Apple Sunset

Apple Watch Series 3

Discontinued 7 Sept 2022

Released

22 Sept 2017

Announced

12 Sept 2017

Pre-orders opened

15 Sept 2017

Launch price from

$329

Discontinued

7 Sept 2022

Lifespan

4 years, 11 months

Category
Apple Watch
Status
Discontinued
Apple support status
Discontinued, not yet Vintage
Release type
Refresh of an existing model
Previous model
Apple Watch Series 2
Replaced by
Apple Watch Series 4
Official Apple page
No longer available on Apple’s website
Tech specs
Apple specs ↗
Press release
Apple Newsroom ↗
More information
Apple Watch on Wikipedia ↗

Notes

The Apple Watch Series 3 was the first that could work without an iPhone nearby, at $329 with GPS or $399 with cellular. The cellular model carried a full LTE and UMTS radio and switched to it automatically when the iPhone was out of range. Apple solved the aerial problem by using the display itself as the transmitting and receiving element, and fitted an eSIM about a hundredth the size of an ordinary SIM card.

It shared the iPhone’s own phone number rather than needing a second one, which meant calls and messages reached the wrist without anyone having to know a different number. Both devices had to be with the same network provider.

The Apple Watch Series 3 kept the 38mm and 42mm sizes, in aluminium in gold, silver or space grey, in silver or space black stainless steel, and in a dark grey ceramic for the Edition model. The S3 chip was faster than before, a barometric altimeter was added to measure relative elevation, and battery life stayed at 18 hours.

Storage differed between the two versions, 16GB on the cellular model and 8GB on the GPS one.

It was announced on 12 September 2017 at the ‘Let’s meet at our place’ event. Pre-orders were available from 15 September, while it was released to shops on 22 September, priced from $329.

Check out the Apple Watch Series 4 that replaced it.

Apple Watch release history

  1. 2026

  2. 18 Sept 2026

    Apple Watch Series 12 LaunchCurrent

  3. 9 Sept 2026

    Apple Watch Series 11 Discontinued

  4. ↑ about 1 year later
  5. 2025

  6. 19 Sept 2025

    Apple Watch Series 11 Released

  7. 9 Sept 2025

    Apple Watch Series 10 Discontinued

  8. ↑ about 1 year later
  9. 2024

  10. 20 Sept 2024

    Apple Watch Series 10 Launch

  11. 9 Sept 2024

    Apple Watch Series 9 Discontinued

  12. ↑ about 1 year later
  13. 2023

  14. 22 Sept 2023

    Apple Watch Series 9 Released

  15. 12 Sept 2023

    Apple Watch Series 8 Discontinued

  16. ↑ about 1 year later
  17. 2022

  18. 16 Sept 2022

    Apple Watch Series 8 Released

  19. 7 Sept 2022

    Apple Watch Series 3 Discontinued

    Apple Watch Series 7 Discontinued

  20. ↑ about 1 year later
  21. 2021

  22. 15 Oct 2021

    Apple Watch Series 7 Released

  23. 14 Sept 2021

    Apple Watch Series 6 Discontinued

  24. ↑ about 1 year later
  25. 2020

  26. 18 Sept 2020

    Apple Watch Series 6 Released

  27. 15 Sept 2020

    Apple Watch Series 5 Discontinued

  28. ↑ about 1 year later
  29. 2019

  30. 20 Sept 2019

    Apple Watch Series 5 Released

  31. 10 Sept 2019

    Apple Watch Series 4 Discontinued

  32. ↑ about 1 year later
  33. 2018

  34. 21 Sept 2018

    Apple Watch Series 4 Released

  35. 12 Sept 2018

    Apple Watch Series 1 Discontinued

  36. ↑ about 1 year later
  37. 2017

  38. 22 Sept 2017

    Apple Watch Series 3 Released

  39. 12 Sept 2017

    Apple Watch Series 2 Discontinued

  40. ↑ about 1 year later
  41. 2016

  42. 16 Sept 2016

    Apple Watch Series 1 Released

    Apple Watch Series 2 Released

  43. 7 Sept 2016

    Apple Watch (1st generation) Discontinued

  44. ↑ 1 year, 4 months later
  45. 2015

  46. 24 Apr 2015

    Apple Watch (1st generation) Released

More in Apple Watch

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