Reaching maturity, next model expected soon
Best for: Serious athletes, trail runners, triathletes, and outdoor adventurers who need the most durable, most accurate GPS watch Apple makes. Also for iPhone users who simply want the best Apple Watch regardless of sport, and value the extra battery life over the Series 11.
Full details →Early in release cycle
Best for: Regular runners and triathletes who race 5K to marathon distances and want accurate multi-band GPS, detailed training load management, and Triathlon Coach structured plans. The speaker and microphone make it a more capable daily-wear watch than the FR265 it replaces.
Full details →| Apple Watch Ultra | Garmin Forerunner 570 | |
|---|---|---|
| Tier | Sports GPS | Sports GPS |
| Platform | iOS only | iOS & Android |
| Battery | 1.75 days | 11 days |
| Always-on display | ✅ | ❌ |
| GPS | ✅ | ✅ |
| Cellular | ✅ | ❌ |
| Health sensors | ecg, spo2, skin temp, hrv, blood pressure | hr, spo2, hrv, stress, body battery, training readiness, skin temp |
| Released | Sep 19, 2025 | May 15, 2025 |
| Cycle length | 727 days | 806 days |
| Cycle advice | neutral | good |
| Deals advice | neutral | neutral |
| Next model | Apple Watch Ultra 4 (Expected fall 2026) | — |
The Ultra 3 nearly doubles the Series 11 battery life, and satellite emergency SOS works even without cellular or WiFi coverage.
More precise GPS tracking in urban canyons and dense forests — critical for trail running, mountaineering, and triathlon.
The 49mm titanium case and 3000-nit display make this watch usable in full direct sunlight and water depths up to 100m (EN13319 certified for diving).
L1+L5 dual-frequency GPS for precise tracking in cities and trails, paired with Garmin's most advanced heart rate sensor — adding skin temperature monitoring over the FR265.
A first for this price tier — take phone calls, use voice assistant, and hear Bluetooth audio directly from your wrist. A meaningful upgrade over the silent FR265.
AI-powered triathlon training plans that adapt to your swim, bike, and run fitness — a key differentiator over the FR265 for multisport athletes.