The Apple Watch Series 11 has several upgrades I was hoping for

When Apple first launched the Ultra lineup three years ago, it marked a shift for me from smaller watches to bigger ones with larger batteries. The hitherto unparalleled battery life in the Apple Watch Ultra was the best of its kind on an Apple Watch, but it came at the cost of thickness and weight.

Last year, Apple surprised me with the stunningly thin Apple Watch Series 10.  As well as being the lightest and thinnest Apple Watch, the Apple Watch Series 10 also has the largest display ever in an Apple Watch, and new superfast charging. 

This was a fitting tenth-anniversary edition Apple Watch, and unsurprisingly, I quickly ditched my Apple Watch Ultra 2. Fast forward a year, and Apple has updated both models with new features. The Apple Watch Series 11 is a modest upgrade, but the fixes are in all the key areas that I was hoping for. Here’s why. 

Fixing the biggest problem with the Apple Watch Series 10 

One thing to note about the most affordable version of the Apple Watch Series 10 is that it’s made of aluminum. As a result, it lacks the same durability as the denser and stronger titanium build of the more expensive version and the Apple Watch Ultra 2. 

Apple made bold claims about the durability of the new Ceramic Shield 2, but if the Apple Watch Series 11 can live up to its billing, the display should be much stronger. How much stronger? According to Apple, it’s twice as scratch-resistant.

For me, this is particularly hopeful given that I damaged my Apple Watch Series 10 after just a few weeks. One thing is clear when revisiting the Apple Watch Series 10 after a year: it’s not as durable as the Ultra 2. Thankfully, the Apple Watch Series 11 looks set to fix this. 

5G, but no satellite communication 

This is a bittersweet upgrade: the Apple Watch Series 11 gets the same 5G upgrade as the Apple Watch Ultra 3 and Apple Watch SE 3, but it lacks the Emergency Satellite features of the former. 

This feels disappointing as the comparatively priced Pixel Watch 4 now offers emergency satellite features at a similar price to the Apple Watch Series 11. Instead, Apple Watch users will have to pay twice as much for the Ultra 3 to access this feature. 

When you do, you’ll find a great integration with Apple Find My to share your live location information and coordinates with emergency services. It’s elegant and will be particularly beneficial for those who like to explore the great outdoors. 

The upgrade to 5G will be beneficial to all users of cellular models, and I’ve been waiting years for smartwatches to adopt 5G technology. Now it’s here, expect many others to follow, which is great as 5G coverage is now live in most countries. 

High blood pressure alerts and Sleep Scores

Of course, every new Apple Watch needs to come with new health features, and the Apple Watch Series 11 has two that stand out in particular: high blood pressure alerts and a new, detailed Sleep Score. 

The latter is easy: it’s the same feature you’ll find on many of the best smartwatches, including the Galaxy Watch 8 and Pixel Watch 4. While Apple has previously offered a limited sleep report, this revamped sleep report brings a host of new information and a quantifiable indicator of just how well or poorly you actually slept.

High blood pressure alerts are far rarer, and will likely help the Apple Watch Series 11 save even more lives. High blood pressure is a silent killer, and a leading cause of major events like the heart attack I had five years ago. 

While the Apple Watch Series 11 lacks the on-demand measurements offered by the Galaxy Watch 8 and Huawei Watch, it’s an ideal first step. The Apple Watch Series 11 will monitor your blood pressure in the background and alert when it thinks you need to consult a doctor to check your cardiovascular health.

There’s just one catch: if you have a recent Apple Watch

There’s just one catch to this entire feature: the health features are already available for the Apple Watch Series 10 via an update when running the new WatchOS 26 platform and paired with an iPhone running iOS 26 or later. 

Both the sleep score and the hypertension alerts are also available to older Apple Watches, as well as the Apple Watch Ultra 2 and the new Apple Watch SE 3, when it launches next week. This is particularly key, as the new Apple Watch SE 3 costs almost 40% less (at $249) and offers the same key health features that are most appealing to me.

Apple was able to add a slightly larger battery, and the addition of 5G means better cellular coverage, which I use frequently when I leave my iPhone behind while reviewing the best Android phones, especially the best folding phones. There’s also a brighter screen at 2,000 nits peak brightness, as well as an LTPO3 OLED display that can drop to just 1Hz, and wide viewing angles for the most immersive Apple Watch display experience.

For me, the true value will depend on whether the Apple Watch Series 11 can deliver on Apple’s durability claims. It’s my biggest concern with more affordable smartwatches from all watch makers, but if Apple has truly made this more durable, I hope it’ll spur a trend that its rivals are quick to follow.