

Heart rate data now includes resting heart rate and graphs.

Fitness making more strides, particularly with heart

Most people use Apple Watch as a fitness tracker. The on-watch extra sensor this time is a barometric altimeter, which lists stair-climbing stats like a Fitbit. And the Series 3 still includes the big fitness improvements from 2016: GPS and "swimproofing" -- it's waterproof to 50 meters, even in seawater.

Out of the box, the Apple Watch Series 3 runs WatchOS 4, the software update that's now available to all previous Watch owners. The new operating system amps up coaching a bit, if you let it. I'd see a ping that I could try for more activity today. Or at the end of one day, I was encouraged to take a 20 minute walk to close my red ring. I like coaching in wearables. The Apple Watch is doing it slowly, but now more on-watch than Fitbit, which relies more on a companion smartphone app.

Heart rate, previously a ping-as-needed tool, now lists more graphs for all-day averages in resting heart rate and walking heart rate. I found these really useful, and nice baselines. Other graphs and averages for workouts are listed, too. It's more like what Samsung's Gear watches offered in terms of fitness info on-watch.

Heart rate recovery: A new feature that could use a better explanation.

But for steps and exercise sessions, daily graphs still aren't listed as clearly. Heart-rate recovery times are calculated over three minutes after workouts, but Apple Watch doesn't help me understand what my numbers mean. Are they good? The only quasi-medical advice the watch gives is a ping if your heart rate hits a certain number when stationary, indicating you might want to relax (or seek medical attention). 120bpm, 130bpm, 140bpm… you set it yourself. I luckily never hit the emergency ping, so I can't say what it's like.

Apple's on-watch activity app is still bare-bones, and so is the iPhone counterpart. They're getting better, but more work needs to be done. Apple splits your attention between the Health app and the Activity app, where Fitbit does a better job of offering a one-stop dashboard on its iPhone app. Likewise, Apple's apps still lacks the deep social community of Fitbit, which includes both Android and iOS users.

The biggest missing Fitbit feature is sleep tracking -- which brings me to battery life.

Forget sleep tracking, because you'll be night-charging.

You're going to have to charge every night

Before Series 3, the biggest Apple Watch frustration was battery life. After a week of wearing the cellular model, I can reiterate that battery life is still the Apple Watch's Achilles' heel. But it varies widely, depending on what you're doing.

If you're pushing the unique features of the Series 3 with cellular, you're going to wipe out your battery quickly. I made a half-hour call to my mom as I walked into town a half mile away to get an iced coffee. A walk there, a walk back, checking email and listening to music (and using GPS with heart rate for the walks), I ended up at 50 percent battery by 3 p.m. Sure, I was using everything. But isn't that the point?

On the other hand, the way Apple has handled switchoff between Bluetooth, Wi-Fi and cellular arguably makes the Apple Watch Series 3 a better all-day performer than cellular-enabled competitors like the LG Watch Sport and Samsung Gear S3. I'd just advise you to keep an eye on how you're connected, or you could in for a surprise.

Ultimately, if you ever have to dial emergency services on your watch -- without having your iPhone around -- that one five-minute phone call may be all you need.

A trippy kaleidoscope watch face.

Watch OS 4 has lots of extras, even for older watches

A handful of new watch faces ("Toy Story," a trippy kaleidoscope that uses the spinning crown, a phone-access watch face and a Siri-enabled face) add to the growing Apple Watch face gallery. Workouts are easier to start and stop, or switch on the fly. Runs can be auto-paused. Music controls show up in workouts with a quick swipe, and music playlists can be set to go automatically.

There still isn't a proper watch face store yet, which is a shame. I found myself toggling between multiple apps, wishing more of them were available as widgets on a goldilocks watchface.

Case in point: The new Siri watch face. It's just weird. Its stack of continuously updating cards are reminiscent of Android Wear's Google Now feature. Sometimes it helps important things (the weather, news headlines from Apple News, fitness goals, appointments) to surface. But it also feels random. And it looks a little ugly. It's a small step towards improving always-on watch awareness, but stacking notifications isn't what I want.

Still, it's worth noting that the Series 3 is noticeably zippier than the 2016 Apple Watches. App-launching and general performance feels snappier. The days of sluggish Apple Watch load times are over.

It's getting better and better as a fitness tracker.

How Apple Watch compares to the pack

The Apple Watch Series 3 is feature-packed, and it arguably balances its tradeoffs better than many of its competitors -- though some of them may outshine Apple in specific areas.

Versus Samsung Gear: The Apple Watch has the advantage of hooking directly into iOS for core features, unlike Samsung's Gear watches, which rely on a separate app store and sometimes-annoying hook-in app conduits for Android. That said, we haven't yet reviewed the Samsung Gear Sport , or even the Gear Fit 2 Pro -- though the latter is more of a fitness tracker than a smartwatch.

Versus Android Wear watches: Watch OS 4 and the Apple Watch hardware feel a lot more refined, right now, than Android Wear 2.0. Android Wear watches are being made across tons of fashion brands, however, and discounts can be had. But no Android Wear watch -- so far, anyway -- has the same combination of heart rate, swimproofing, cellular, mobile payments and an onboard barometer.

Versus Fitbit: I still really like Fitbit's total package of nutrition, sleep tracking and social goals. Apple doesn't quite do the same thing for Apple Watch. The added barometer and improved heart-rate graphs are welcome adds, but the Apple Watch battery life trails most Fitbits, which get four days or even longer. But at least the Apple Watch can be worn swimming. The forthcoming Fitbit Ionic has added swimproofing, too, and mobile payments and apps, but its onboard music and smartwatch functions feel far, far inferior to those on the Apple Watch. Apple Watch is the superior smartwatch. Fitbit generally wins for more casual use.

Steel Series 3 vs aluminum Series 2. Same size. The red dot is the only way to show off.

Apple Watch Series 3 vs. older Apple Watches

Many people don't see the need for an Apple Watch. Among smartwatches, it's ended up surviving as the best of the bunch, thanks to solid design and software that's continually been improving. The design stays the same this time, but that's actually impressive. (The red dot on the crown is the only indicator you have the cellular Series 3 model.)

The Series 3 with cellular is the same basic size as 2016's Series 2 watch; Apple expanded the back of the watch a fraction of a millimeter. My review unit is a stainless steel step-up model, rather than the aluminum baseline model. It feels the same as every other Apple Watch I've worn. The new watch works with the same bands as older Apple Watches, which is good news if you've been building a collection.

Versus Series 2: This year's cellular model isn't that much more than last year's Series 2 , though. That model is now gone. Series 2 owners shouldn't upgrade unless they're really smitten by the cellular feature.

Versus Series 1: Apple has only left the 2016 Series 1 in the line, with a price drop. It lacks GPS and LTE and can't be worn swimming. Still, it's a fine option if you're less of a runner or gym rat, or if you have no interest in the Series 3's phone features.

Versus original Apple Watch: That first watch is still fine. If it works, why upgrade? But you do get faster performance, stair-counting, swim waterproofing, GPS and cellular with an upgrade.

For the complete keep-connected package, the cellular Series 3 has value. But its limitations mean it won't be worth it for a lot of people. The cellular-free Series 3 may be a good pick. But just remember that you can get the cellular model without attaching it to your plan -- you can always just keep the option open for later.

Ask yourself if you really need cellular on a watch. I'd say the answer is no.

The best cellular smartwatch, but not a must-have

Do you even need an Apple Watch in the first place? No. And the step back in battery life that the new features require, sometimes, makes it feel like a compromise. But, when I went for walks with just the watch, it was pretty fun. And I enjoyed the feeling of being unburdened from my phone. I even left my wallet at home.

Then I found out that the cafe down the street didn't take Apple Pay.

So, maybe the world hasn't caught up with Apple's mobile lifestyle vision yet. But if it appeals to you, the Apple Watch Series 3 is the way to go. Just temper your expectations on battery life to the extreme -- and be ready to pay up for service fees and wireless headphones to have the full experience.

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I Tested the Apple Watch Series 3 Side-by-Side With My Series 2 and Found 3 Major Differences

By Amy Marturana Winderl, C.P.T.

Last week, Apple announced all of its new products, including the Apple Watch Series 3. If you're already an Apple Watch owner—I wear my Series 2 every day—then chances are, you're wondering the same thing I was: Is it worth upgrading to the new Watch? Can it really offer me anything new that my current model can't?

This past week, I've been lucky enough to actually test out the Apple Watch Series 3 in advance of its official launch on Friday, September 22. Over several days, I wore both models simultaneously so that I could compare the newest Apple Watch and watchOS to my trusty Series 2 Apple Watch and really figure out what makes the latest updates new and different.

We all have different health and fitness goals, so the smart watch features we consider must-haves will differ. But since not everyone can try before they buy, I'm sharing the health and fitness features I discovered in my first week of testing both the new Apple Watch and the software update so that you can decide if upgrading (or buying your first Apple Watch) is worth it for you.

OK, so this doesn't seem like a wellness-specific feature at first glance, but it's certainly the most hyped up and honestly, for me, it has been the most game-changing feature for my fitness routine. I've recently started " runplugging ," or running without music. But as a woman, I feel really uncomfortable going out for a run without a phone on me. What if something happens and I need to call for help? What if I get hurt and need to call someone to come pick me up because I can't make it home? The fact that I can now run without my phone and still be able to reach my fiancé or call 911 if I need to (hopefully it never happens, but you never know) is the ultimate convenience. It's also a great feature for anyone who simply just doesn't want to tote their phone to the gym.

Of course, you'll need to work the cost into your cell phone plan, too. Apple estimates that mobile carriers will offer either a free or other special introductory offer, and then charge $5 to $10 per month to add a Watch to your current plan. Exact pricing will depend on the carrier, though, so definitely ask them what the deal is. Note: You have to buy the Apple Watch Series 3 + Cellular for this feature.

Here's the part where I get really honest with you and say this: This cellular capability is enough to convince me to upgrade. Now that I've gotten a taste of the phone-free life, I think I'd find it hard to go back.

The Music app is getting some updates in watchOS 4—including a cool feature that lets you tag a playlist to a workout, so that if you forget to put music on, it'll automatically start the right one. But the Apple Watch Series 3 + Cellular will soon have the additional capability of streaming Apple Music playlists and radio when you're away from your phone or WiFi. I haven't been able to test this feature yet, but it seems like a great setup—you'll just have to also invest in a pair of Bluetooth earbuds.

A barometric altimeter measures relative elevation, which means the Apple Watch Series 3 will be able to more accurately track any activity that involves a change in elevation. For day-to-day, in the Activity app, you'll now find a "Flights Climbed" section.

Personally, I'm really excited about the altimeter. Hiking is one of my favorite workouts, and I've always felt like my Apple Watch fell short compared to other GPS trackers that tracked elevation changes. Seeing how high I climb is part of what makes hiking feel like such an accomplishment. And if I'm being honest, one of my favorite things to do post hike is humblebrag about the new heights I've reached—it's a feature that's definitely important to me in an activity tracker.

Apple also notes that they're working with app developers on apps that will track ski and snowboarding, including metrics like run speeds and descent.

Yes, before, you could select "other" and tag as "HIIT" to log a high-intensity interval workout . But the new Workout app on watchOS 4 has a specific HIIT workout category that uses new motion and heart rate algorithms to track HIIT workouts, accounting for the workout style's numerous peaks and drops in heart rate. The previous Workout app didn't, which made it hard to get an accurate calorie burn in these situations.

Another cool update lets you combine workouts. So, say, you run to your gym to lift weights. You can group both of those things together so it saves as one, two-part workout in the Workout app.

Right now, the Heart Rate app in the Apple Watch reads your current heart rate...and that's pretty much it. The Apple Watch watchOS 4 update, in comparison, reads your current heart rate, your resting heart rate, and your walking heart rate.

These additions can potentially be helpful for anyone who is concerned about their heart rate and risk of cardiovascular issues like arrhythmia, or irregular heartbeat. (If you have a cardiovascular condition, be sure to talk with your doctor before relying on the Apple Watch—or any other device—for heart rate information.)

You can also turn on a feature that notifies you when your resting heart rate reaches a certain number—the default is set to 120, since a heart rate of 60 to 100 at rest is considered normal, but you can change it depending on your needs. Everyone's normal is different, and if you're ever concerned about what's normal for you, talk with your doctor. Apple hopes that this alert can help give users information that will be useful to show their doctors of they're concerned about potential health issues.

The new feature also keeps measuring your heart rate for a few minutes after you end a workout to give you your recovery heart rate. Monitoring your recovery heart rate can be helpful in assessing changes in your fitness. Generally speaking, the more fit you are, the quicker your heart rate will return to rest after a workout. By looking at this number over time, you can get an idea of how your cardiovascular fitness is changing. As a fit, active woman, this is the heart rate feature I'm most interested in.

OK, so I admittedly haven't used this yet. But Apple is partnering with gym machine manufacturers to add this really cool feature that lets you sync data from cardio equipment to your Apple Watch. Similarly to how Apple Pay works, you'll just have to tap the watch to the machine to start a two-way sync. It'll combine metrics from the machine—like speed, distance, incline, and resistance—with your personal metrics—like heart rate—to give you a more accurate, 360-degree view of your workout.

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Right now, Apple is working with big manufacturers like TechnoGym, Life Fitness, Matrix, StairMaster, and Schwinn to launch GymKit, but says it's open to partnering with smaller manufacturers in the future.

Apple Watch Series 3 will be available on September 22. Apple Watch Series 3 with cellular capability will cost $399; without cellular, $329. The model with cellular will be available in nine countries and with 14 carriers at launch.

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SELF does not provide medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Any information published on this website or by this brand is not intended as a substitute for medical advice, and you should not take any action before consulting with a healthcare professional.

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Apple Watch Series 3 guide: Everything you need to know

The Apple Watch Series 3 is official, and just as expected the new smartwatch comes with LTE built in, letting you keep a connection when away from your phone.

The Series 3 is almost the same size as Series 2, but inside is a zippier new processor that Apple says will be faster and more power efficient. But the big thing here is the cellular connection, and the good news is that you won't have to get new digits to use it, as the Watch will share your current phone number with its built-in SIM.

The verdict is in: Apple Watch Series 3 review

There are a few other improvements too, such as a barometric altimeter for tracking your elevation, which means the Watch now also tracks stairs climbed. It's swimproof, as expected, and lands running the flashy new watchOS 4 software.

Read on for everything you need to know about the Apple Watch Series 3.

Apple Watch Series 3: Everything LTE

Apple Watch Series 3 guide: Everything you need to know

Alongside a cheaper, GPS-only Apple Watch Series 3 is the LTE version, which boasts its own cellular connection. The new Apple Watch uses an eSIM, which means you don't have to insert a SIM card, and also allows you to share your number with your iPhone, depending on your carrier.

Apple Watch Series 3: The specs

As you'd expect, the Apple Watch Series 3 comes with a new chip under the hood. The custom designed W2 chip offers a 70% boost in raw performance over the Series 2, while delivering "all day battery life", according to Apple. In terms of real-world use, that means about 18 hours, which is about the same as we get with the Series 2.

Then there's LTE. As we've mentioned the cellular version features an eSIM, which Apple says is one-hundreth of the size of a nano-SIM card, and has enabled the company to incorporate the technology while only increasing the depth by 0.25mm. That's also been implemented by using the screen as a giant antenna.

The new W2 chip also enables Siri to talk back to you. It may have surprised some non-Apple Watch aficionados that Siri was mute on the Series 2, but this now offers a comparable experience with your iPhone. What's more, Apple says the new chip is 50% more power efficient than the last generation – and it will need to be.

LTE, of course, will drain that battery a quicker. For example, Apple says you can expect an hour of talk time via LTE and three hours of talk time when connected to an iPhone. Working out outdoors gets you four hours with LTE and GPS, five hours with GPS alone and 10 hours with neither. There's no difference when streaming Apple Music though.

There's a new sensor in town, too. The Apple Watch Series 3 is the first to incorporate an barometric altimeter – a pressure sensor to you and I. That means the Series 3 can track stairs climbed to help you close your rings, but will also allow for tracking of snowboarding and skiing for gnarly dudes and dudettes.

At only a hair thicker than the Series 2, Apple's done a decent job of keeping the case size contained. Otherwise it's exactly the same form factor, though the LTE model will come with a red accent on the digital crown to distinguish it from the less expensive, non-LTE version. Oh, and if you're looking at the Stainless Steel or Ceramic models, you should know those will only be available with LTE.

The new Watch comes in some new colours too – a Blush Gold and Ceramic Gray – while Apple is offering some new Nike+ models and Hermès bands.

New watchOS 4 details

Though we've been playing with a beta version of watchOS 4 for some time, Apple announced yet more features focused around health coming to the software in time for Series 3.

Along with a new heart beat complication and a better graph on the Watch for seeing your heart rate through the day, Apple is putting more focus on wellness, something we've seen more and more from other companies like Garmin and Fitbit recently.

There will be a resting heart rate feature, which has been a notable omission on the Apple Watch until now, being a great measure of improving fitness. It will also focus on recovery after workouts, which until now has been the kind of detail reserved for specialist (and costly) fitness devices.

Read this: Atrial fibrillation explained

And there's more to come. A new feature will alert users if their heart rate is elevated unduly, which moves the Apple Watch into the realms of a consumer health device. And Apple has confirmed it is working with Stanford and American Well to track atrial fibrillation, a condition that causes irregular heartbeats. A new app called Apple Heart Study will be the first phase of that, which the company will release on the US App Store in October.

Apple Watch Series 3: New Nike+ designs

Of course Apple isn't forgetting about the Nike+ , and will launch a new Series 3 version of its Nike-branded Apple Watch, complete with new designs.

There's also set to be a new version of the Nike+ Run Club app which is baked into the Nike+ Apple Watch, which will come with a new audio coaching feature. Included in that will be some audio-guided runs from Nike's stable of fitness experts; meanwhile friends will be able to send audio cheers to you while you're in the middle of a workout.

Apple is also introducing new a new Nike sport band and a new sport loop band for the Series 3, which will be available in either black or platinum. The Nike+ edition won't launch day and date with the other Series 3 models though – you'll have to wait until 5 October for it.

Apple Watch Series 3 vs Series 2

The big question many of you will be asking is how the Series 3 compares to the Series 2. Until we can test them side by side, we can only go from what's on paper, and beyond LTE there isn't a huge amount of difference.

One of the biggies is that the Series 3 is faster, with Apple touting that 70% performance boost, while the barometric altimeter means you'll only get the elevation tracking on the new models.

In terms of size, you're pretty much looking at the same smartwatch. Apple says the glass on the back of Series 3 is 0.25mm thicker – about two sheets of paper – which means it will be even less noticeable than the case bump-up between Series 1 and Series 2. The only other design difference is the red accent crown on the LTE version, while the non-LTE Series 3 is indistinguishable from its predecessor.

Apple Watch Series 3: Release date

The Series 3 will be priced at , while Apple is offering the non-LTE version for . In the US, it'll be available for all four major carriers while it'll be available with EE in the UK. It's also keeping the Series 1 alive alongside for , but dropping the Series 2. The new Apple Watch Series 3 will be available to wrap around your wrist on 22 September.

How we test

By Hugh Langley

Now at Business Insider, Hugh originally joined Wareable from TechRadar where he’d been writing news, features, reviews and just about everything else you can think of for three years.

Hugh is now a correspondent at Business Insider.

Prior to Wareable, Hugh freelanced while studying, writing about bad indie bands and slightly better movies. He found his way into tech journalism at the beginning of the wearables boom, when everyone was talking about Google Glass and the Oculus Rift was merely a Kickstarter campaign - and has been fascinated ever since.

He’s particularly interested in VR and any fitness tech that will help him (eventually) get back into shape. Hugh has also written for T3, Wired, Total Film, Little White Lies and China Daily.

Pocket-lint

Apple watch series 3: release date, specs and everything you need to know.

Apple has announced its third generation of its smartwatch, the Apple Watch Series 3, alongside its new iPhones.

There were by no means as many leaks surrounding the next Apple Watch as there were the iPhones, but everything is now official so here is everything you need to know about the Apple Watch Series 3.

Apple Watch Series 3 - Space Grey (GPS)

Apple watch series 3: design.

Same form factor
Interchangeable straps, compatible with all models
Digital crown has red accent

Apple stuck to same design for the Series 2 model as the Series 1 model, though it added GPS and waterproofing to the mix with the newer model and introduced a ceramic model. The rectangular form features interchangeable straps, which are all compatible with both models, a digital crown on the right-hand side, another button on the left and a heart rate sensor underneath the face.

Despite rumours the next Apple Watch would come with an " all-new form factor ", the Series 3 model takes on the same rectangular design found on the Series 1 and Series 2 models.

The interchangeable straps remain and any straps you've bought for previous models will remain compatible. Where the Series 3 model differentiates itself from its predecessors is the addition of a red accent on the Digital Crown rather than black, as well as the introduction of improved hardware and LTE connectivity - more on that later.

A heart rate sensor is again positioned beneath the watch face and like the Series 2, the Series 3 is waterproof with GPS built-in. The Series 3 will be available in numerous models, with various strap and material options including aluminium, stainless steel and ceramic. Apple has introduced a couple of new finishes to the Series 3 however, including Ceramic Gray.

Size options remain at 38mm and 42mm like the original Apple Watch. The Series 1 model will continue to be sold alongside the Series 3 but with a cheaper starting price, while the Series 2 model that launched last year will be discontinued through Apple.

Which Apple Watch is right for you?

Apple Watch Series 3: Hardware and specs

New processor called W2
All-day battery life up to 18-hours
LTE capability

The Apple Watch Series 3 comes complete with a new dual-core processor, which Apple is calling the W2 chip. The company claims it will offer 70 per cent more performance, while being 85 per cent faster and 50 per cent more efficient. Most succeeding devices improve on their predecessor's hardware specs though so a faster and more capable chip comes as no surprise to most though it does mean Siri will be able to talk directly from the Watch.

The Apple Watch Series 3 also launches with built-in LTE capability, something only a handful of current smartwatches offer. It was reported that Intel is responsible for the LTE modem within the Apple Watch Series 3 but Apple hasn't confirmed this.

LTE connectivity means users will be able to use their Apple Watch Series 3 without their iPhone for making and receiving calls, sending and receiving messages and using apps. You'll still need an iPhone for the Apple Watch Series 3 when it comes to pairing and updating etc, but the Series 3 will be able to stand on its own two feet if you leave your iPhone at home for the day, for example.

The display will act as the antenna and the Apple Watch Series 3 will use the same phone number as your iPhone so you won't need to juggle two numbers and you'll still get your phone calls and messages. The Apple Watch Series 3 will be available in an LTE model and a standard model without LTE, like the company's iPad models.

The battery life is claimed to be up to 18 hours and Apple has also introduced a new barometric altimeter to the Watch Series 3.

Apple Watch Series 2 vs Apple Watch Series 1 vs Apple Watch (2015): What's the difference?

Apple Watch Series 3: Features

Built-in GPS and waterproofing
Barometer altimeter
Built-in LTE an option

The Apple Watch Series 2 model introduced built-in GPS and waterproofing over Series 1, both of which continue through to the Series 3 model, as many will have expected.

Built-in LTE allows the Apple Watch to offer full functionality without your phone, as we mentioned above. Previous Apple Watch models had to be in range of your iPhone in order to deliver notifications and what not, which is fine, until you forget your iPhone at home. LTE functionality means your Series 3 watch can still function on your wrist while you're at the office, even if your iPhone is at home.

A heart rate monitor is also present on the Apple Watch Series 3, as we also mentioned briefly above. Apple placed a big focus on fitness with the Series 2, with great swim tracking and other features present so it's no surprise to see the same functionality appear on the Series 3 model.

Apple has made several improvements to the heart rate monitor that will appear in Watch OS 4. The new software will offer new measurements including resting heart rate and recovery heart rate. It will also notify you when it detects an elevated heart rate when you don't appear to be active.

Apple Watch Series 3: Release date and price

Announced 12 September
Pre-orders start 15 September, in stores from 22 September
Starting price of $329

The first generation of Apple Watch was announced in 2014, though not released until 2015, while the second generation, the Apple Watch Series 2 , followed two years later from the original Apple Watch announcement in September 2016.

Apple didn't wait another two years for the Apple Watch Series 3 though, announcing the third-generation device on 12 September 2017, alongside three new iPhones, moving the cycle to one-year rather than one-and-a-half to two. Pre-orders for the new device will start on 15 September 2017 and the smartwatch will be in stores from 22 September.

In terms of price, the Apple Watch Series 3 will start at $329, with the LTE model starting at $399, increasing significantly depending on material. The Apple Watch Series 1 sees a price drop to $249, while the Series 2 will be discontinued.

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Apple Watch SE vs. Apple Watch Series 3 Buyer's Guide

In September 2020 , Apple updated its popular Apple Watch lineup, introducing an entirely new model of Apple Watch: the Apple Watch SE . This new model offers many of the Apple Watch features that have made the device so popular over the years, but at a much more competitive price starting at $279. As an even lower-cost option, Apple continues to sell the Apple Watch Series 3 , which first arrived in 2017, for $199.

Comparing the Apple Watch SE and the Apple Watch Series 3

Many of the features of these two lower-cost Apple Watch models are the same. Apple lists these identical features of the two models:

Similarities

Retina OLED display, with brightness of 1,000 nits
Dual-core processor
Optical heart sensor
High and low heart rate, and irregular heart rythmn notifications
Emergency SOS
Water resistance up to 50 meters; "swimproof"
18-hour "all-day" battery life

Apple's breakdown shows that the two models share a large number of features. Even so, there are meaningful differences between the Apple Watch Series SE and the Apple Watch Series 3 that are worth highlighting, such as display size, Fall Detection, and the always-on altimeter.

Differences

44mm or 40mm case size
30 percent larger Retina LTPO OLED display, 1,000 nits
GPS and GPS + Cellular models
S5 SiP with 64‑bit dual-core processor; W3 wireless chip
Digital Crown with haptic feedback
International Emergency Calling, Emergency SOS, Fall Detection and noise monitoring
4G LTE and UMTS, Wi‑Fi and Bluetooth 5.0
GPS/GNSS, compass and always-on altimeter
50 percent louder speaker; built-in mic
32GB storage capacity
Second-generation Retina OLED display, 1,000 nits
S3 SiP with dual-core processor; W2 wireless chip
Digital Crown
Wi‑Fi and Bluetooth 4.2
Built-in speaker and mic
8GB storage capacity

Read on for a closer look at each of these aspects, and see exactly what the Apple Watch SE and Apple Watch Series 3 have to offer.

Both the ‌Apple Watch SE‌ and the Apple Watch Series 3 have Retina displays with a brightness of 1,000 nits. The ‌Apple Watch SE‌'s display is, however, 30 percent larger than that of the Series 3. This is because the display has thin borders and curved corners. The larger display allows for larger and easier-to-read app icons and fonts, while watch face complications can be more precise and informative. A variety of watch faces are also optimized for the larger display.

The superior display of the ‌Apple Watch SE‌ is among the main reasons to buy the more expensive device. More than anything, the larger display makes the ‌Apple Watch SE‌ feel like a distinctively more modern device than the Apple Watch Series 3, and it adheres to Apple's newer design language with curved corners. The Apple Watch Series 3's screen is practical, if not as attractive as that of the SE, and will be suitable for those new to the Apple Watch. Wherever possible, potential customers should prefer the ‌Apple Watch SE‌ when it comes to the display.

S5 vs. S3 Processor

Both models contain a dual-core processor, but the ‌Apple Watch SE‌'s S5 chip delivers up to two times faster performance than the Apple Watch Series 3. This means the ‌Apple Watch SE‌ can launch apps in as little as half the time it takes on the Apple Watch Series 3.

The S3 chip powers the Apple Watch Series 3. It enables quick launch times and Siri to speak through the built-in speaker. The S5 chip is a 64-bit processor, and being two generations newer than the S3, sees significant performance and efficiency improvements.

The S5 is clearly a much better processor than the S3, but it is worth remembering that for the kinds of tasks performed on the Apple Watch, processing power is not massively important. The S3 will still be perfectly effective for daily tasks, although the S5 is likely to be supported for much longer and handle updates to watchOS more deftly.

When it comes to the processor, you should only consider the ‌Apple Watch SE‌ if you want maximum performance and are concerned about how the chip will cope with updates over time. Otherwise, the Apple Watch Series 3 will be perfectly sufficient.

Health Monitoring

The ‌Apple Watch SE‌ and the Apple Watch Series 3 have an optical heart sensor. This allows both devices to alert you if they detect unusually high or low heart rates or an irregular rhythm, as well as measure your current heart rate.

With the same capabilities to record cardiovascular health, there is no reason to favor the more costly ‌Apple Watch SE‌ when it comes to health monitoring.

Safety and Emergency

Beyond this, the ‌Apple Watch SE‌ has considerably better safety and emergency features. Only the ‌Apple Watch SE‌ can perform international emergency calling, fall detection, and noise monitoring.

Cellular models of ‌Apple Watch SE‌ can complete international calls to emergency services, regardless of where the device was originally purchased or if the cellular plan has been activated.

Fall detection uses a custom algorithm and the latest accelerometer and gyroscope in the ‌Apple Watch SE‌ to detect when a user falls over. By analyzing wrist trajectory and impact acceleration, the ‌Apple Watch SE‌ sends the user an alert after a hard fall, which can be dismissed or used to initiate a call to emergency services. If the watch senses immobility for approximately 60 seconds after the fall, it will automatically call emergency services and play an audio message that provides the user's location as latitude and longitude coordinates, in addition to sending a message to their emergency contacts.

The Noise app alerts you when decibels reach levels that could damage your hearing. To provide enhanced insights into hearing health, ‌Apple Watch SE‌ uses the latest-generation microphone to measure ambient sound levels in a user's environment. The device can then send a notification if the decibel level of surrounding sound has risen to a point that could cause damage, and users can check noise levels at any time through the Noise app or Noise watch face complication.

Although the Apple Watch Series 3 has the basic Emergency SOS feature, it is clear that the ‌Apple Watch SE‌ pulls ahead regarding safety and emergency features. If international emergency calling, fall detection, and noise monitoring are among your most valued Apple Watch features, then you should get the ‌Apple Watch SE‌. If you want your Apple Watch to mainly serve as a fitness tracker and for notifications, for example, this will be much less important and the Apple Watch Series 3 will be sufficient.

‌Apple Watch SE‌ contains four times more storage than the Apple Watch Series 3, with 32GB instead of just 8GB. If you plan on downloading large amounts of music, podcasts, or photos to your Apple Watch, the ‌Apple Watch SE‌ is a much more convenient option. Generally, storage is not a priority on the Apple Watch, so 8GB will be enough for many users.

Other Technology

The Apple Watch Series 3, on the other hand, also features a barometric altimeter, but it lacks "always-on" functionality and is not as precise. The Series 3 can still use its altimeter to assist with tracking activity, flights climbed, outdoor workouts, and elevation gain.

Only the ‌Apple Watch SE‌ has a compass to provide users with better directions and compass headings, in addition to incline, latitude, and longitude. For activities like hiking or climbing, the ‌Apple Watch SE‌ has a lot more to offer.

The ‌Apple Watch SE‌ also features the latest second-generation speaker and microphone, which are optimized for better sound quality for phone calls, ‌Siri‌, and Walkie-Talkie, along with Bluetooth 5.0. Comparatively, the Apple Watch Series 3 contains the earlier first-generation speaker and microphone, and Bluetooth 4.2.

In addition, the ‌Apple Watch SE‌ has a Digital Crown with haptic feedback, which generates incremental clicks with a mechanical feel as it is rotated. The Apple Watch Series 3's Digital Crown offers no haptic feedback, and simply spins as needed.

While the two Apple Watches may superficially appear to look quite similar, there are in fact a large number of differences in terms of design. The casing of the ‌Apple Watch SE‌ has a more refined design than Apple Watch Series 3, with an inset side button and completely different placement for microphones and speakers.

Most strikingly, the ‌Apple Watch SE‌ is 0.7mm thinner than the Apple Watch Series 3. Although this may seem like a small difference, the ‌Apple Watch SE‌'s redesigned casing and more gentle curves make it look considerably thinner than the Series 3. The Apple Watch Series 3 is up to about five grams lighter, however.

Despite having different case sizes of 44mm or 40mm, and 42mm or 38mm, both the ‌Apple Watch SE‌ and the Apple Watch Series 3 support the same band sizes.

The ‌Apple Watch SE‌ is available in Silver, Space Gray, and Gold, while the Apple Watch Series 3 is only available in Silver and Space Gray.

If you want a thinner, more modern design, or simply the gold color option, you should consider the ‌Apple Watch SE‌. If thickness is not a priority for you, the Apple Watch Series 3 may be more appropriate, and it will still work with bands for later models.

Only the ‌Apple Watch SE‌ is available with cellular connectivity from Apple. If you are planning to add an Apple Watch to your iPhone 's cellular plan, you will need to get the ‌Apple Watch SE‌ with cellular for it to work.

Apple originally sold cellular versions of the Apple Watch Series 3, but has since discontinued them. Now, the only lower-cost Apple Watch with cellular option from Apple is the ‌Apple Watch SE‌. You may, however, be able to find a cellular Apple Watch Series 3 for sale via a third-party reseller.

Family Setup

The ‌Apple Watch SE‌ is compatible with a new feature called " Family Setup " in watchOS 7. Family Setup allows family members who do not have an ‌iPhone‌, which is otherwise needed to be paired with the device, to have an Apple Watch. Apple has implemented a number of features to make Apple Watch more suitable for kids or older adults, such as "Schooltime," to help children stay focused while in the classroom, or a simplified configuration process for older people.

If you are planning to use ‌Family Setup‌, you will have to get the ‌Apple Watch SE‌, as it is not available with the Apple Watch Series 3.

Other Apple Watch Options

Apple also offers the Apple Watch Series 7. If you are willing to pay a premium for more features, you may want to consider the Apple Watch Series 7, which starts at $399. This device comes with a range of advanced features such as an always-on display, a faster S7 chip, and the ability to take ECGs and monitor blood oxygen levels. The Apple Watch Series 7 also offers a variety of unique color options, including (PRODUCT)RED and Blue, and finishes, such as stainless steel or titanium.

If you were already siding with the ‌Apple Watch SE‌, it may be worth exploring the more premium Apple Watch Series 7, which also has a larger display due to reduced borders. If you are looking for the cheapest possible Apple Watch, then the Series 7 will not be suitable.

apple watch series 7 stainless steel colors

Final Thoughts

Overall, the ‌Apple Watch SE‌ is a device that has a lot more to offer than the Apple Watch Series 3 across the board. If you can afford to spend the additional $80, you will get a wearable that feels considerably more modern and developed, with a host of additional features.

If you are new to the Apple Watch or only have basic needs, the Apple Watch Series 3 allows you to get a capable device for the lowest possible price.

That being said, it is vital to remember that the Apple Watch Series 3 is now a fairly old device. Apple Watch Series 3 is the oldest device to support watchOS 8 , which means that it will be the next Apple Watch to lose support for new operating systems. If you plan to keep your Apple Watch for some years, you should probably not get the Apple Watch Series 3, since you would be buying a device that is already four years old, and will likely not fare well in terms of support for future updates and software features.

For the overwhelming majority of people, the ‌Apple Watch SE‌ will be the best choice. You should only get the Apple Watch Series 3 if cost is a pressing priority, or perhaps if it is an introductory Apple Watch for a child or an older person. With a mind to the multitude of features that the SE offers over the older Series 3, the additional $80 for the ‌Apple Watch SE‌ is certainly worth it.

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Top Rated Comments

The Apple Watch Series 3 should be $99 with no band no adaptors that way Apple can sell bands and accessories to make up for the price.

In my opinion, the SE should have replaced the series 3 at $199, it just seems overpriced at $279 to me.

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Apple Watch Series 3 Features You Should Know About

When Cupertino announced the Apple Watch Series 3 at the “Let’s meet at our place” event on September 12, there weren’t many surprises. We had heard most of it already, through leaks and rumors. Still, Apple had a few tricks up its sleeves, and the latest generation of the wearable device has some standout new features that are sure to please. Let’s take a long, hard look at the Apple Watch Series 3 features that matter.

The Apple Watch Becomes Dick Tracy’s Wristwatch

One of the highlighted Apple Watch Series 3 features during the presentation was unarguably the cellular capability of the wearable device. The LTE-capable models will use the same mobile phone number as your iPhone, and everything automatically switches over when you move far enough away from the handset to break the connection between the two devices.

Apple has, from what we saw and heard, greatly improved the microphone’s ability to cancel out ambient noise. That should make calling a more pleasant experience, but we still don’t know if the speaker has been improved enough to allow comfortable calling without headphones.

To aid in reception, the entire display screen of Apple Watch Series 3 is a UMTS and LTE antenna. The red accent on the Digital Crown, which some thought was going to be the location of the antenna, is purely to differentiate the LTE wearable device from non-LTE Apple Watch models.

Siri Found Her Voice Amidst the Apple Watch Series 3 Features

Next, Siri on the Apple Watch can finally speak to you. When you ask Siri questions on the Apple Watch Series 3, you’ll be able to hear her respond using the wearable device’s built-in speaker.

If you’re on the fence about why this is important, imagine this. You need to send a text message while you’re driving. You can dictate that message using Siri on your Apple Watch, but making sure she got it right isn’t safe or simple. With older models of the Apple Watch, you have to read the text message for yourself, which is not only unsafe, but illegal in many jurisdictions.

Now that Siri has found her voice, the virtual assistant will be able to read that message back to you, so all you have to do is listen and respond, “Yes, send it.”

More Effective Wireless Power Consumption

Even though there aren’t many cosmetic changes to the Apple Watch Series 3, plenty has changed under the hood. The new wearable device has a more powerful processor, and there’s also a new W2 wireless chip. The W2 wireless capability allows faster Wi-FI connection and better power consumption.

In fact, Apple says that Wi-Fi speeds are now 85 percent faster, and the Bluetooth and Wi-Fi capability of the wearable device 50 percent more power-efficient. That means faster internet connections without sacrificing battery life.

Apple Music Streaming Whenever, Wherever

Now, let’s say you’re out on your morning jog, and want to listen to some tunes while you exercise. With older versions of Apple Watch, you’d need to either bring your iPhone with you or upload the playlist to your wearable device.

With this prime app included in the LTE-enabled Apple Watch Series 3 features, you don’t have to do all of that that. The wearable device has a full data connection even when you leave your iPhone behind. That means you can stream your favorite songs straight off of your wrist.

Apple Music is even included in watchOS 4, so you have access to all of your playlists and the full Apple Music library of more than 40,000 songs.

A Built-In Barometric Altimeter

Finally, one of the drawbacks of the Apple Watch has been its inability to track elevation gains or stair flights climbed. That’s because the older generations lacked a barometric altimeter to sense that information.

Apple Watch Series 3, on the other hand, has the barometric altimeter needed to better track activity, flights climbed, and outdoor workouts involving elevation gain.

Closing Thoughts

There are plenty of great new features in Apple Watch Series 3, even though it might not have seemed like it during the keynote. The only remaining question is, which model should you buy. Stay tuned for information about what’s available, and when, so you can decide.

Phone Finder

Apple Watch Series 3

Released 2017, September 52.8g, 11.4mm thickness watchOS 4.0, up to watchOS 8.7 16GB storage, no card slot
0.4% 1,146,156 hits
65 Become a fan
1.65" 390x312 pixels
NO No video recorder
768 MB RAM Apple S3

ALL VERSIONS

GPS + Cellular versions: A1860, A1861 (USA); A1889, A1891 (EU, APAC); A1890, A1892 (CN)

Disclaimer. We can not guarantee that the information on this page is 100% correct. Read more

Apple Watch Series 3 - user opinions and reviews

16 Sep 2023

It has gps, you blind?

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Can i use it withoug connecting it to my iphone

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Why you shouldn't waste your money on the Apple Watch Series 3 in 2023

When you buy through our links, Business Insider may earn an affiliate commission. Learn more

You can still buy the Apple Watch Series 3, even though Apple no longer supports it.
We've seen refurbished Series 3 models priced at $100, but you should avoid this outdated model.
For a budget Apple Watch with better value, we recommend the 2022 Apple Watch SE instead.

The Apple Watch Series 3 was discontinued in September 2022, but you can still buy it refurbished from various sellers for as low as $100. Regardless of how attractive it's priced, we don't recommend buying it.

There are two main reasons: Apple no longer supports the Series 3 with software and security updates, and while still functional, the smartwatch is showing its age. Plus, its 8GB of built-in storage (16GB in the cellular model) is now too small to be meaningful.

Instead, we recommend these newer models that offer better performance and support. And if you're looking to buy an Apple Watch on a budget, the second-generation Apple Watch SE (2022) should be at the top of your shortlist.

The 40mm Apple Watch SE with GPS is $50 off right now. This model was released in 2022 and remains an excellent budget option for buyers who don't need the larger screen or extra health features found on more expensive models.

The second-generation Apple Watch SE offers a lot of value for a new entry-level model

The 2022 Watch SE replaced the Series 3 as the entry-level Apple Watch. Like the Series 3, the SE is a capable smartwatch that tells the time, delivers notifications, and tracks your fitness and health. You can make or take calls when your iPhone is nearby, or buy the cellular option if you want to leave your phone at home. It supports Apple Pay for mobile payments. It includes a heart-rate sensor for high and low heart rate notifications, irregular rhythm notifications, workouts, GPS location tracking, Emergency SOS, and water resistance.

But the SE also adds Crash Detection as a new safety feature and cycle tracking for health. It's also sleeker with a slightly larger, higher-quality display, and it has 32GB for storage. Most importantly, the SE uses the latest S8 processor, which delivers the fastest performance and reliability in an Apple Watch, and it'll also last longer due to having the latest specs.

Starting at $249 for the 40mm model and $279 for the 44mm, the second-gen SE is a better value than the Series 3 if you're on a budget. While the SE lacks an always-on display and additional health and fitness features you'd find on the Series 8 or Ultra , it's still one of the best new smartwatches you can buy.

Should you buy the Apple Watch Series 3 for any reason?

Considering that the Apple Watch Series 3 is still functional and very good for the most basic tasks, some buyers might overlook its discontinued support. Perhaps you need to replace a damaged Series 3 and aren't ready to upgrade yet, or you're gifting one to a child. Whatever the reason, we think it no longer holds its value, and there's no guarantee that it'll work as well as time goes on.

Main content

Apple Watch Series 3 - Caractéristiques techniques

Modèle

Apple Watch Boîtier en aluminium avec Bracelet Sport ou Boucle Sport Boîtier en acier inoxydable avec Bracelet Sport ou Bracelet Milanais
Apple Watch Nike+ Boîtier en aluminium avec Bracelet Sport Nike ou Boucle Sport Nike
Apple Watch Hermès Boîtier en acier inoxydable avec Bracelet en cuir Hermès Bracelet Sport inclus dans le coffret
Apple Watch Edition Boîtier en céramique avec Bracelet Sport
Apple Watch Boîtier en aluminium avec Bracelet Sport
Apple Watch Nike+ Boîtier en aluminium avec Bracelet Sport Nike

Fonctionnalités

GPS, GLONASS, Galileo et QZSS
Altimètre
Résistance à l’eau jusqu’à 50 mètres 1
Capteur optique de fréquence cardiaque
Appel d’urgence
Accéléromètre jusqu’à 16 g
Capteur de luminosité ambiante
Haut‑parleur
Capacité de 16 Go GPS + Cellular
Capacité de 8 Go GPS
Dos en céramique et cristal de saphir (centre) GPS + Cellular
Dos en composite GPS

Écran

42 mm 312 x 390 pixels Surface d’affichage de 740 mm2
38 mm 272 x 340 pixels Surface d’affichage de 563 mm2
Écran Retina OLED Luminosité de 1 000 nits
S3 SiP avec processeur bicœur
W2 Puce sans fil Apple

Connectivité

Wi‑Fi 802.11b/g/n 2,4 GHz
Bluetooth 4.2

Alimentation

Batterie au lithium‑ion rechargeable intégrée Jusqu’à 18 heures 3
Câble de charge magnétique vers USB‑A
Adaptateur secteur USB Modèle GPS + Cellular uniquement

Caractéristiques environnementales 4

Économes en énergie 5
Emballage plus respectueux 6
Verre sans arsenic 7
Sans mercure, ni RFB, ni PVC, ni béryllium 7
Hauteur : 38,6 mm
Largeur : 33,3 mm
Épaisseur : 11,4 mm
Poids du boîtier (GPS) : 26,7 g
Poids du boîtier (GPS + Cellular) : 28,7 g
Hauteur : 42,5 mm
Largeur : 36,4 mm
Poids du boîtier (GPS) : 32,3 g
Poids du boîtier (GPS + Cellular) : 34,9 g
Poids du boîtier : 42,4 g
Poids du boîtier : 52,8 g
Hauteur : 39,2 mm
Largeur : 34 mm
Épaisseur : 11,8 mm
Poids du boîtier : 40,1 g
Hauteur : 42,6 mm
Largeur : 36,5 mm
Poids du boîtier : 46,4 g
Langues prises en charge Allemand, anglais (Australie, États-Unis, Royaume‑Uni), arabe, catalan, chinois (simplifié, traditionnel, traditionnel de Hong Kong), coréen, croate, danois, espagnol (Amérique latine, Espagne, Mexique), finnois, français (Canada, France), grec, hébreu, hindi, hongrois, indonésien, italien, japonais, malais, néerlandais, norvégien, polonais, portugais (Brésil, Portugal), roumain, russe, slovaque, suédois, tchèque, thaï, turc, ukrainien et vietnamien
Langues de Dictée Allemand (Allemagne, Autriche, Luxembourg, Suisse), anglais (Afrique du Sud, Arabie saoudite, Australie, Canada, Émirats arabes unis, États-Unis, Inde, Indonésie, Irlande, Malaisie, Nouvelle‑Zélande, Philippines, Royaume-Uni, Singapour), arabe (Arabie saoudite, Émirats arabes unis, Koweït, Qatar), cantonais (Chine continentale, Hong Kong, Macao), catalan, coréen, croate, danois, espagnol (Argentine, Chili, Colombie, Costa Rica, El Salvador, Équateur, Espagne, États-Unis, Guatemala, Honduras, Mexique, Panama, Paraguay, Pérou, République dominicaine, Uruguay), finnois, français (Belgique, Canada, France, Luxembourg, Suisse), grec, hébreu, hindi (Inde), hongrois, indonésien, italien (Italie, Suisse), japonais, malais, mandarin (Chine continentale, Taïwan), néerlandais (Belgique, Pays-Bas), norvégien, polonais, portugais (Brésil, Portugal), roumain, russe, shanghaïen (Chine continentale), slovaque, suédois, tchèque, thaï, turc, ukrainien et vietnamien
Langues de Siri Allemand (Allemagne, Autriche, Suisse), anglais (Afrique du Sud, Australie, Canada, États-Unis, Inde, Irlande, Nouvelle-Zélande, Royaume-Uni, Singapour), arabe (Arabie saoudite, Émirats arabes unis), cantonais (Chine continentale, Hong Kong), coréen, danois (Danemark), espagnol (Chili, Espagne, États-Unis, Mexique), finnois (Finlande), français (Belgique, Canada, France, Suisse), hébreu (Israël), italien (Italie, Suisse), japonais, malais (Malaisie), mandarin (Chine continentale, Taïwan), néerlandais (Belgique, Pays-Bas), norvégien (Norvège), portugais (Brésil), russe (Russie), suédois (Suède), thaï (Thaïlande) et turc (Turquie)
Les Apple Watch Series 7, Apple Watch SE et Apple Watch Series 3 sont résistantes à l’eau jusqu’à 50 mètres, conformément à la norme ISO 22810:2010. Elles peuvent être utilisées pour des activités en eaux peu profondes telles que la natation en piscine ou en eau libre. En revanche, elles ne doivent pas être utilisées pour la plongée sous‑marine, le ski nautique ou d’autres activités impliquant des courants rapides ou une immersion profonde. La Series 7 a également obtenu l’indice IP6x de protection contre la poussière.
Tests d’autonomie de l’Apple Watch sur une journée réalisés par Apple en août 2018 sur des Apple Watch Series 3 (GPS) prêtes à la commercialisation, jumelées à un iPhone. Tous les appareils étaient équipés de préversions logicielles. L’autonomie de la batterie varie en fonction de l’utilisation, de la couverture du réseau cellulaire, de la configuration et de nombreux autres facteurs. Les résultats sont susceptibles de varier. Pour plus d’informations, consultez les pages apple.com/fr/batteries et apple.com/fr/watch/battery .
Données exactes au moment du lancement du produit.
Conformément aux normes d’efficacité énergétique de la Commission californienne de l’énergie concernant les petits systèmes de chargeur de batterie, comme indiqué dans le Code de réglementation de la Californie .
100 % des fibres de bois vierges proviennent de forêts gérées de façon responsable et 90 % de l’emballage ou plus est à base de fibres.
Apple définit ses restrictions sur les substances nocives, y compris la mention « exempt de », dans sa Liste des substances réglementées. Chaque produit Apple est exempt de PVC et de phtalates, à l’exception des cordons d’alimentation en Inde, en Thaïlande (pour les cordons d’alimentation à deux broches) et en Corée du Sud, où nous attendons toujours que nos solutions de remplacement pour le PVC et les phtalates soient agréées par les autorités gouvernementales.

L’Apple Watch nécessite un iPhone 6s (ou modèle ultérieur) avec la dernière version d’iOS. Les fonctionnalités sont sujettes à modification. La disponibilité des fonctionnalités, applications et services peut varier en fonction des zones géographiques et des langues. Cliquez ici pour en consulter la liste complète .

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5 features I want in the Apple Watch Ultra 3

When Apple debuted the Apple Watch Ultra in 2022, it was one of the company’s best new products that year. After years of rumors and speculation, it finally arrived and exceeded expectations with the best battery life for an Apple Watch, incredibly useful new features like the Action button, a super-bright and large display, and more.

Give us the black titanium, you cowards

Longer battery life.

Let’s go solar, baby

A better display using microLED

New health sensors, but will we see an apple watch ultra 3 this year.

A year later, Apple launched the Apple Watch Ultra 2 . Though still a great smartwatch, it felt a bit more like an iterative upgrade than something big. It had a new S9 processor that allowed for the Double Tap gesture and localized Siri requests, and an even brighter display. But otherwise, it looked identical to the original Apple Watch Ultra.

Though it feels like the Apple Watch Ultra is a device that could benefit from a more biannual upgrade cycle, it’s a toss-up whether or not we will see an Apple Watch Ultra 3 this year, as some reports suggest 2025 is the next release . Regardless, here’s what I want to see in the next Apple Watch Ultra 3.

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Before the Apple Watch Ultra 2 came out, one of the biggest rumors was that Apple would come out with a new color. When Apple released the first titanium Apple Watch Series 5, it came in a beautiful Space Black color that gave off Batman vibes, and that’s what many rumors were suggesting for the Apple Watch Ultra 2.

Alas, the Apple Watch Ultra 2 never came out in a new color — just the same natural titanium color that it launched with, along with the orange accents on the Digital Crown and the Action button. It was a huge disappointment for many, including myself.

With the Apple Watch Ultra 3, I truly hope that Apple comes out with a new color, preferably that Space Black titanium. I had the Apple Watch Series 5 in that black titanium, and it was one of my favorites because it looked elegant. Plus, black goes with everything.

And since the Apple Watch Ultra’s distinguishing features include the orange Action button, a black color would be the perfect complement. After all, black and orange are signature colors for Halloween and, hell yeah, I would wear a spooky Apple Watch year-round.

Another big advantage of the Apple Watch Ultra over the main Apple Watch Series is the battery life. Since the Apple Watch Ultra has the largest case size, there’s more room in there for a bigger battery, and that means longer battery life.

The Apple Watch Ultra can get around 36 hours of use on a single charge, which is pretty much double the standard Apple Watch. And if you use Low Power mode, you can extend that to 72 hours .

While that is great battery life for an Apple Watch, there are other smartwatches on the market that can do even better. For example, the Samsung Galaxy Watch 6 , which we picked as one of the best smartwatches , can last around two full days with the always-on display and heart rate tracking on. There’s even the Garmin Forerunner 265 smartwatch, which can last around four days on a single charge.

Now, I’m not saying that the Apple Watch Ultra needs to last a whole week, but it would be nice to have it last at least two whole days without needing a charge.

Let’s go solar, baby

One thing that I think more smartwatches in general could use is solar charging. After all, if the main point of wearing a smartwatch is for the health and fitness tracking, then a good way to accomplish that is by being outdoors. And the Apple Watch Ultra is designed for “extreme” activities, which mostly take place outdoors.

I think it would be pretty awesome if the Apple Watch Ultra added a secondary way to charge up with solar power. You could still quickly charge it with the charging puck, of course, but if it had solar charging, it would be a great way to keep your watch powered up during those outdoor workouts and activities. It would also extend the battery life.

It’s not impossible to do solar charging. There are already some fitness watches out there that have solar charging, like the Garmin Forerunner 955 Solar and Garmin Instinct Solar . It’s something that should definitely be adopted by more companies, including Apple.

Rumors have been circulating for a while now that Apple is working on transitioning to a microLED display on the Apple Watch, rather than OLED. The perfect model to introduce that better display would, of course, be the Apple Watch Ultra 3.

With microLED, the Apple Watch Ultra 3 would have a brighter, more vivid display. MicroLED is also more power efficient than standard LED displays, which would help extend the battery life past its current limit. And there’s less chance of the screen burn-that can plague OLED panels.

I would love to see a microLED Apple Watch Ultra 3, and it’s very likely that we’ll see it, but maybe not until 2025. Still, this would be a great addition to the Apple Watch Ultra, making a great display even better.

It’s been a while since Apple added new health sensors and features on the Apple Watch. In fact, the last new sensor that was added was body temperature, which launched with the Apple Watch Series 8 in 2022. The Apple Watch Series 9 did not add any new health sensors.

Apple has a chance to make the next generation of Apple Watch a big one by adding new health sensors on the Apple Watch Ultra 3 and the mainline Apple Watch. There are two possibilities for new health sensors, with one more likely than the other.

Blood pressure monitoring is a feature that is starting to pop up on other smartwatches, like the Samsung Galaxy Watch 6 . Though you still need a traditional blood pressure cuff for calibration, the technology is there for taking blood pressure measurements with just the watch. Apple could take a page from Samsung’s book and add blood pressure monitoring to the Apple Watch X (or Series 10) or Apple Watch Ultra, as it’s not too far-fetched these days .

The other one that I would like to see, but we probably won’t, is blood glucose monitoring. While there have been reports that suggest Apple has been working on this technology for a while, it’s still far from ready for prime time. Plus, it’s unlikely that measuring blood glucose levels through light will ever be as precise as pricking your finger for a blood sample, or even using continuous glucose monitors, though it would be a good complement to the existing system.

Still, it’s a little surprising that there haven’t been any new additions on the Apple Watch in terms of health sensors for a couple of years now. Perhaps it’s because we’ve reached a peak for the time being, but Apple does have a little catching up to the competition to do.

I thought it was rather odd that Apple would update the Apple Watch Ultra just a year after it debuted. It’s not like the Apple Watch Ultra 2 was a huge upgrade over the original — aside from a new chip enabling localized Siri and Double Tap, as well as a brighter display, it’s identical to the original.

But reports now suggest that Apple won’t release an Apple Watch Ultra 3 this year, as it’s taking some time off from working on it to develop more health-management features and a possible microLED display.

Whether or not we see the Apple Watch Ultra 3 this year or next year, it could still use improvement. After all, while it’s a great smartwatch, it’s far from perfect. I’m just hoping that some of the things I want to see make the cut.

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One of the great things about Google’s Pixel phones is how often the company sweetens the pot with its Pixel Feature Drops. While they’re not always the most exciting updates, every so often, we get some pleasant surprises; this month’s Feature Drop fits into that latter category with some new goodies that will be of particular interest to owners of phones in the recent Google Pixel 7 and Google Pixel 8 lineups (and of course the Google Pixel Fold).

That doesn’t mean older Pixel phones are entirely left out of the party, though. There’s at least one helpful enhancement here for the Pixel 6 and even some smaller improvements that go back to the Pixel 5a. Let's dig into everything that's new. New features coming to Pixel phones Circle to Search Andy Boxall / Digital Trends

The wearable market is constantly evolving. It started with fitness trackers that were worn on your wrist, and then we got smartwatches such as the Apple Watch in 2015. These days, smartwatches are a dime a dozen, but we are quickly entering a new era of wearables: the smart ring. One of the first smart rings to hit the market was the Oura Ring, which launched in 2015 through a Kickstarter campaign. The second iteration came out in 2018, and the current third generation of the Oura Ring was released in 2021.

I’ve been using the Oura Ring for several years now, but many competitors have shown up in the space recently: Movano’s Evie Ring, the RingConn Smart Ring, Ultrahuman Ring Air, Circular Ring Slim, and more. Samsung even teased its own upcoming Galaxy Ring at the end of its January 2024 Galaxy Unpacked event.

Last summer, the Honor Magic V2 surprised me with its thin and light design. It’s the closest a foldable phone has been to a slab phone. Now, at MWC 2024, Honor has one-upped itself with the Porsche Edition of the device.

The 2,699 euro Honor Magic V2 RSR might feature the same specifications, but it’s even lighter than the regular V2 – at 234 grams. I’ve had it for around three weeks now, and while I’ve enjoyed the experience of having a big screen folded in my pocket, a few things have bothered me. A new benchmark for foldable phone design

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COMMENTS

Apple Watch Series 3
Launched in September 2017, the Apple Watch Series 3 keeps the classic design of earlier models but packs in quite a few new features. Alongside improvements, including the faster S3 processor and ...
Apple Watch Series 3
SUBSCRIBE FOR THE LATEST VIDEOShttp://bit.ly/DTYouTubeSubThe Apple Watch Series 3 has something the Series 2 and first-gen Apple Watch don't: LTE. Cellular-e...
Apple Watch Series 3 review
The watch is slightly thicker than the Series 2 — about two sheets of paper thicker, Apple says — but not noticeably so. The 38mm Apple Watch Series 3 is the only LTE smartwatch that looks ...
Apple Watch Series 3 features built-in cellular and more
Powering Apple Watch Series 3 is the S3, Apple's third-generation architecture featuring a faster dual-core processor, which allows for quicker app launch times and smoother graphics, and, for the first time, enables Siri to speak using the built-in speaker. Apple designed a new custom wireless chip called W2, making Wi-Fi 85 percent faster ...
Apple Watch Series 3 Review
A Familiar Face Apple has managed to cram LTE capability and a faster dual-core processor into the Series 3 without adding much bulk. The watch's case is the same size as the Series 2, while the ...
Apple Watch Series 3: Cheat sheet
With the technology, Apple Watch Series 3 models can send and receive phone calls, text messages, and email without needing to have an iPhone nearby. Thanks to the S3 dual-core processor, Series 3 ...
Apple Watch Series 3 Reviews, Pros and Cons
85. As I said, the Apple Watch Series 3 is a great upgrade for owners of first the Apple Watch, especially if cellular connectivity is something they are willing to forgo. For everyone else, I ...
Apple Watch Series 3 review
Design looks dated compared to Series 5. No ECG or fall detection. iOS only. The Apple Watch Series 3 is now two generations old, and does feel a tad dated due to the older, boxier screen shape ...
Apple Watch Series 3 Review
The Apple Watch Series 3 (42mm) Stainless Steel Case with GPS + Cellular earned high marks for step counting and heart-rate tracking. The watch, which starts at $499, also scored well on scratch ...
Apple Watch 3: an old but gold Apple smartwatch
The Apple Watch 3 is still a powerful wearable ... these days thanks to a serious discount after the release of the Apple Watch 5. The 3 series GPS version is much cheaper at £199 / $199 / AU$319 ...
Apple Watch Series 3 review: Still the best smartwatch, but the Fitbit
The Series 3 with cellular is the same basic size as 2016's Series 2 watch; Apple expanded the back of the watch a fraction of a millimeter. My review unit is a stainless steel step-up model ...
Apple Watch Series 3 Review: The New Health and Fitness Features ...
Apple Watch Series 3 with cellular capability will cost $399; without cellular, $329. The model with cellular will be available in nine countries and with 14 carriers at launch.
Apple Watch Series 3 guide: Everything you need to know
Apple Watch Series 3: The specs. As you'd expect, the Apple Watch Series 3 comes with a new chip under the hood. The custom designed W2 chip offers a 70% boost in raw performance over the Series 2 ...
Apple Watch Series 3
Apple Watch Series 7, Apple Watch SE, and Apple Watch Series 3 have a water resistance rating of 50 meters under ISO standard 22810:2010. This means that they may be used for shallow-water activities like swimming in a pool or ocean. However, they should not be used for scuba diving, waterskiing, or other activities involving high-velocity ...
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Apple didn't wait another two years for the Apple Watch Series 3 though, announcing the third-generation device on 12 September 2017, alongside three new iPhones, moving the cycle to one-year ...
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The Apple Watch Series 3 is, by a massive distance, the best smartwatch you can buy. This isn't a free service. You have to pay extra for the pleasure of not using your phone. The best way to ...
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The ‌Apple Watch SE‌'s display is, however, 30 percent larger than that of the Series 3. This is because the display has thin borders and curved corners. The larger display allows for larger ...
Apple Watch Series 3 Features You Should Know About
One of the highlighted Apple Watch Series 3 features during the presentation was unarguably the cellular capability of the wearable device. The LTE-capable models will use the same mobile phone number as your iPhone, and everything automatically switches over when you move far enough away from the handset to break the connection between the two ...
Watch
Apple Fitness+ requires iPhone 8 or later or Apple Watch Series 3 or later paired with iPhone 6s or later. New subscribers only. $9.99/month after trial. Plan automatically renews until cancelled. ... In‑store trade‑in requires presentation of a valid photo ID (local law may require saving this information). Offer may not be available in ...
Apple Watch
Apple Watch Series 1 has a water resistance rating of IPX7 under IEC standard 60529. Apple Watch Series 1 is splash and water resistant, but submerging it is not recommended. The ability to measure blood oxygen is no longer available on Apple Watch units sold by Apple in the United States beginning January 18, 2024.
Apple Watch Series 3
Apple Watch Series 3 watch. Announced Sep 2017. Features 1.65″ display, Apple S3 chipset, 279 mAh battery, 16 GB storage, 768 MB RAM, Sapphire crystal glass.
Is the Apple Watch Series 3 Worth It in 2023? What Model to Buy Instead
The 2022 Watch SE replaced the Series 3 as the entry-level Apple Watch. Like the Series 3, the SE is a capable smartwatch that tells the time, delivers notifications, and tracks your fitness and ...
Apple Watch Series 3
La Series 7 a également obtenu l'indice IP6x de protection contre la poussière. Tests d'autonomie de l'Apple Watch sur une journée réalisés par Apple en août 2018 sur des Apple Watch Series 3 (GPS) prêtes à la commercialisation, jumelées à un iPhone. Tous les appareils étaient équipés de préversions logicielles.
Buy Apple Watch Series 9
Sales tax may be assessed on full value of a new device purchase. In‑store trade‑in requires presentation of a valid photo ID (local law may require saving this information). ... Apple Fitness+ requires iPhone 8 or later with iOS 16.1 or later or Apple Watch Series 3 or later with watchOS 7.2 or later paired with iPhone 6s or later with iOS ...
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New Movies & TV Shows Streaming in March 2024: What To Watch on Netflix, Prime Video, Disney+, and More Taylor Swift's The Eras Tour and X-Men '97 on Disney+, Netflix's 3 Body Problem, the Road House remake and the second half of Invincible Season 2, and more shows and movies streaming in March.
5 features I want in the Apple Watch Ultra 3
A year later, Apple launched the Apple Watch Ultra 2.Though still a great smartwatch, it felt a bit more like an iterative upgrade than something big. It had a new S9 processor that allowed for ...
Watch Part Eight
Drama 8 Mar 2024 51 min Apple TV+ 7 days free, then €9,99/month. Accept Free Trial S1 E8: ... Tuskegee pilots attack targets in Southern France. 15 How to Watch Accept Free Trial 7 days free, then €9,99/month. Information Released 2024
Apple Watch SE
Apple Fitness+ requires iPhone 8 or later or Apple Watch Series 3 or later paired with iPhone 6s or later. New subscribers only. $9.99/month after trial. Plan automatically renews until cancelled. Terms ... In-store trade-in requires presentation of a valid photo ID (local law may require saving this information). Offer may not be available in ...
Watch
Apple Watch Series 9 has a water resistance rating of 50 metres under ISO standard 22810:2010. This means that it may be used for shallow-water activities like swimming in a pool or ocean. However, Apple Watch Series 9 should not be used for scuba diving, waterskiing or other activities involving high-velocity water or submersion below shallow ...

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