The Apple Watch battery life has reached impressive new heights, particularly with the introduction of the Apple Watch Ultra 3, which can now measure battery life in days rather than hours. Following closely behind, the Apple Watch Series 11 also showcases significant advancements in battery performance. In a recent battery life test, both the Apple Watch Series 10 and Series 11 managed to last an impressive 28 hours between charges. This test included an hour-long workout and overnight sleep tracking, underscoring the device's capability to handle demanding usage.
When we compare the current capabilities of the Apple Watch to its original model, the progress is astounding. The original Apple Watch struggled to meet its promised battery life of just 18 hours. Fast forward to today, and both the Series and Ultra models have incorporated advanced features like 5G connectivity and enhanced displays, which can always show the time, including seconds — all while maintaining a thinner design.
In the realm of the Apple Watch Ultra, users can enjoy an even more remarkable experience. You can comfortably put on your watch on a Monday and not need to recharge it until Thursday. This extended battery life is a game-changer for those who rely on their smartwatch throughout the week without frequent interruptions for charging.
However, there’s an important caveat regarding software updates for the Apple Watch. Similar to the iPhone, the Apple Watch requires at least 50% battery charge to install a software update. Unlike the iPhone, though, the Apple Watch must also be connected to its charger during the update process. This precaution is in place to prevent the risk of bricking your device if it loses power during installation.
With a full battery, I am confident that the Apple Watch Ultra 3 can seamlessly update to the latest watchOS version 26.0.2 without depleting its charge. This reassurance applies to any modern Apple Watch that is above the 50% battery threshold. Ideally, software updates should be a background process, happening overnight while the watch is charging. However, the combination of sleep tracking and sporadic charging can complicate this.
In reality, I often find myself putting on a fully charged Apple Watch only to be greeted by a notification stating, "Update Was Not Installed." My instinct is to navigate to Settings, scroll down to General, and tap on Software Update. Yet, I am faced with the Install button, which indicates a 312 MB update that cannot proceed without being connected to external power. While this may seem like a minor inconvenience, it’s one of those small quality-of-life software improvements I hope to see addressed in a future watchOS update — provided the watch is connected to a charger, of course.
