Apple’s big 2024 fall product release has come and gone and though we didn’t get an Apple Watch Ultra 3 or SE 3, the new Apple Watch Series 10 tells us quite a lot about the brand’s current approach to smart wearables. The release also hints at what we can expect from the Cupertino Kid come 2025.
In addition to what can be gleaned from the Apple Watch X Series 10, the latest Apple Watch Ultra 3 rumors and Apple Watch SE 3 leaks also provide clues as to what Cook and Co. have in store for the future, including possible changes to case materials, pricing, screen size and health tech.
Based on all of the above, these are my predictions for the 2025 Apple Watches.
1. Expect the Ultra series to get bigger
When Apple debuted the Series 10 with more screen real estate than the Ultra 2 — by a hair, mind you — I thought to myself, this can only mean one thing: The Apple Watch Ultra series is about to get bigger.
As noted in my comparison of the Apple Watch 10 vs. Apple Watch Ultra 2, the former's slightly larger display evaporates one of the most significant differentiators between the standard Apple Watch series and the Ultra.
Rumors back up this prediction. A report from earlier in the year from the supply chain market research firm TrendForce claims Apple plans to increase the display size on the Ultra from a 1.93-inch panel to a 2.12-inch screen.
That same report also suggests that the Ultra 3 could be Apple's first smartwatch to sport next-gen microLED screen technology. However, leakers also said that about the Series 10 and it didn't come to fruition.
Ultimately, a 10% increase in screen real estate would once again give the Ultra an advantage over its half-priced sibling.
2. A sub $200 Apple Watch SE may be coming
As a smartwatch reviewer, it always warms my heart to see brands maintain the same starting price for their wearable lines, year-over-year. With that in mind, Apple deserves props for launching the Series 10 at $399, the same price as the Series 9 and 8 before it. Of course, Samsung and Google similarly deserve respect for debuting their latest smartwatches without increasing the starting cost either.
Speaking of Samsung, the new budget-minded Galaxy Watch FE gives the current Apple Watch SE a run for the money, priced at $199 compared to $249 for the SE. Is Apple going to match Samsung's freak and further differentiate its entry-level watch line from its core one?
Rumors suggest that a switch in case material from aluminum to plastic could contribute to an SE 3 price reduction. So, the answer is very much, yes. However, had the Apple Watch 10 launched with a $449 starting price instead of $399, I'd be less inclined to predict an SE 3 price drop.
3. Multi-day battery life is a ‘premium’ feature
My biggest disappointment about the Apple Watch 10 is the 18-hour battery life range. In the ten years since the first Apple Watch debuted, the flagship series hasn't received a bump in longevity. Meanwhile, the Ultra series remains the Apple Watch battery life champ with 36 hours of juice per charge.
Is this gap in battery life intentional? My guess is, yes. It seems that greater than one day of power is a feature that Apple sees as fitting for only its highest-end wearable line. Of course, Apple's low-power mode can extend the life of the Series 10 to roughly 36 hours but at the cost of some health monitoring features and the always-on display.
Simply put, if the latest Apple Watch 10 didn't get a battery life upgrade it seems fairly unlikely that the Apple Watch SE 3 will offer greater than 18 hours per charge either.
4. New health features may be delayed by lawsuits
Apple's heavily rumored sleep apnea feature made its big debut in the Apple Watch Series 10. Well, sort of. The potentially life-saving tool is still awaiting clearance in a long list of markets including the U.S.
And, unlike Samsung's FDA-authorized sleep apnea detection tool, which uses the watch's blood oxygen sensor to monitor for signs of the condition, Apple's version uses the accelerometer. Perhaps this has something to do with the company's legal dispute over the blood oxygen sensors found in past Apple Watches.
The takeaway is that ongoing litigation can make or break which health sensors show up in future Apple Watches and which don't. And with no end in sight for Apple's beef with Masimo, who knows when the SpO2 sensor may reappear in an Apple Watch?
Hypertension detection was also rumored to show up in the Series 10, but unlike sleep apnea detection, it seems that Apple couldn't find a workaround that didn't use the blood ox sensor in time for the new device's debut.
5. An even wider selection of styles may be on the way
This year's fall product launch didn't just give us a new Apple Watch but also a bunch of new case colors and styles, including an all-black Ultra 2 option. The Series 10 also now comes in titanium in addition to the standard aluminum options (for quite a bit more dough), with three lovely-looking finishes to select from: Natural, Gold and Slate Grey.
Given the above, along with rumors of the Apple Watch SE 3 being built from plastic, I've got a good feeling that 2025's releases will bring about an even wider selection of Apple Watch color choices and finishes. And who wouldn't want a lime green SE 3? I know I would.
What do you think about my 2025 Apple Watch predictions? Which ones do you agree or disagree with? Feel free to let me know and share predictions of your own in the comments below.
