Apple Watch Ultra 3 May Feature Satellite Texting and Blood Pressure Monitoring [Report]

Apple is planning to add support for sending texts via satellite to its next generation Apple Watch Ultra 3, according to a new report from Bloomberg. Additionally, it's also ramping up efforts on a new blood-pressure feature.

The satellite capability is slated to come to next year's Apple Watch Ultra, the company's top-of-the-line model, according to people familiar with the matter. The technology will let smartwatch users send off-the-grid text messages when they don't have a cellular or Wi-Fi connection. The other feature, which would monitor whether Apple Watch users have high blood pressure, may arrive as soon as 2025 as well, said the people, who asked not to be identified because the work is confidential. But it's been delayed before, with Apple previously aiming to release the tool last year.

The text via satellite feature is expected to function similarly to how it does on the iPhone. Likewise, the blood pressure monitoring feature is anticipated to resemble the sleep apnea detection functionality. It won't provide specific measurements, such as diastolic or systolic levels, but it will alert users to potential hypertension.


Another significant change for at least some Apple Watch models will purportedly be the switch from Intel cellular modems to a version developed by MediaTek. This will be the first time Apple has sourced a major component from MediaTek, despite evaluating it as a possible supplier for over five years. Notably, the MediaTek modem supports 5G Redcap, a lower-tier 5G service for wearables that don't require fast data connections.

Finally, Apple continues to work on a noninvasive blood-glucose tracker, but that is not expected to be ready for 2025. For now, diabetics can use the DexCom G7 which directly connects to Apple Watch for real-time glucose readings. Interestingly, Apple has secretly tested an app to help people with pre-diabetes manage their food intake and make lifestyle changes, but that test appears to have been paused.

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