Technologies

The Next Apple Watch Series 11 Has a Release Date and a Few Surprises

Apple’s Sept. 9 event could unveil more than one new Apple Watch model, along with some welcome updates. Here’s everything we know so far.

Apple just confirmed its “Awe dropping” event for Sept. 9, at Apple Park, and we’re expecting a fresh lineup of Apple Watches to take the stage.The headliner will likely be the Apple Watch Series 11, but Apple may have also tipped its hand on the Ultra 3. MacRumors uncovered imagery buried in the iOS 26 public beta showing display details for what’s likely the next-generation rugged watch.

With the event just days away, the clues are stacking up. Here’s a look at everything we know, suspect, and can reasonably expect from Apple’s 2025 smartwatch lineup.

Apple Watch Series 11 price and availability

Traditionally, new models go on sale anywhere from a few days to a couple of weeks after the keynote. This year, that could mean preorders opening on Friday, Sept. 12, with availability starting the following Friday, Sept. 19. That said, recent years have seen delays due to production issues, and it’s still unclear how newly imposed tariffs might affect both the launch timing and pricing in 2025. For context: the Series 10 starts at $399 for the base model, while the Ultra 2 comes in at $799. The other question is what the most expensive variant will be — solid gold, diamond-encrusted Hermès, anyone?

How many Apple Watches will we get?

Based on the usual update cycle and now the latest clues in iOS 26, we’re at least getting a flagship (Series 11) and an Apple Watch Ultra 3 as revealed by reference in Watch OS 26. Also likely, is the possibility of getting a next-gen SE model, according to a report from Bloomberg’s Apple analyst Mark Gurman. The Apple Watch Ultra and the cheaper SE line haven’t exactly followed a predictable upgrade cycle, but last year’s absence could prove a strong clue that 2025 could be the year we get all three again.

The new Ultra and Series 11 are mostly expected to look the same, while the SE could be getting a refreshed exterior, according to Gurman. And the Ultra could get satellite connectivity and 5G RedCap network access that would bring even the most remote adventures “on the grid.”

Apple Watch Series 11 design

The Series 11 is expected to keep the slim, flat-edged design introduced on the Series 10 (42mm and 46mm), but Apple’s new Corning partnership means all of the glass protecting the display will be made in the US. Not only does the news make for a great marketing bullet; it could also hint at improved durability, sustainability benefits, and potentially faster repair turnarounds if replacement glass is sourced domestically.

If the leaked iOS 26 imagery holds true, the Ultra 3 will also have a similar design and slightly larger screen with a 422×514-pixel resolution (up from the Ultra 2’s 410×502 pixels). This could be achieved by slimming down the bezels while keeping the same overall case size, in keeping with Apple’s tradition of maximizing screen real estate without making the already-large Ultra any bulkier.

According to MacRumors, the Apple Watch could also get a more energy-efficient screen, maybe an improved LTPO display with higher resolution and better brightness, which, on paper, could help improve the battery life. This could be reserved for the higher-end Ultra 3, which will likely otherwise keep its original design.

Meanwhile the more affordable SE, could see a more extensive design overhaul; it would keep the body of the Series 8 and, according to Gurman, but get several upgrades from the Series 10, like an always-on display.

Apple Watch Series 11 processor

Apple typically bumps up the processor with every new smartwatch, so we should see an Apple S11 chip this time around for at least the Series 11 and Ultra 3. The Ultra 3 is also rumored to get satellite connectivity and 5G support, but according to Gurman, these features likely won’t make it to the Series 11. Considering last gen’s upgrade cycle, my personal bet would also be on the SE getting a processor bump up to the S9 chip, currently found in the Ultra 2 and the Apple Watch Series 9.

Apple Watch Series 11 battery

If there’s one thing on everyone’s wishlist, it’s better battery life. The Series 10 introduced faster charging — 0% to 80% in just 30 minutes compared with 90 minutes on previous models — but there’s room for improvement in battery capacity itself.

While there aren’t any rumors indicating that new Apple Watches will get a longer battery life, I truly hope Apple addresses the battery because its smartwatches are falling behind. Some Android models use dual chipsets to divide tasks and optimize battery life. I’d like to see Apple adopt a similar strategy and finally push battery life to two full days on a single charge for regular models. I hope the Ultra, which currently gets a full 72 hours on a charge, gets the faster charging of the Series 10 and pushes its battery life limits beyond three days.

Apple Watch health and fitness upgrades

There’s been a persistent rumor about blood pressure tracking finally making its way to the Apple Watch, but it’s unclear when it will be ready. According to a March report from Gurman, Apple has already been testing the feature in its smartwatch but has run into problems. Other wearables health companies like Omron and Med-Watch have proven it’s possible to measure blood pressure from the wrist, but adding this feature would likely require new sensors and a bulkier design. It would also be less precise than dedicated health devices like Omron’s and measure baseline metrics like the Galaxy Watch 7 and Ultra (which isn’t supported on Samsung watches in the US).

Blood pressure and glucose monitoring have also been thrown in the mix, but the latter might not be fully baked for this cycle according to Gurman.

A WatchOS glow-up on the Series 11

Apple also gave us a preview of the new interface for the Apple Watch with WatchOS 26 at its developers conference in June. The new UI update includes a new “Liquid Glass” display with glassy, transparent design language that mimics the one seen in visionOS.

The redesign features clear overlays for icons and notifications, resulting in a more uniform look and feel across Apple’s ecosystem. Google made a similar move with its redesigned UI, Material 3 Expressive, for Android phones and smartwatches with Wear OS 6.

Want a full breakdown of everything Apple announced, including the new iOS 26 and its eye-catching Liquid Glass design? Here’s everything you missed at WWDC 2025.

Health and fitness coaching

WatchOS 26 also introduced an AI-powered Workout Buddy to the Apple Watch, offering encouragement and real-time feedback during specific workouts. Most of the heavy lifting will happen on the iPhone, meaning the feature requires pairing the watch with a newer Apple Intelligence-enabled iPhone. The Series 11 (and Ultra 3) could push this further by leveraging their more powerful chipset.

This could include coaching that goes beyond just the workout app, potentially debuting on the Series 11 and then also rolling out to compatible Apple Watches. According to Gurman, Apple has been working on a major Health app revamp, code-named Project Mulberry, that would bring AI recommendations and actionable health and fitness insights to users. The new “Health Plus” app would likely arrive as part of an iOS 19 update, working in tandem with WatchOS 11 to gather and process data. Though it’s still unclear which devices would support it, we could get a first look as early as June 2025 at Apple’s Worldwide Developers Conference.

Health coaching is something other competitors, like Garmin and Fitbit, offer through their platforms via premium (paid) subscriptions. It’s not clear whether Apple would charge extra for these features, or if they’d be baked into the standard Health app at no additional cost.

Additional future Apple Watch surprises

There’s another rumor floating around that the Apple Watch could get a camera — not for selfies, but for AI-based image recognition. With the release of Apple Intelligence, Apple introduced a visual search tool on the iPhone that uses the camera to provide relevant information about objects and places.

According to a report by Gurman, Apple is exploring this option, and even if the company decides to move forward with the technology, it likely wouldn’t make its way to the Apple Watch until the 2027 models. While it’s not expected for this launch, it could hint what kind of AI integration will arrive with WatchOS 12. By contrast, WatchOS 11 lacks any Apple Intelligence features.

An even further-fetched clue hints at a foldable Apple Watch with two cameras. A recent Apple patent, first uncovered by Patently Apple, and published by the US Patent and Trademark Office in March, details an Apple Watch design featuring a foldable screen and another with a dual-screen display that either folds or slides out. The additional screens could give the Apple Watch more real estate to expand its functionality and make it less reliant on the iPhone. The same patent also points to the possibility of two cameras on this dual-screened watch for either AI processing or video calls. Apple often files patents well before any related technology appears in an actual product, so even if this concept does live to see the light of day, we’re not expecting it to make its public debut anytime soon.

Technologies

Goldman Sachs Leadership Transition Confronts Major Obstacle

Goldman Sachs faces a succession dilemma as the board weighs replacing CEO David Solomon with president John Waldron, but Solomon’s strong performance and board influence complicate a smooth transition.

Goldman Sachs

The bank’s strong performance under David Solomon makes it all the more notable that the board has reportedly considered replacing the 64-year-old CEO with president John Waldron, 57, potentially as soon as next year. According to The Wall Street Journal, the succession plan — which would move Solomon to executive chairman — could face a board vote in the coming months. Wells Fargo banking analyst Mike Mayo described the potential transition as one of the “smoother and more deliberate” leadership handovers on Wall Street.

However, a critical risk looms: Solomon may be reluctant to relinquish his position, while Waldron might not be willing to wait indefinitely. Solomon has successfully steered Goldman back on course following an unsuccessful venture into consumer banking earlier in his tenure. Bolstered by a dealmaking resurgence driven by the Trump administration and the artificial intelligence boom, Goldman has reemerged as a clean investment narrative for shareholders — the premier pure-play investment bank.

“It’s just very hard for a person like that to decide they are really going to retire,” said Charles Elson, retired University of Delaware law professor. “Being 65 years old today is like being 55 was 30 years ago.” Elson also pointed out that Solomon serves as chairman of Goldman’s board and wields outsized influence over the body, making it difficult to force him out.

Goldman spokesman Tony Fratto stated there is “no definitive timeline for succession” at the firm, noting that boards typically discuss succession planning across near, medium, and longer-term horizons.

‘There will always be tension’

Jeffrey Sonnenfeld of Yale School of Management, another expert on CEO succession, argued it would constitute poor governance if Goldman’s board attempted to “drive out a high performing CEO like David Solomon.” Since Solomon assumed the CEO role in 2018, Goldman shares have surged more than 300%, the second-best performance against the KBW Bank Index.

This leaves Goldman in a difficult position: Even if Solomon intends to depart within a year, he has minimal motivation to announce it. Doing so would render him a lame duck with diminished internal influence, according to Elson.

Conversely, if Solomon chooses to remain CEO amid an AI boom he believes is in its early stages, Waldron may grow impatient. After all, Waldron — Goldman’s president and chief operating officer — had reportedly been in discussions for leadership roles at alternative asset manager Apollo. To retain him, Goldman awarded Waldron an $80 million retention package extending through 2030. Even then, a well-funded suitor could still pursue Waldron, Elson noted.

“There will always be tension in a set up like that,” Elson said. “It’s like Prince Charles waiting for his mother to die. You can’t set your own priorities, because there’s someone else in charge.”

Technologies

Trump Rejects Claims of Iran Sanctions Relief Offer; Tehran Gets U.S. Proposal After Qatar Discussions

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Technologies

Fed’s favored inflation measure showed core inflation at 3.0% in August, softer than anticipated

The Fed’s preferred inflation gauge showed core inflation at 3.0% in August, below expectations, while headline PCE rose 3.4% year‑over‑year. The softer data eased fears of an October rate hike, pushing the next expected increase to December.

Consumer prices rose less than expected in August year‑over‑year, per the Federal Reserve’s main inflation gauge, the Commerce Department reported on Wednesday.

The PCE price index rose a seasonally adjusted 0.3% for the month, bringing the 12‑month increase to 3.4%. Dow Jones‑surveyed economists had forecast a 0.3% monthly rise and a 3.7% yearly gain.

Stripping out food and energy, the PCE index climbed 0.2%, putting the annual core rate at 3.0%. Expectations were for a 0.3% monthly increase and a 3.3% yearly core figure.

Although the Fed officially tracks the headline PCE, policymakers usually view the core measure as a clearer signal of longer‑term inflation trends.

While the yearly increases were below forecasts, they arrived as the Bureau of Economic Analysis tweaked the calculation method for several index components. It was not immediately evident how those revisions affected the final numbers.

After the release, stock‑market futures edged higher and Treasury yields slipped. Traders dialed back the odds of an October Fed rate hike, shifting the next expected increase to December.

“This is good news for investors uneasy about the recent jump in bond yields, and it strengthens the argument against an October hike,” said David Russell, global head of market strategy at TradeStation. “Nevertheless, the data are already somewhat stale and do not capture this month’s spike in diesel prices.”

The report also noted that personal income rose 0.2% while spending rose 0.9%, compared with consensus estimates of 0.4% for income and 0.8% for spending.

Both figures remain well above the central bank’s 2% target, leaving open the chance that the Fed could follow its September rate increase with another hike at either its October or December meeting.

Energy costs drove the August price rise, though many other sectors also advanced. Gasoline surged 4.4% and transportation services climbed 1.4%. Energy goods and services overall rose 2.3%.

Goods and services prices each posted a 0.3% monthly gain.

In other Wednesday economic news, the Commerce Department said second‑quarter GDP grew at a 2.2% annualized rate, according to the final of three estimates. That was up sharply from the earlier 1.5% estimate and reflected stronger contributions from consumer and government spending as well as investment.

Real final sales to private domestic purchasers—a metric Fed officials monitor to gauge underlying demand—rose 4.6%, an upward revision of 0.4 percentage point.

Inflation measures for the April‑through‑June period were also a bit lower, with headline PCE prices up 5.0% and core at 3.3%, each 0.3 point below the prior estimate.

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