Apple Developing Several Frame Styles for Smart Glasses
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Apple Watch Series 11, Ultra 3, SE 3 Have 5G in Canada—But It’s Disabled
Apple’s latest Apple Watches—the Series 11, Ultra 3, and SE 3—come with 5G hardware inside, but in Canada, the feature is disabled.
Federal government filings confirm the Canadian models are identical to the U.S. versions. The Radio Equipment List (REL) shows Apple Watch Series 11 model A3335 was approved for the U.S., Canada, and global markets on September 5, 2025, according to info obtained by iPhone in Canada.
The same story applies to the Apple Watch Ultra 3 and SE 3. The REL lists Ultra 3 model A3281 for Canada and the U.S. For the Apple Watch SE 3, model A3326 was approved for Canada. All of these run on watchOS 26 as noted on the filings.
That means the hardware for 5G is in every new Apple Watch sold in Canada—but Apple has likely switched it off with software. It’s possible 5G networking could be unlocked later through a future update, when telecom networks will support it.
At launch, Canadians will only get LTE connectivity. During its September event, Apple’s slide of global 5G partners for Apple Watch didn’t include Rogers, Telus, or Bell. Canada’s slower 5G spectrum rollout is partly to blame, with spectrum auctions lagging behind other countries and carriers having less mid-band spectrum to work with.
So if you’re buying a new Apple Watch Series 11, Ultra 3, or SE 3 in Canada, know this: the 5G is already in there—it’s just not active (for now).
Thanks J!
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Think you meant the Watch SE 3?
holy crap, brain fart. fixed! thanks.
The 5G capability as well as related bands (as well as LTE bands previously unsupported) is more important than the use of 5G itself in terms of a device like the Apple Watch.
I wouldn’t be surprised if this is related to the slow/non-existent rollout of 5G-SA in Canada. I doubt the Apple Watch will be connecting to any multiple bands simultaneously anyways since top download/upload are certainly not priorities on a device so small.
The US and Canada have mostly the same 5G bands. In fact, the Canadian and US iPhone models share all the same sub-6GHz bands, differing only in the mmWave ones (n258, n260, and n261), which remain US-only.
I suspect you're entirely right about network infrastructure, although it's not just 5G-SA. That's starting to gain a foothold in major markets, but it's only a path to what the Apple Watch needs, which is specific support for 5G RedCap. This requires more specific upgrades in the 5G network configuration, not to mention a separate testing and validation process.
I wonder if the watch will get 5G when travelling to the US and other countries?