Apple Watch Ultra 3: A Closer Look At Its Satellite Communications Tools

The latest procreation of smartwatches is looking to nan skies to grow their connectivity capabilities. The Apple Watch Ultra 3 will beryllium nan 2nd mainstream smartwatch (not counting nan Garmin Fenix 8 Pro) to support outer communications, and nan caller connectivity characteristic is 1 of a fewer changes coming to nan device. Other upgrades see nan S10 chip, a somewhat larger display, bigger artillery that lasts up to 42 hours, support for 5G, arsenic good arsenic nan hypertension and slumber people features coming to nan Series 11 (and besides nan Ultra 2 and respective older Apple Watch models).

While I proceed to reappraisal nan Series 11 earlier spending much clip pinch nan Ultra 3 (and nan SE 3), I wanted to stock what it’s for illustration to usage outer communications connected nan wearable and really it differs from nan attack connected nan Pixel Watch 4. To beryllium clear, I person yet to person a reappraisal portion of nan Pixel Watch 4, truthful my impressions are based connected a recorded demo astatine a hands-on event. For nan Watch Ultra 3, I person a reappraisal portion and americium utilizing its built-in demo instrumentality to link to satellites.

You tin motorboat outer communications connected nan Watch Ultra 3 successful a fewer ways. Add it to nan Control Center aliases arsenic a complication connected immoderate watch face, and you’ll get options to nonstop messages, stock your location aliases interaction emergency services. The first 2 require paid cellular work for your smartwatch. The instrumentality will besides automatically propose outer connectivity erstwhile you’re offline, though that’s a business I person yet to encounter. Regardless of wherever you usage it, a batch of nan process of connecting to a outer is akin to that connected nan iPhone 14 and newer. If you’ve ne'er tried that before, bent tight, arsenic I will explicate nan steps a small further down.

Emergency outer communications connected nan Apple Watch Ultra 3

There’s besides different surface wherever you mightiness brushwood a punctual to nexus to a outer — successful nan telephone dialer. Whether you’re connected nan watch aliases iPhone, Apple imagines (and apt hopes) that dialing your section emergency hotline is your first step. Here successful nan US, that number is 911. Of course, arsenic a socially responsible person, I didn’t want to unnecessarily load emergency services and did not effort this retired myself connected nan Watch Ultra 3. Instead, Apple representatives gave america a demo successful Cupertino past week, and made a telephone to 911 that was routed to nan company’s ain telephone centers.

As a reminder, nan process for emergency SOS via outer is different from utilizing Messages aliases Find My via outer because users are apt to beryllium dialing their section services first and foremost. Only erstwhile that fails will nan emergency outer communications interface footwear in. Once you prime nan Emergency SOS via Satellite action that appears aft a fewer seconds aliases erstwhile your watch detects you’re offline, you’ll beryllium shown a database of guidelines, recommending you beryllium extracurricular pinch a clear position of nan entity and explaining that transmission will return longer than erstwhile sent complete cellular networks.

After that, you’ll beryllium presented a bid of aggregate prime questions to pass rescue services of your information and environment. Thanks to nan Watch Ultra 3’s larger screen, nan system’s ample buttons and readable font weren’t difficult to see, and I could make retired nan options astatine arm’s length. A fewer taps later, we had selected immoderate answers indicating we were “lost aliases trapped,” alone, unharmed and adjacent steep terrain. The Apple typical performing our demo besides opted to notify nan emergency contacts group up connected nan Watch Ultra 3.

Once that was done, nan watch displayed an interface akin to nan type connected nan iPhone, featuring a glowing arc and translucent image of nan earth. Words connected nan surface said “Try to get a clear position of nan sky” and guided nan wearer successful various directions to effort to link to satellites passing overhead. After a nexus was established, nan words “Sending report” appeared pinch a advancement barroom below.

We had to hold a infinitesimal and a half for nan connection to spell through, which is rather long, but it was astir apt not nan accustomed magnitude of time. At astir 25 seconds in, it seemed for illustration nan relationship was mislaid and had to beryllium re-established. That whitethorn look for illustration a agelong while to clasp your wrist up, but Apple did opportunity you only request to assistance your limb while establishing a relationship to nan outer and not while nan accusation was being sent. I judge nan rep only had their limb up truthful we could much easy spot nan screen.

Finally, erstwhile nan study had been delivered, nan Watch Ultra 3 took america to nan Message model showing a confirmation that nan petition had been received. It besides tells nan wearer to reply pinch “Stop” if emergency services were not aliases nary longer required.

Using satellites to nonstop Messages and your location

Outside of utilizing outer communications erstwhile you’re successful request of emergency services, you tin besides nonstop messages aliases stock your location erstwhile you’re disconnected nan grid. This, again, mirrors nan iPhone type of this service. You tin spell to nan Find My app connected nan Watch Ultra 3 to stock your location erstwhile you’re retired of coverage, and your position tin beryllium shared up to erstwhile each 15 minutes to antecedently added contacts. In nan Messages app connected nan watch, you tin interaction group you’ve chatted pinch successful nan past 30 days.

In my experience, it was easiest to adhd Satellite arsenic a complication to a watch face. Tapping nan fastener will bring up nan Satellite surface pinch options to effort a demo, spell to Messages, stock your location aliases interaction emergency services. Like connected nan iPhone, nan demo is location for users to get acquainted pinch nan process of connecting to a satellite, truthful they’re not wholly unfamiliar successful precocious unit situations.

Unfortunately, arsenic I spent astir of my clip pinch nan Ultra 3 truthful acold successful areas that had bully sum and signal, I ne'er really sewage a chance to effort to nonstop a connection aliases my location via satellite. First world problems, I know. I’ll embark connected an escapade upstate soon to cheque it out, though, and will study backmost after.

Those unfamiliar pinch Messages aliases Find My via Satellite connected iPhones whitethorn wonderment why those features exist. It’s not conscionable for nan frivolous desire to play pinch a caller feature. You tin nonstop texts, emojis and tapback reactions to fto a loved 1 cognize you arrived successful nan godforsaken safely for Burning Man, for example. Texts spell done pinch a transportation connection that says “sent via Satellite,” truthful your recipient will understand you person constricted connectivity and can’t prosecute successful a full-blown tea-spilling convention correct then.

Or, if you’re for illustration my partner and sometimes spell camping successful nan mediate of nowhere, sharing your location erstwhile you’ve arrived astatine your campsite tin bring immoderate bid of mind. (Note: I don’t spell camping.) My partner tends to favour forested areas, though, wherever outer connectivity would struggle pinch nan dense foliage, hampering its usefulness.

To beryllium very clear, emergency SOS via Satellite will beryllium supported connected each models of nan Watch Ultra 3, but outer communications for Messages and Find My require a paid cellular plan. With each purchases of nan Ultra 3, Apple is providing 2 years of outer work for emergency, Messages and Find My.

Apple Watch Ultra 3 vs Pixel Watch 4: The outer comparison

That’s somewhat akin to Google’s attack for the Pixel Watch 4, wherever Satellite SOS “is included astatine nary further complaint for 2 years aft launch.” However, only nan LTE models of nan Pixel Watch support its outer feature, and it’s only disposable successful nan contiguous United States astatine nan moment. Google’s type besides uses Skylo’s Narrowband Non-Terrestrial Network (NB-NTN), and adopts akin haptic and audio cues to nan Watch Ultra 3’s successful nan connecting process. One area that appears to beryllium different is that nan Pixel Watch 4 will connection a "check replies" fastener that Google says “guides you to re-establish relationship for updates from emergency services arsenic needed.”

Meanwhile, Apple’s Find My and emergency outer features will activity successful 18 countries astatine launch, including nan US, UK, Japan, Switzerland, Australia and others. Messages via outer is constricted to Mexico, Canada and nan US astatine nan moment.

Other testing impressions of nan Apple Watch Ultra 3

As I proceed to put nan Watch Ultra 3 done its paces, it’s worthy noting what changes nan latest exemplary has complete its predecessor. Like I mentioned, it has a larger show while maintaining nan aforesaid size, acknowledgment to thinner bezels (which Apple said are 24 percent slimmer). It besides uses an LTPO 3 sheet that enables a faster refresh complaint successful Always On mode, arsenic good arsenic wide-angle OLEDs for easier reference astatine disconnected angles.

I’ve recovered nan Watch Ultra 3 lightweight and comfortable to deterioration truthful far, and I bask tapping buttons aliases reference messages connected its 49mm screen. Unfortunately, I americium besides a personification who wears long-sleeved shirts that are snug astatine nan wrist, making nan bigger watches a harder sell, particularly arsenic nan upwind gets colder present successful New York. I did find it amusing erstwhile nan Night mode sewage triggered immoderate clip I tucked nan Ultra 3 nether my sleeve, turning nan watch face’s dials, complications and different elements red.

The Watch Ultra 3 gets nan aforesaid 5G support, hypertension notifications and Sleep Score arsenic nan Series 11, on pinch watchOS 26 upgrades for illustration Workout Buddy and Liquid Glass. I request a fewer much days pinch nan Ultra 3 earlier I tin vouch for its 42-hour artillery estimate, but it’s bully to spot longer runtimes connected an endurance watch.

My information of those caller features and whether they adhd up to a meaningful package will beryllium fresh soon successful a afloat review. In nan meantime, nan Apple Watch Ultra 3 is disposable for pre-order and will get successful stores connected September 19.