Apple’s new smartwatch lineup has something for everyone

Apple's latest lot of smartwatches have plenty going for them, even if Aussies are seemingly set to miss out on some of the biggest new features.

The first cab off the rank is the Apple Watch Series 11. Available in the usual 42mm and 46mm sizes (and both aluminium and titanium), the wearable is built around an Always-On OLED display coated in new Ion-X glass, which Apple claims is twice as scratch-resistant as the screen found on the previous model. 

Although the overall form factor is a little slimmer than last year's smartwatch, the bulk of the pitch for the Apple Watch Series 11 is a familiar one. Under the hood, you'll find the same S10 processor found in last year's Series 10.

The wearable also comes with all the usual sensors, plus a few new ones. For instance, the wearable also offers new insights into your sleep patterns via a Sleep Score system similar to that found in other smartwatches.

Another addition here is the ability for the Apple Watch Series 11 to use an optical heart-rate sensor to track and report signs of high blood pressure. Unfortunately, this feature is entirely absent from the Australian website at the time of writing.

The most plausible explanation for this is that the feature has yet to receive formal approval from Australia's Therapeutic Goods Administration (TGA). If the rollout of earlier Apple Watch features like ECG in Australia is any precedent, this addition to the formula will eventually make its way down under. It may just take a little longer. 

In Australia, the Apple Watch Series 11 starts at $679 and will go on sale on 19 September 2025.

Where things get interesting is that although the Series 11 is being billed as the first Apple Watch to ship with 5G connectivity, Apple's Australian website omits all mention of this feature. So far as we can tell, the version of the wearable that'll be making its way to our shores in a week and a half will rely on older 4G cellular connectivity instead.

It's the same story for the new Apple Watch Ultra 3.

The third incarnation of Apple's high-end workout wearable ups the ante with up to 42 hours of battery life, a same S10 processor found in the Series 11, satellite connectivity and a larger display.

As with the new Series 11, the new Apple Watch Ultra 3 does not seem to have 5G connectivity in Australia though. If that doesn't deter you, the Apple Watch Ultra 3 starts at $1399 and is available to preorder ahead of a 19 September 2025 launch date.

Last but not least, there's the new Apple Watch SE 3.

Starting at $399 for GPS and $489 for cellular, Apple's thriftiest new smartwatch now features many of the same upgrades found in the mainline Series 11. It comes powered by the S10 processor and coated in Ion-X glass. It's also got a few other key upgrades over the second-generation SE in the form of faster battery life, a new temperature sensor and an always-on display.

In Australia, the new Apple Watch SE 3 is available for preorder now, ahead of a 19 September 2025 launch.