It feels like a lifetime ago. Back when we were all obsessed with the iPhone X "notch" and wondering if we really needed a watch that talked back to us. If you’re asking when does series 3 apple watch come out, the answer is actually tucked away in the archives of tech history.
Apple dropped the Series 3 on September 22, 2017.
It wasn’t just another incremental update. Honestly, it was the moment the Apple Watch finally cut the umbilical cord from the iPhone. Before this, your watch was basically a fancy notification mirror. With the Series 3, you could go for a run, leave your phone at home, and still get a call from your mom. That was huge.
The Day the Watch Went Standalone
Phil Schiller stood on the stage at the Steve Jobs Theater and showed off that red dot on the Digital Crown. That little red circle was the "I have cellular" badge of honor.
Pre-orders started on September 15, 2017. A week later, people were lining up at Apple Stores to get their hands on it.
The pricing was actually pretty aggressive for the time. You could grab the GPS-only model for $329. If you wanted the full LTE experience, it started at $399. Compared to the prices we see for the Ultra 3 today, that feels like a bargain, doesn't it?
But here is the thing: the Series 3 was a survivor. Most tech gadgets have the lifespan of a housefly. Not this one. Apple kept selling the Series 3 brand new until September 2022. It stayed in the lineup for five years. That is basically a century in Silicon Valley time.
Why the Apple Watch Series 3 Was a Big Deal
The S3 chip was the secret sauce. It was 70% faster than the Series 2.
Because of that extra horsepower, Siri could finally talk. It sounds basic now, but hearing your watch actually speak the weather forecast instead of just showing a cloud icon was kind of a "the future is here" moment.
We also got:
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- The Barometric Altimeter: Finally, the watch knew if you were actually climbing stairs or just walking flat.
- W2 Wireless Chip: This made Wi-Fi way faster and helped the battery not die in three hours.
- Streaming Music: You could beam 40 million songs from Apple Music directly to your wrist.
It’s easy to forget how clunky older smartwatches were. The Series 3 was the first time the experience felt fluid. Smooth. Reliable.
Is It Still Worth Getting in 2026?
Short answer: No.
Long answer: Definitely no, unless you’re a collector or need a very expensive paperweight.
Look, the Series 3 was a beast for its time, but time caught up. Apple officially cut off software support with watchOS 9. That means it’s stuck on watchOS 8.8.1 forever. In 2026, where we’re seeing watchOS 26 and advanced AI integration, a Series 3 feels like using a flip phone at a Tesla convention.
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It’s slow. The 8GB of storage on the GPS model is a nightmare for updates. You basically have to factory reset the whole thing just to install a security patch. Trust me, I’ve been there, and it’s not how you want to spend your Saturday.
The Legacy of the Red Crown
When you look back at when does series 3 apple watch come out, you’re really looking at the birth of the modern wearable. It proved that a smartwatch could be more than a phone accessory. It could be a phone.
Even though it’s "obsolete" now, you’ll still see them on people's wrists at the gym. They refuse to die. The heart rate sensor is still decent, and for basic step tracking, it gets the job done. But if you're looking for a daily driver today, you're much better off looking at a used Series 8 or the newer SE models.
What You Should Do Instead
If you’ve got a Series 3 tucked in a drawer, don't just throw it away.
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- Check the Battery: If it's bulging, get it out of the house. Lithium batteries don't age gracefully.
- Trade it in: You won't get much, but Apple might give you a few bucks or at least recycle it for free.
- Use it as a dedicated "Beater" watch: If you’re doing something messy like painting the house or working on a car, the Series 3 is a great "I don't care if this breaks" device.
The Series 3 had a hell of a run. It saw the rise and fall of dozens of competitors. It stayed on shelves while the Series 4, 5, 6, and 7 came and went. That's a legacy very few gadgets can claim.