The Apple Watch Ultra 3 might have grabbed all the headlines at Apple’s annual iPhone launch last night, but for me, it's not the main event.
While the flagship smartwatch boasts a bigger screen, satellite SOS, days of battery life - the kind of watch that stuns on a keynote slide - for those who aren't climbing mountains or running ultramarathons every other week (most people), I don't think it's the one that really matters day-to-day.
That's why I think the real story of this year’s Apple launch wasn’t the £749 Ultra 3. It was, dare I say, the £219 Apple Watch SE 3.
For years, the SE has been the “good enough” option - cheaper, lighter, but usually missing a chunk of the headline features. This year, however, Apple has given the SE 3 a much-needed upgrade, sporting features that make it worth caring about.
Affordable but feature-rich
The SE 3 finally feels like a proper upgrade. This time 'round, it's been given an Always-On display (the first time in an SE launch), which instantly makes it feel more premium. It also packs the same S10 chip you’ll find in the Series 10, meaning it’s just as fast as last year’s flagship.
What's more, you can now use the slick double-tap gestures and wrist flick controls that used to be exclusive to pricier models.
On the SE 3's health and fitness side, Apple's gone even further, adding features like sleep scoring, sleep apnea detection, wrist temperature tracking and retrospective ovulation estimates. These were previously locked behind the higher-end watches, but it seems Apple wants to bring them to the masses. Add that to the usual safety features like Fall Detection, Crash Detection, Emergency SOS and Check In, and you’re looking at a smartwatch that pretty much covers all the bases for most people
Battery life hasn’t really budged - it’s still a depressing 18 hours (on a good day, I suspect) - but that's been the Apple Watch story for years, which ever model you go for.
At just £219, though, it’s hard to argue. If you’re buying your first smartwatch, or upgrading from an older SE, this is seriously worth considering.
The Ultra 3 might be a better fit for extreme adventurers, and the Series 11 has its tweaks, but with so many premium features at such a low starting price, I think the SE 3 is Apple’s most important watch in years.
AirPods got a stealth upgrade, too
Meanwhile, buried under all the watch hype was an update to the AirPods Pro 3. They barely got a mention during Apple’s event, probably because there was no flashy redesign, which is kind of disappointing (but also expected).
On closer look, though, you'll see that the AirPods Pro 3's case quietly got one of its most useful upgrades yet. With precision Find My built straight in, it now works like an AirTag, meaning you can track its exact location if, say, it slips down the back of the sofa.
On top of this, Apple’s also added a louder chime, making it much easier to hear when you’re hunting around the house for them. Throw in a tougher finish and a design that’s less likely to scuff or slide out of your pocket, and you’ve got redesign that is actually quite practical.
To be honest, I think an upgrade like this makes a much bigger difference than an extra few hours of battery or a slightly shinier screen.
