The Apple Watch is expected to be part of Apple’s iPhone announcement that could take place on September 9. While a new Apple Watch Ultra 3 could be part of the announcement, we haven’t heard much about its new features, but apparantly, the latest iOS 26 beta provides a sneak peek.
According to a MacRumors report, the iOS 26 beta 5 that was released to developers on Tuesday includes an image that suggests that the Apple Watch Ultra 3 will have a screen resolution of 422-by-514 pixels. That’s a slight increase over the Apple Watch Ultra 2’s current 410-by-502 resolution.
The Apple Watch Ultra is already Apple’s largest watch at 49mm, so it’s likely that Apple will reduce the size of the screen’s bezels rather than increase the body of the watch in a meaningful way. This way, the watch can maintain its general size while offering more usable display space and still boasting a larger screen. Apple could also make the watch thinner, as it did with the Series 10, to make the watch feel smaller.
As for other new features, we have heard scant rumors about any new features or health sensors, other than the possibility of 5G cellular and satellite messaging. The upcoming watchOS 26 update will bring some Apple Intelligence features to the watch, and it’s also possible that Apple will add exclusive AI features to the Ultra 3 with a new chip.
Apple’s Awe Dropping event is set for September 9, 2025. Want to know what to expect? We’re anticipating new hardware releases including the iPhone 17 (running iOS 26), Apple Watch Series 11, Ultra 3 and SE 3rd-gen (running watchOS 26), and potentially new AirPods. Find out how, when, and where to watch the Apple September Event, and keep tuned to our Event Guide for all the latest coverage. If you just can’t wait, here’s our satirical take on the Apple September Event keynote script – and don’t miss the Macworld Podcast iPhone event preview.
Author: Roman Loyola, Senior Editor, Macworld
Roman is a Macworld Senior Editor with over 30 years of experience covering the tech industry, focusing on the Mac and other products in the Apple ecosystem. He is also the host of the Macworld Podcast. His career started at MacUser, where he received Apple certification as a repair technician (when Apple did that kind of thing). He's also worked for MacAddict, MacLife, and TechTV.