Apple Watch Ultra 4 to receive all-new design and sensor upgrades

After Bloomberg reported in March that the Apple Watch Series 12 would receive hardly any new features, a new report from DigiTimes now suggests that at least Apple's flagship smartwatch will receive two significant upgrades. According to the report, the successor to the Apple Watch Ultra 3 ($776 on Amazon) will receive a complete redesign.

This is the first time since the launch of the first-generation Apple Watch Ultra in September 2022 that Apple has modernized the design of its top smartwatch model. DigiTimes does not provide any details on what the Apple Watch Ultra 4 will look like, but asserts that the design changes are so drastic that sales are expected to increase by 20 to 30 percent. In addition to the new design, Apple is also planning "significant sensor upgrades".

The number of sensors is to be doubled and energy efficiency increased, which could potentially lead to a longer battery life. It is still unclear whether Apple will simply install more photodiodes in order to measure data such as heart rate and blood oxygen saturation more reliably and with less power consumption, or whether completely new functions are planned. DigiTimes merely suggests that the high blood pressure alerts introduced with watchOS 26 on the Apple Watch Series 9 and newer models will become more accurate. A real blood pressure measurement, like on the Huawei Watch D2, is unlikely to be planned this year, as is blood glucose monitoring, even though Apple is said to be working on both functions.