Apple Watch Ultra 3 announced: See specs, price, preorder details

The Apple Watch Ultra 3 officially dropped at the tech giant's "Awe Dropping" event on Tuesday.

It came with some interesting upgrades for folks in the market for a premium, rugged smartwatch.

A few of the upgrades:

• The display is bigger, brighter, and easier to read in outdoor, sunny settings.

• Ultra 3 comes with with satellite connectivity, meaning you don't have to worry if your hike takes you off-grid.

• The battery life will also prove a relief to users: It comes in at 42 hours, according to Apple, which is the longest of any Apple Watch. That's up from 36 hours for the Ultra 2.

• The Ultra 3 comes in black and titanium.

The iPhone 17, of course, sucked-up a lot of the attention and expectations in the lead-up to the big Apple Event — after all, a new lineup of phones is a big deal. But a new Ultra is also big news, especially for smartwatch enthusiasts because it's the top-of-the-line offering from Apple. But that performance will cost you. The Ultra Watch 3 will start at $799.

The satellite connectivity will likely be welcomed by folks who partake in activities outside the range of typical cell coverage. Apple promised users would be able to "text emergency services, message friends and family, and share their location" all while off-grid. And, of course, the Ultra 3 also gets the major upgrades the Apple Watch Series 11 received, namely hypertension detection and upgraded sleep tracking.

"Apple Watch Ultra is our most advanced Apple Watch, designed to take users from sports and adventure to the rest of their life, and help them stay active, healthy, connected, and safe, wherever they are,” said Eugene Kim, Apple’s vice president of Apple Watch hardware engineering, in a statement.

Expectations coming into the event were that the Ultra 3 would provide incremental upgrades on the Ultra 2. Rumors suggested, among other features, that a bigger display, modest gains in processing power, and satellite messaging were likely. That's pretty much what we got on Tuesday — impressive, if not world-changing upgrades.

The Apple Watch Ultra 3 can be pre-ordered on Tuesday, with availability beginning Friday, Sept. 19.

For more Live Apple Event coverage, follow Mashable's live blog and get real-time updates on the iPhone 17, Apple Watch Series 11, and AirPods Pro 3 launch.