The Apple Watch is quite popular, and it may become even more so as rumors spread about the forthcoming revamp of the budget-friendly SE series. Here’s everything we know about the Apple Watch SE 3 (3rd generation), including pricing, release date, and features.
When will the Apple Watch SE 3 be released?
There is no official date for the next version of Apple Watch SE, but Apple has remained consistent with the debut dates of the last two iterations. Here’s when they debuted:
- Apple Watch SE (1st gen) – September 15, 2020
- Apple Watch SE (2nd gen) – September 16, 2022
It made likely that the third-generation model will be released in September 2024 at the iPhone 16 announcement event, alongside the predicted Apple Watch Series 10 and Apple Watch Ultra 3.
However, we only saw the Series 10 and a new Black Titanium Ultra 2 model, so the wait for the next generation of SE smartwatches continues.
It might be a smaller, non-launch event with a big announcement, but we will have to wait and see.
How much will the Apple Watch SE 3 cost?
Again, we haven’t received any definitive pricing information from Apple because the product does not yet exist. So we need to look to prior generations for direction. Here is how the baseline models lined up.
Apple Watch SE (1st gen)
- Apple Watch SE (1st Gen, GPS, 40mm) – $279/£269
- Apple Watch SE (1st Gen, GPS+Cellular, 40mm) – $329/£319
- Apple Watch SE (1st Gen, GPS, 44mm) – $309/£299
- Apple Watch SE (1st Gen, GPS+Cellular, 44mm) – $359/£349
Apple Watch SE (2nd gen)
- Apple Watch SE (2nd Gen, GPS, 40mm) – $249/£219
- Apple Watch SE (2nd Gen, GPS+Cellular, 40mm) – $279/£289
- Apple Watch SE (2nd Gen, GPS, 44mm) – $299/£289
- Apple Watch SE (2nd Gen, GPS+Cellular, 44mm) – $329/£319
The UK pricing was slightly higher at debut, although this appeared to be due to the high inflation and distribution challenges created by Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. Prices have fallen to their current levels, possibly indicating a market downturn.
Apple is unlikely to raise these asking prices significantly because it does not want to compete with the more expensive versions. So we may expect the Apple Watch (3rd generation) will be priced similarly to the second-generation model it replaces.
What new features will we see in the Apple Watch SE 3?
Apple, as you might expect, is staying quiet about what the next generation of its Watch will look like.
Some rumors and leaks have already surfaced, as well as some very obvious upgrades that typically accompany the launching of a new model. Here’s what we think you can expect from the Apple Watch SE (3rd Generation).
Faster processor
This isn’t difficult because Apple always releases a new generation chipset with their improved iPhones.
The Apple Watch SE (2nd generation) currently has a S8 SiP (System in Package), and it appears that the subsequent model may be equipped with the S9 SiP found in the Apple Watch 9 and Apple Watch Ultra 2.
While the relevant enhancements for those models are moved to the S10 SiP. The S9 would outperform the S8, with 60% more transistors, the ability to handle machine-learning workloads up to twice as quickly, and GPU performance increased by roughly 30%.
Larger displays
Another solid rumour is that Apple will change the design of the Apple Watch SE (3rd generation) to be similar to the Apple Watch 7.
The reason for this is that it will allow the platform to transition from 40/44mm display sizes to the larger 41/45mm sizes launched with the Watch 7.
In practice, this would provide the expanded panels with around 20% extra space for information and Mickey Mouse watch faces.
Health upgrades
The SE models lag behind the premium ones in terms of fitness tracking. While the main variants have ECG, SpO2 tracking, and a temperature sensor, the SE range lacks these features.
It had been widely expected that the SpO2 feature would make its way to the Watch SE 3, but this is now in doubt after Apple became entangled in a dispute with a company named Misimo, which claimed that the technology violated its patents.
As a result, timepieces with the feature onboard were first taken from shelves and are now sold (in the United States) with the capability disabled.
Due to the ongoing disagreement, it is unclear whether Apple will proceed with integrating the feature to the upcoming SE model.
That is all we know so far about the Apple Watch SE (3rd generation), but we will continue to update this post when more information becomes available.
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