Apple Watch Series 11 Unveiled: 5G, Hypertension Alerts, Sleep Score

Apple has announced the Apple Watch Series 11, calling it the company’s thinnest, most comfortable, and most durable watch yet.

The new model uses Ionex glass, which Apple says is the toughest in the industry. A custom ceramic coating bonds at an atomic level, making the glass twice as scratch-resistant compared to earlier models.

Series 11 also brings 5G connectivity to Apple Watch for the first time. A new modem and antenna system improve coverage and speed, while also being more power efficient. Major carrier partners will support 5G at launch, but we didn’t see any Canadian telecoms such as Rogers, Telus or Bell sadly.

On the software side, Series 11 runs watchOS 26, which includes new watch faces such as Flow — with liquid glass numerals that refract swirls of colour — and Exactograph, a modern take on a regulator clock that separates hours, minutes, and seconds.

“Hypertension is the leading preventable cause of heart attack and stroke, yet millions remain undiagnosed. Making accurate detection easy and part of daily life can help people get care earlier and prevent avoidable harm,” said Harlan Krumholz, MD, cardiologist and scientist at Yale University and Yale New Haven Hospital.

Health and Fitness Features

Apple Watch Series 11 expands its health features in two major areas:

• Hypertension detection: Using the optical heart sensor, the watch analyzes how blood vessels respond to heartbeats to spot signs of chronic high blood pressure. Data is reviewed over 30-day periods, and the feature will notify users if patterns suggest hypertension. Apple says it expects to alert over 1 million people with undiagnosed hypertension in the first year. FDA clearance is pending, with rollout expected in 150 countries and regions this month, including the U.S. and Europe.

• Sleep Score: Apple’s new sleep feature gives nightly ratings based on factors like sleep duration, bedtime consistency, number of wake-ups, and time spent in each stage of sleep. The score is supported by research from the World Sleep Society and more than 5 million nights of sleep data from the Apple Heart and Movement Study. Users can see details in the Sleep app on Apple Watch and track long-term trends in the Health app on iPhone.

Battery Life and Design

Apple has re-engineered the battery to deliver up to 24 hours of battery life, covering both day and night use.

Series 11 comes in jet black, silver, rose gold, and a new space gray, all made from 100% recycled aluminum. There are also polished titanium options in natural, gold, and slate, also fully recycled.

The band lineup includes new seasonal colours across the Sport Band collection, an updated Nike Sport Loop with reflective yarn, and a new Hermès Jacquard knit band with a matching animated watch face inspired by the Paris store. Hermès is also introducing the Grande Hache, a slimmer band design.

Click here to see Apple Watch Series 11 pricing.

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