Apple Watch SE 3: What we all know

From its inception, one of many largest drawbacks of the Apple Watch has been price. Many individuals cannot justify the value of the most cost effective flagship model, by no means thoughts upgrading to chrome steel or shopping for an Ultra. Since 2020, the SE line has been Apple’s reply to that dilemma, providing a core Watch expertise with comparatively few sacrifices.

A second-generation SE shipped in September 2022, so Apple could also be about due for a brand new one. What options can we anticipate from the SE 3? When is it more likely to ship? And most significantly, will it keep fairly priced?

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Apple Watch SE 3 rumors

The newest claims, and what we will anticipate typically

Only a few rumors have emerged to date. In 2023, Omdia analyst David Hsieh claimed that the SE 3 will mirror the scale choices of the Apple Watch Series 8, which had 41 and 45mm variants. That may make the SE 3 barely larger than the SE 2, which is proscribed to 40 and 44mm choices — however do not consider it as generosity on Apple’s half. The Series 10 is poised to improve to 45 and 49mm, so Apple might be simply repurposing previous tech and shifting the goalposts.

The one different improve is more likely to be a more recent, sooner processor, presumably an “S10” that can even make its approach into the Sequence 10 and Ultra 3. That ought to enable the SE 3 to course of some Siri instructions on-device, and is also setting the stage for Apple Intelligence, which has but to be introduced for Apple Watches. If Apple Intelligence does come, anticipate a subset of the options accessible on iPhones, given the restricted house and energy wearables supply.

In July 2024, Bloomberg‘s Mark Gurman reported that Apple could also be swapping out an aluminum shell on the SE 3 for plastic. If that’s the case which may carry the price of the system beneath $249, luring consumers away from rival merchandise just like the Fitbit Versa. Apple has notoriously resisted plastic, nevertheless — the one iPhone to make use of a plastic shell was 2013’s iPhone 5c. The corporate usually prefers metallic and glass to protect its “premium” picture. In August 2024, Gurman defined that Apple could also be attempting to make the SE more kid-friendly.

What ought to we not anticipate with the Apple Watch SE 3?

It in all probability will not undertake an always-on show (AOD). For years now that is been one of many main promoting factors for Sequence and Extremely fashions, and it might require dearer display expertise, presumably backed by a bigger battery. Even utilizing low refresh charges, AOD panels eat additional energy.

Likewise, do not anticipate any new well being sensors. These are one other approach Apple retains its lineups separate and costs in examine. On prime of that, it isn’t allowed to supply blood oxygen (a.ok.a. SpO2) sensing on any US system in the meanwhile, owing to a lawsuit by the medical tech firm Masimo.

All of this assumes the established order will proceed, thoughts. It is doable that Apple will attain a settlement with Masimo within the close to future, or that manufacturing prices may have dropped low sufficient to make an always-on show trivial.

When will the Apple Watch SE 3 be launched?

We’re predicting September 2024. The SE 2 launched two years after the unique, and a 2024 launch would preserve the identical cycle. Apple additionally must maintain the SE present if it needs individuals to purchase new merchandise as an alternative of searching down refurbished Watches from shops like Amazon and Finest Purchase. A extra particular launch date is troublesome, however an announcement ought to come alongside Apple’s common mid-September iPhone occasion, adopted by supply later that month or in early October.

A launch may conceivably occur outdoors of that window, however we doubt it. The one Watch to premiere outdoors of September or October was the Sequence 0, again in April 2015.

How a lot will the Apple Watch SE 3 price?

It should not go any larger than the SE 2’s $249. If the brand new mannequin makes use of a plastic shell, it may promote for $199, however in all probability no decrease than that — it might be simply $20 greater than a pair of AirPods.

Ought to I purchase the Apple Watch SE 3?

If you happen to’re after a brand new watch, it’s best to strongly contemplate it should you’re an iPhone proprietor with an older SE or no smartwatch in any respect. Do not forget that Sequence- and Extremely-level options like AOD tech, a metallic shell, extra well being sensors, and a big display could also be good to have, however are normally non-essential.

Let’s emphasize “normally,” although. If you happen to’re an athlete or in any other case severe about health, issues like sturdiness, show tech, and sensors are going to matter an excellent deal. Even for sofa potatoes, one thing like AOD can generally be important — the very last thing a enterprise supervisor needs is to be caught elevating their wrist throughout a protracted assembly. If you happen to want multi-day battery life, in the meantime, you need to be saving up for an Extremely 3 or contemplating one other watch model, akin to Garmin.

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