Apple Introduces Apple Watch SE 3 with Expanded Health and Fitness Capabilities
Krissy Vann | Host, All Things Fitness and Wellness
Apple has announced the Apple Watch SE 3, with availability beginning September 19. The latest model adds new health and fitness features, a more durable design, and faster performance through the S10 chip.
The watch introduces a sleep score developed with data from more than five million nights of sleep and informed by guidance from leading sleep organizations. It also adds wrist temperature sensing, retrospective ovulation estimates, and sleep apnea notifications, expanding its role in health monitoring. Fitness capabilities include continued tracking of activity and workouts, along with Workout Buddy, a new coaching feature that provides spoken motivation during sessions.
“Apple Watch SE offers a great way for users to start their Apple Watch journey, delivering outstanding health, fitness, safety, and connectivity features at an incredible value,” said Stan Ng, Apple’s vice president of Apple Watch and Health Product Marketing.
The S10 chip powers an Always-On display, faster on-device Siri, gesture controls, and 5G connectivity. Despite the additional features, battery life remains at 18 hours, now supported by fast charging. The device will be available in 40 millimeter and 44 millimeter aluminum cases in midnight and starlight finishes.
The update comes at a time when wearables continue to expand their role in both consumer health and the fitness industry. Global shipments of smartwatches and fitness trackers have grown steadily over the past five years, and adoption among gym members and wellness consumers is fueling new opportunities for operators to integrate wearable data into engagement and retention strategies. Apple’s introduction of sleep apnea detection and ovulation tracking underscores the sector’s shift toward preventive health and personalized insights, raising questions about how enterprise operators can leverage these tools in member programming and partnerships with healthcare.
Apple Watch SE 3 also aligns with the company’s environmental commitments, using 40 percent recycled materials, including 100 percent recycled aluminum in the case and cobalt in the battery. Apple has set a target of achieving carbon neutrality across its product footprint by 2030.
