Google Pixel Watch 5 (45 mm, LTE) / Apple Watch Ultra 3

Google Pixel Watch 5 (45 mm, LTE): 45 mm · 4G LTE option

Apple Watch Ultra 3: 49 mm titanium case, GPS + Cellular (A3281); natural or black finish. Ultra 2 and Ultra 4 are separate models.

SpecificationGoogle Pixel Watch 5 (45 mm, LTE)Apple Watch Ultra 3
Release year20262025
LaunchAnnounced and opened for pre-order on 12 August 2026; on sale 20 August 2026 Google—
DisplayActua 360; 320 ppi AMOLED LTPO; DCI-P3; up to 3000 nits; 1–60 Hz variable refresh; as low as 1 nit in always-on mode GoogleAlways-On Retina with wide-angle OLED and LTPO3; 422 × 514 pixels, 326 ppi; 1245 mm² active area; up to 3000 nits, minimum 1 nit

Apple says the wide-angle OLED pixels emit light at wider angles, so the screen stays readable without fully turning the wrist. LTPO3 allows thinner borders and lets the always-on mode refresh once per second, so a seconds hand is visible without raising the wrist. The 1-nit minimum reduces glare in the dark.

Apple
Cover glassCustom 3D Corning Gorilla Glass 5 Google—
Case and band100% recycled aluminium case; soft-touch HNBR rubber Active Band (2nd gen) Google—
Wrist sizeThe small band fits 150–185 mm wrists and the large band 165–215 mm; both come in the box Google—
Size45 mm diameter; 12.3 mm height Google—
Weight36.7 g (without band) Google—
ProcessorQualcomm Snapdragon W5 Gen 2 Accelerated; Cortex-M55 co-processor; Google cites a 12% CPU increase and 50% more RAM than the previous generation Google—
Storage64 GB eMMC flash (capacity before formatting) Google—
SoftwareWear OS 7.0 Google—
Connectivity4G LTE and UMTS; Bluetooth 6.0; Wi-Fi 802.11a/b/g/n/ac/ax (2.4 and 5 GHz); NFC; Ultra-Wideband Google—
LTE optionOn the LTE option the watch can be activated for calls, texts and music without the phone; carrier activation is required and the phone must use the same carrier Google—
Satellite SOSEmergency communication over satellite; no extra charge for 2 years after activation; may be unavailable in some countries or conditions Google—
PositioningDual-frequency GPS; US: GPS, Galileo, GLONASS; rest of world: GPS, Galileo, GLONASS, BeiDou, QZSS Google—
GPS route accuracyGoogle says post-workout route correction uses Google Maps 3D building models and weather-station data, and claims twice the accuracy of the previous generation in difficult urban areas; the comparison rests on Google’s own July 2026 study Google—
SensorsMulti-path optical heart rate, red and infrared SpO2, electrical sensors for the ECG app, skin conductance (cEDA), far-field skin temperature, accelerometer, gyroscope, barometer, altimeter, compass, magnetometer, ambient light GoogleElectrical heart sensor; third-generation optical heart sensor; blood oxygen; temperature; depth gauge and water temperature; compass; always-on altimeter; high-g accelerometer; high dynamic range gyroscope

The electrical heart sensor powers the ECG app; the optical sensor drives heart rate and Apple’s hypertension notifications. Hypertension notifications passively analyse 30-day periods and are not intended for people under 22, during pregnancy or for those already diagnosed. The temperature sensor is not for medical use; the Blood Oxygen app is for wellness use.

Apple
Health featuresIrregular rhythm and high/low heart rate notifications, ECG, loss of pulse detection; breathing emergency detection (launching in Europe first); monthly trend summaries for blood pressure, sleep breathing and insulin resistance (“coming soon” in the announcement). Availability varies by country Google—
Battery465 mAh (typical) lithium-ion; up to 40 hours with always-on display, up to 72 hours in Battery Saver mode Google—
ChargingWith the Quick Charge Dock: about 15 minutes to 50%, 30 minutes to 80% and 60 minutes to 100%; the 30 W adapter is sold separately Google—
Water and dust resistance5 ATM and IP68; Google states the watch is not waterproof or dustproof and that resistance can diminish over time Google—
ControlsTouchscreen, side button, haptic crown, Gen 3 premium haptics; touchless one-handed gestures Google—
AudioBuilt-in microphone and speaker GoogleThree-mic array with beamforming and wind noise mitigation; dual speakers; siren

The siren helps people nearby locate a user who is lost or needs help.

Apple
GeminiGemini Intelligence; Raise to Talk, At a Glance and proactive suggestions; core actions run on the device. Features are offered in select countries and languages to users 18 and over Google—
Phone compatibilityWorks with most phones running Android 12 or newer; requires a Google Account and the Pixel Watch app; Android (Go edition) is not supported Google—
RepairGoogle cites a repairable architecture; repair manuals and options vary by region Google—
Warranty1 year in the US, Canada, Japan, India, Singapore, Taiwan, Malaysia and Mexico; 2 years in the UK, EEA, France, Switzerland and Australia Google—
Case—49 mm Grade 5 titanium; natural or black finish; flat sapphire front crystal

Ultra 3 is sold only as a 49 mm GPS + Cellular watch; bands fit 130–210 mm wrists.

Apple
Chip and storage—S10 SiP with 64-bit dual-core processor; 4-core Neural Engine; 64 GB storage Apple
Cellular and satellite—5G RedCap and LTE (A3281); international roaming; satellite connectivity for Emergency SOS, Messages and Find My

RedCap is a reduced form of 5G for low-data devices such as watches. Satellite connectivity lets you call for emergency help and send short messages outside cellular coverage; Apple says Find My shares location via satellite every 15 minutes. Satellite services are free for two years from activation; Find My and Messages need a carrier plan, and availability varies by region.

Apple
Wireless and location—Wi-Fi 4 (802.11n) 2.4 and 5 GHz; Bluetooth 5.3; second-generation Ultra Wideband; L1 and L5 dual-frequency GPS (GPS, GLONASS, Galileo, QZSS, BeiDou)

Using L1 and L5 together helps reduce reflected-signal errors near tall buildings and under tree cover. Ultra Wideband availability varies by region.

Apple
Durability—100 m water resistance under ISO 22810:2010; recreational scuba diving to 40 m under EN13319; IP6X dust; tested to MIL-STD 810H

Diving needs a compatible third-party app; the depth gauge is accurate to ±1 m. MIL-STD 810H covers altitude, high/low temperature, temperature shock, immersion, freeze/thaw, ice and freezing rain, shock and vibration. Passing these tests does not mean the watch cannot be damaged.

Apple
Battery and charging—Built-in rechargeable lithium-ion battery; up to 42 hours normal use, up to 72 hours in Low Power Mode; about 80% in 45 minutes; Magnetic Fast Charger to USB-C cable (1 m)

Apple says 15 minutes of charging gives 12 hours of normal use and 5 minutes gives 8 hours of sleep tracking. Apple’s 80% in 45 minutes figure is based on its 20 W USB-C power adapter. Low Power Mode is rated at 20 hours of continuous outdoor workout with full GPS and heart rate.

Apple
Size and weight—49 × 44 × 12 mm; 61.6 g (natural), 61.8 g (black) Apple
Software and compatibility—watchOS 26; requires iPhone 11 or later (iPhone SE 2nd generation or later) running iOS 26 or later

The watch does not pair with Android phones; setup and most features require an iPhone.

Apple
Operating conditions—On wrist −20 to 55 °C; operating 0–35 °C; diving 0–40 °C; altitude −500 to 9000 m Apple