The Apple Watch Series 11 is set to be unveiled in September alongside the iPhone 17, Apple Watch Ultra 3, and new Apple Watch SE 3.
According to the best information we have, Apple will stick to its annual Series release cycle, meaning the Series 11 is just a few months away. With a new Ultra also expected, the Series 11 might not take the crown for best smartwatch this year, but with rumors of a new blood pressure monitoring feature, it’s sure to be a big upgrade regardless.
In the meantime, Apple should debut watchOS 12 at WWDC 2025 in June, replete with some features we might be able to enjoy on the new device later this year.
Here’s everything we know so far.
Cut to the chase
- What is it? The 2025 Apple Watch
- When is it out? Almost definitely September 2025
- How much will it cost? Probably around $399 / £399 / AU$649
Apple Watch Series 11: Release date predictions and pricing
- A September 2025 launch is almost certain
- Prices likely to start at $399 / £399 / AU$649
Every single Apple Watch except for the very first one has been unveiled in September, so you don’t need to apply too much detective work to figure out that the Apple Watch Series 11 is going to break cover in September 2025 – it would be a big surprise if it didn’t. Look out for the iPhone 17 appearing at the same time as well.
That’s backed up by Bloomberg’s Mark Gurman, a reliable tipster, who says we can expect the Apple Watch Series 11 in the second half of 2025. It looks like it’s going to be a big year for Apple Watches, with the Apple Watch Ultra 3 and the Apple Watch SE 3 also expected.
Pricing for the Apple Watch Series 11 is less easy to predict. The Apple Watch Series 10 launched in 2024 matched the starting prices of the Apple Watch Series 9 launched in 2023, which in turn was very similar to what we had to pay for the Apple Watch Series 8 launched in 2022 (depending on where in the world it was sold).
Apple is clearly keen to keep the pricing steady, so something around $399 / £399 / AU$649 for the 42 mm size and $429 / £429 / AU$699 for the 46 mm size seems likely. As usual, LTE connectivity will cost you extra, and different casings and different straps will change the price you pay too.
Apple Watch Series 11: Leaks and rumors
- A faster processor is likely
- watchOS 12 will be on board
According to the latest leaks and rumors, the Apple Watch Series 11 will feature a few select upgrades over the existing model, including possibly using a beefier modem, blood pressure monitoring/hypertension detection, and more. Here’s the latest:
In late 2024 Bloomberg’s Mark Gurman reported that the Apple Watch would henceforth feature modems made by MediaTek, rather than Intel. This of course only impacts the cellular models which use your phone’s network to stream data for music, calls, and messages. According to Gurman, MediaTek’s inclusion will pave the way for 5G Reduced Capacity support and possibly satellite functionality. These upgrades are tipped for the Apple Watch Ultra 3, but could also feature in the cheaper Series 11.
Blood pressure monitoring
The long-rumored blood pressure monitoring feature could well make an appearance on the Apple Watch Series 11, according to Bloomberg’s Mark Gurman. This is likely to work like the existing sleep apnea detection, where you get alerts about elevated readings rather than round-the-clock measurements.
More advanced health sensors – for glucose monitoring, for example – are also in the works but are still years away, according to the latest reports. Meanwhile, Apple remains deeply entangled in a legal case relating to blood oxygen readings, so it doesn’t look as though that particular feature is going to make a comeback anytime soon.
Bear in mind that the Apple Watch 10 got a bigger screen and slightly larger and thinner cases in 2024, making it even less likely that the design is going to be changed for 2025. What’s more likely are a handful of new color, casing, and strap options, just to distinguish the new model from the old one.
We’ve actually heard that the Apple Watch SE 3 will be getting a redesign this year, while the Apple Watch Series 11 and the Apple Watch Ultra 3 won’t.
S11 chip
An upgrade on the inside of the Apple Watch Series 11 seems probable: Apple usually bumps up the processor with each new smartwatch model, so we could well get a new Apple S11 chipset to go alongside the new Apple Watch Series 11. Let’s hope that means improved performance and more efficient power use at the same time.
watchOS 12
The new Apple Watch Series 11 is going to come running watchOS 12, following on from the watchOS 11 software that launched with the Apple Watch Series 10. Apple has now confirmed that WWDC 2025 will take place on June 9.
According to the latest reports, watchOS 12 may feature a significant redesign that will take its cues from Apple Vision Pro and visionOS. That means a more transparent design with a floating aesthetic and redesigned interactive elements.
Also on the software side, we’ve heard that an AI health coach app is on the way, which would presumably leverage some AI smarts to give you personalized insights into your fitness data, as well as advice on which workouts to try next.
Blood oxygen
Following a patent spat with Masimo, Apple has removed the blood oxygen monitoring feature from its entire Apple Watch line-up. As such, its inclusion in the Apple Watch Series 11 is a mystery. It’s highly plausible the feature will be absent given the legal battle. However, Apple may have cracked new technology behind the scenes that could allow for the feature’s return. No leak of any such plans has been forthcoming, so this seems less likely, but there’s still time.
Apple Watch Series 11: What we want to see
While we were big fans of the Apple Watch 10, that doesn’t mean there’s no room for improvement with a new model for 2025. While it’s probably too late in the development stage for us to have any sway over Apple’s engineers at this stage, nevertheless we’d like to put forward the improvements we want to see with the new wearable.
1. Smart uses of AI
AI is everywhere these days, in case you hadn’t noticed, and when it comes to Apple devices that means Apple Intelligence. So far, Apple Intelligence hasn’t expanded its reach to the Apple Watch, so we’re hoping that changes with the 11th-gen model – assuming Apple puts some thought into the features that would actually be useful on a wrist.
2. More customization options
Each new Apple Watch always comes with a selection of new watch faces of course, but we think Apple can do more in terms of the customization options on watchOS – it’s an area where other watches have the edge. With iOS 18 there are now more customization tweaks available on the iPhone than ever before, so let’s hope the Apple Watch follows that trend.
3. Improved health sensors
Rumors have been swirling for years about health sensors and functions that Apple could potentially add to its smartwatch range, from sensors in the straps to glucose monitoring. While major upgrades still seem to be several years off, based on reports, we’re still hopeful that we might see one or two new health tracking features on the Apple Watch Series 11.
4. Better battery life
Now stop us if you’ve heard this one before, but we’d like to see better battery life on the Apple Watch Series 11 – because of course we would. During our testing of the Apple Watch Series 10, we were getting about a day between charges, which isn’t great compared to a lot of Apple Watch competitors (especially if you want to use the smartwatch to track your sleep).
5. Better band attachments
It’s not the most noticeable of features, but we’ve often found the Apple Watch band attachment mechanism to be a bit too fiddly. Samsung has worked out how to make a smooth and stress-free attachment system, so it can be done – and it would definitely make life easier for those who like to swap out their bands on a regular basis.
