Apple Watch Ultra 3 may get a very slightly larger display

AppleInsider

A leaked detail in the iOS 26 beta indicates the Apple Watch Ultra 3 could have an almost imperceptibly larger display than the Apple Watch Ultra 2.

Apple Watch Ultra 2

A third iteration of the Apple Watch Ultra is rumored to be on the way with new features like satellite emergency messaging. However, Apple itself may have accidentally leaked one of the changes to the wearable.

In the iOS 26 developer beta, Aaron Perris of MacRumors discovered an Apple Watch image within the software that was unusually sized. It had a resolution that doesn't match any existing Apple Watch screen.

The found image is thought to be intended for the display of the Apple Watch Ultra 3. It may indicate a physical design change to a larger screen.

The image has a resolution of 422 by 514 pixels. By comparison, the Apple Watch Ultra 2 has a resolution of 410 by 502, smaller by a small amount.

Extrapolating from this, if the screen remains the same physical size of 1.92 inches diagonally, the pixel density will grow from 335.83 pixels per inch on the Apple Watch Ultra 2 to 344.58 ppi on the Apple Watch Ultra 3.

However, if the pixel density is maintained at 335.83 ppi, the diagonal measurement of the Apple Watch Ultra 3 would have to be 1.98 inches, or 3.1% bigger.

At this level, the change is quite small, and doesn't necessarily mean a change in the physical size of the watch. What it could mean is the screen has less of a bezel, while the body remains the same size.

Leaky betas

For the 2025 operating system updates, the developer betas seem to be even leakier than usual. More than you would expect given Apple's culture of secrecy.

The June 10 iOS 26 developer beta included references to AirPods Pro 3, following after an earlier May allusion to "AirPods Pro 2 or later."

On June 17, the developer beta for iOS 18.6 included references to an image, believed to be for Apple's rumored Home Hub. Mentioning "Home," the filename is thought to reference homeOS, as well as the horizontal resolution of a screen at 2,176 pixels.

In a July iOS 26 developer beta release, there was a text string that mentioned how HomePod "won't be able to show you the local weather, time, or respond to Siri requests about your area." Since HomePod doesn't have a traditional display, this too may be about the Home Hub.

Rumor Score: Possible

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9secondkox2

Any increase in screen size is a win in my book.

had the gen 1 watch. The screen was annoyingly small. 

Smartwatches aren’t watches. We interact with the screen and need a bit more real estate. 

Personal opinion is that a 16;9 aspect ratio would be better since we look and interact with the screen using a bent wrist, putting the screen in a natural position (opposite of the image in the article) to make use of a wider display. 

Since my 1st gen broke (screen just decided to pop off one day) Hadn’t even wanted an Apple Watch until the Ultra came out. And now a slightly larger screen hits. I think I may be in. 

mustseeuhdtv

I’d definitely upgrade my Ultra Gen 1 for Gen 3 if it has satellite messaging.

macgui

Satellite messaging is a great feature for some users and very cool tech as well. It's just not something that I would probably never need, or be in a location where it works.

Now if I didn't need to subscribe and pay one or two appendages per month or year for the feature that would be different. If I could send a message and the service sent my carrier a bill, for that particular use, I'd consider it. 

The hardware may be built into the U3, as it a regular cellular radio into the U1 and U2. I'd prefer it not be. The cellular radio adds $100, so I've payed for a feature I've never used since the S3 Apple Watch, in my U1. Maybe the satellite radio won't be more or maybe there'll be the option as there is now of GPS or GPS + Cellular. Yeah right.

Bigger Screen? A feature that I can't detect beyond a spec on paper may as well not be a feature at all. Is Apple trying to add any amount of real estate or is there another reason for the size increase. Depending on color option it might not be until a U4 that I upgrade.

panda_mick

I've just plugged in my Garmin Fenix 7 after 9 days of usage and activity tracking (it still has 20% battery left)

Satellite connectivity is a bit moot if you have no battery left

I loved my Apple Series 1 & 3 watches, just as much as someone loves coccaine. The second I moved to the Garmin, I broke that habit and stopped interacting with my watch.

I just cannot get excited about anything which is so intrusive in your life, and affects your behaviour so negatively.

There's just ONE thing I miss: Express pay for public transport

Sorry to be a negative Nelly, but there are better alternatives out there folks

charlesn

macgui said:

Bigger Screen? A feature that I can't detect beyond a spec on paper may as well not be a feature at all. Is Apple trying to add any amount of real estate or is there another reason for the size increase. 

It's simply a marketing message: "Biggest Display Ever." And probably accompanied by "Brightest Display Ever" this year. And before you decide that's meaningless, keep in mind that Apple based its entire iPhone 15 Pro/Pro Max campaign around the single word "Titanium," when the only piece that was Ti on the phone was the band around the phone, essentially a piece of trim. And now, poof!, Ti will be gone from the 17 Pro/Pro Max models. It served its marketing purpose for a couple of years when Apple didn't have a whole lot else that was new to announce. I also have a U1 and you can see that there's room to shrink the bezel a bit more to add a minimal amount of screen real estate in the same size space. I agree with you that this ultimately makes no real difference to the end user, but it will be an effective marketing tool regardless. 

netrox

My money's on same pixel density, more pixels due to thinner bezels. 

laytech

It just needs a larger battery. Period. Kept it chunky.