Apple just delivered the upgrade Watch fans have been demanding for years. The new Series 11 finally achieves true 24-hour battery life, letting users sleep with their watch and wake up with 58% charge remaining. Combined with satellite messaging and 5G connectivity, this marks the first time in years that upgrading makes complete sense - even for recent Watch owners.
Apple has been promising better Apple Watch battery life for years, delivering half-measures like Low Power mode and faster charging while the core 18-hour limitation persisted. That changes now. The Apple Watch Series 11 represents the most significant battery breakthrough since the original Watch launched a decade ago.
After wearing the Series 11 through a full day and overnight sleep tracking, WIRED's Adrienne So woke up with 58% battery remaining. That's not a typo - users can now wear their watch to bed, wake up, get kids to school, and charge at their desk without the constant battery anxiety that's plagued the platform.
This battery leap transforms how the Watch integrates into daily life. "Many users, including my own spouse, did not wear the Apple Watch to sleep, just because it was too annoying to wake up with a drained watch," So notes. Being able to wear the watch for 24 hours straight, instead of skipping one-third of each day, fundamentally changes the value proposition.
The Series 11 maintains the slim profile of last year's Series 10, available in 42mm and 46mm sizes with aluminum ($399-$449) and titanium ($699-$749) finishes. But the real story lies beneath the familiar design - Apple's new S11 chip delivers the efficiency gains that finally made true all-day battery life possible.
Beyond battery life, the Series 11 introduces satellite connectivity that works where cellular coverage fails. During off-grid camping tests, So confirmed satellite messaging functioned reliably, with the watch guiding users toward optimal satellite positioning. This feature alone justifies upgrading for outdoor enthusiasts who frequently venture beyond cell towers.
The cellular model now supports 5G, though real-world benefits remain modest for typical watch usage. "I am not watching videos or playing Bloons on the watch, but my music did download slightly faster while running," So observes. The upgrade feels more future-proofing than immediate transformation.
Health features receive significant updates through watchOS 26. The most noteworthy addition: hypertension notifications that monitor blood pressure patterns through the optical heart rate sensor. developed this feature using data from over 100,000 participants, though it requires 14 days of baseline monitoring before notifications activate.
