Customers who were not lucky enough to secure an LTE-enabled Apple Watch Series 3 model right when pre-orders went live have been waiting patiently for their new devices, with many shipping estimates ranging into October after delivery dates slipped by weeks.
Some of those customers won't be waiting too long, though, as Apple is getting those backordered Apple Watch Series 3 models out quicker than expected. MacRumors has heard several reports from readers who expected their devices in mid-October but are already receiving shipment confirmations, and many others are discussing their early arrival dates in our forums.
Orders appear to be arriving early in several countries, including the United States and the UK. From MacRumors reader danmart:
My order (UK, confirmation received 08:05, 42mm SSSB with Sport Band) was originally projecting 9-16 October. Just received notification that it will deliver on Thursday!
Some customers who have been waiting on an Apple Watch have been able to secure one in a local Apple retail store by keeping an eye on stock using Apple's in-store pickup tool.
All of the Apple Watch Series 3 models with LTE connectivity list shipment dates of at least three to four weeks when purchased online in the United States, and availability is similarly limited in other countries. Given that Apple is getting some of these watches out early, the wait could be somewhat shorter.
Non-LTE Series 3 Apple Watch models are readily available in stores and will ship out right away.
Customers who chose a Nike+ model have also been waiting for their devices to arrive. While the first LTE models delivered on September 22, Nike+ models won't start arriving to customers until Thursday, October 5.
Apple Watch Series 3 pricing starts at $329 for the non-LTE devices and $399 for LTE connectivity, with prices going up based on band selection and case material.
Wednesday February 26, 2025 6:32 am PST by Joe Rossignol
In an all-caps post on Truth Social today, U.S. President Donald Trump said Apple should fully end its diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) policies.
Tim Cook meeting with President Trump in 2017
"APPLE SHOULD GET RID OF DEI RULES, NOT JUST MAKE ADJUSTMENTS TO THEM," he wrote.
Trump's post comes one day after Apple held its annual shareholders meeting, during which a majority of...
Wednesday February 26, 2025 7:15 am PST by Joe Rossignol
In a recent press release, Apple confirmed that iOS 18.4 will be released in April.
From the Apple News+ Food announcement:Coming with iOS 18.4 and iPadOS 18.4 in April, Apple News+ subscribers will have access to Apple News+ Food, a new section that will feature tens of thousands of recipes — as well as stories about restaurants, healthy eating, kitchen essentials, and more — from the...
The Apple Watch Ultra 3 is expected to launch later this year, arriving two years after the previous model with a series of improvements.
While no noticeable design changes are expected for the third generation since the company tends to stick with the same Apple Watch design through three generations before changing it, there are a series of internal upgrades on the way.
By the time the ...
Tuesday February 25, 2025 2:58 am PST by Tim Hardwick
Apple is making significant headway on its long-rumored foldable iPhone, with a new report suggesting the company has achieved a major breakthrough by effectively eliminating the screen crease that plagues current foldable devices.
According to Korean publication ETNews, Apple is finalizing its component suppliers for the foldable iPhone, with the selection process expected to be completed...
Tuesday February 25, 2025 1:18 pm PST by Juli Clover
Multiple iPhone owners today noticed a pronunciation processing issue that causes the word "Trump" to momentarily show up when using dictation to send a message with the word "racist."
In some cases, when speaking the word racist through the iPhone's built-in dictation feature, the iPhone briefly interprets the spoken word as "Trump" and "Trump" text shows up in the Messages app before being ...
Monday February 24, 2025 9:14 am PST by Joe Rossignol
According to a post on X today from a leaker known as Kosutami, Apple plans to launch AirPods Pro 3 in May or June this year.
The leaker also claimed that an AirTag 2 will launch around the same time.
Kosutami is best known as a collector of prototype Apple hardware, but they have occasionally shared accurate information about Apple's future product plans. For example, they accurately...
Monday February 24, 2025 6:11 am PST by Joe Rossignol
Apple plans to launch a second-generation AirTag in May or June this year, according to a post today from a leaker known as Kosutami.
Bloomberg's Mark Gurman previously reported that a new AirTag would be released in mid-2025. May or June would align with that timeframe.
Below, we recap three new features rumored for the AirTag 2:
With a second-generation Ultra Wideband chip, the...
Sunday February 23, 2025 2:23 pm PST by Joe Rossignol
The first beta of iOS 18.4 is now available, and it includes a small but useful change for CarPlay.
As we noted in our list of iOS 18.4 features, CarPlay now shows a third row of icons, up from two rows previously. However, this change is only visible in vehicles with a larger center display. For example, a MacRumors Forums member noticed the change in a Toyota Tundra, which can be equipped...
Still don’t get why I should pay $10 a month for LTE access when LTE speeds are of little use given the form factor, and the battery dies if you rely on it for more than a few hours a day. Seems like a lot to pay so that once in awhile I can leave my phone behind at the gym, pool, or in the court room.
Well, looks like you don’t need one then. Why are you wasting your time in these forums ?
Still don’t get why I should pay $10 a month for LTE access when LTE speeds are of little use given the form factor, and the battery dies if you rely on it for more than a few hours a day.
I think the answer is clearly that YOU should not. This is obviously not something that you are looking for.
