Apple Watch Ultra 3 to have satellite messaging abilities | Infinium-tech

A new report from Bloomberg’s always-in-the-Apple-loop Mark Gurman says the Apple Watch Ultra 3 will come with support for satellite messaging. This will let you send texts using only satellites, even without a cellular or Wi-Fi connection.

The Ultra 3 may also bring blood pressure monitoring, but it’s already been delayed, so it’s obviously not a safe bet at this point. The feature was initially scheduled to be released in 2023, for what it’s worth. It will not give you an accurate reading, but will inform you when you may be in a state of high blood pressure. A non-invasive blood glucose tracker is also still in the works, but that definitely won’t arrive until next year.

Satellite communications first arrived on the iPhone 14 in 2022, and last year it was expanded to connect with roadside assistance providers. This year, Apple added the ability to send messages to anyone via iMessage. Of course, you’ve still needed an iPhone for all this, but with the Apple Watch Ultra 3 you’ll be able to leave your iPhone at home.

These new features are clearly Apple’s way of reinvigorating smartwatch sales that have gone through a “slow down” recently. Revenue from that unit, which also includes watches, has declined over the past two years as people have had less reason to upgrade. And Apple is betting that satellite messaging and (perhaps) blood pressure monitoring will be convincing enough.

Next year, some Apple Watch models will see another change: the use of MediaTek modems instead of Intel. If it is successful, it will be the first time Apple has purchased a major component from MediaTek. The new modems will support 5G Redcap, a 5G service aimed specifically at wearables and devices that don’t require a fast data connection.

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