Apple Watch could get the major upgrade we've waited years for, the Ultra too

Apple is reportedly working on massive upgrades to both the Apple Watch and the Apple Watch Ultra, which could arrive in next year's models.

The headline news is that the Apple Watch Ultra is said to be getting satellite connectivity. That's important for the hardcore Ultra users who use the device for going off-grid. It could enable communications via the Globalstar satellite network when the wearer is far from a wireless router or mobile mast.

As exciting as that is, it's a pretty niche feature. For most of us, the more important upgrade is less spectacular but much more useful – the Apple Watch cellular model is tipped for a 5G upgrade.

What Apple Watch upgrades are coming in 2025?

Bloomberg reports that Apple is moving away from Intel's cellular modems to alternatives made by MediaTek. That's important because it would enable the Apple Watch to connect to 5G Redcap, a version of 5G designed specifically for low-powered devices. Current cellular Apple Watch models only have 4G modems.

Here in the UK, Vodafone, BT (via EE) and Three have been investing in 5G Redcap. The big European networks have been investing in it too, because it's considered to be an important technology for small devices and sensors in the Internet of Things.

The main difference between Redcap and full-fat 5G is that it's made for devices that don't need super-speedy data connections – it's the coverage and connectivity that matters, not the sheer speed.

Blood pressure monitoring is another key upgrade that's reportedly coming in 2025 – although that date is still tentative. The feature has been predicted to arrive in the Apple Watch for a few years now, but it's proved more difficult to deliver than Apple expected thanks to a mix of hardware, software and regulatory issues.

The other long-rumoured Apple Watch sensor, the non-invasive blood glucose tracker, is apparently still in development but there's no indication of a launch date as yet.

Both the Apple Watch Series 11 and Apple Watch Ultra 3 are expected to launch in late 2025.