As we move away from the Apple Watch Series 10 and iPhone 16 releases, we are now getting the first rumors and leaks about the upcoming Apple Watch Series 11 and iPhone 17 devices. While we have heard more reports about the next-gen iPhone series, we may now have gotten the first major Apple Watch Series 11 leak, highlighting one of the biggest changes to this Apple Watch since the introduction of LTE on the Apple Watch Series 3.
According to Bloomberg‘s Mark Gurman, Apple plans to move from Intel 4G chips to new MediaTek 5G modems. With that, newer Apple Watch models could finally get faster data speeds when using Maps, streaming songs, or making FaceTime audio calls.
The report says this could be MediaTek’s biggest order so far from Apple. The company would use 5G RedCap, a lower-tier 5G service aimed at IoT and wearables that typically don’t require fast data connections. Still, even though Apple Watch users won’t get the crazy fast speeds available on the latest iPhones, the 5G RedCap modem can deliver download speeds up to 220Mbps and upload speeds up to 120Mbps, making the Apple Watch snappier for everyday users.
The report also highlights that the future Apple Watch Ultra 3 might finally get the iPhone’s satellite features. Since those users are most likely to take advantage of satellite connectivity in hikes or trails, this will be an overdue update for Apple Watch Ultra users.
It’s also important to note that while Series 10 marked the tenth anniversary of the Apple Watch series, technically, it’s the Apple Watch Series 11 that should celebrate this mark, as the wearable was announced in 2014 but only began being sold in 2015.
That said, since the Apple Watch Series 10 release was mild, Apple could be preparing more enticing changes for the Apple Watch Series 11.
Wrap up
We still have a long time to wait before Apple unveils the Apple Watch Series 11, which means there are tons of rumors we’ll hear over the next year. BGR will keep reporting on the latest leaks and rumors of the upcoming Apple Watch Series 11.
