Apple’s upcoming Watch Ultra 3 is getting a feature that might actually save your life.
According to Bloomberg’s Mark Gurman, the next Ultra will come with the ability to send emergency texts via satellite, similar to the functionality Apple introduced to the iPhone 14 in 2022.
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The feature could be of massive importance to hikers, who could send a distress signal even when cell reception is non-existent. The feature would not require an iPhone nearby (though it could be a good backup option if you do carry a phone but it gets broken, lost, or loses battery).
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I tested the feature out when it launched, and it worked as expected; I was able to get a satellite signal and send a text within seconds. Gurman’s report does not have any additional details about the feature, but I reckon it would work similarly on Apple Watch Ultra.
If the report is accurate, it’s a pretty big deal, as it would make Apple’s Watch Ultra the first mainstream smartwatch that has this capability.
The Apple Watch Ultra got only minor updates since it launched in 2022 (the Apple Watch Ultra 2 had a brighter display, and the 2024 version was unchanged except for the new, black color option). This makes it likelier for Apple to launch a bigger upgrade next year. Gurman also claims that the new version might come with blood pressure monitoring, though that feature has been delayed in the past.
