The Apple Watch Series 12 is almost certain to be showcased at Apple’s annual iPhone event next month, and rumors point to another quieter year of upgrades for the device.
Apple hasn’t changed the design of the Apple Watch since the Series 10 arrived in 2024, and that isn’t expected to change this year either, making 2026 the third year of the current case. This is not unusual since each Apple Watch case design has gone through three successive generations before being refreshed.
BloombergMark Gurman believes that the 12 series will continue a series of “modest upgrades”, with virtually everything important happening internally. Here are all the features and changes announced so far for the device:
- New chip: Last year’s Apple Watch Series 11 retained the same S10 chip as its predecessor for the first time, and the S10 chip itself is functionally the same as 2023’s S9 chip. After three generations of the same chip, the Apple Watch Series 12 is very likely to deliver the first significant new chip for the device in years. Evidence of this has also been spotted in Apple’s internal code. The new chip will likely be branded “S11”, but it could be “S12” if Apple wants its numbering to match the series.
- Longer battery life: A known leaker on Chinese social media platform Weibo said in May that Apple was prioritizing battery life with the Series 12, seeking a physically larger battery as well as efficiency gains elsewhere in the device. Apple rates the Series 11 for up to 24 hours on a charge, or up to 38 hours in low power mode.
- Health and Fitness Improvements: Gurman referenced a number of health and fitness improvements for the device without detailing them. DigiTimes pointed to a new blood pressure notification feature awaiting FDA clearance that would build on the hypertension notifications Apple introduced last year, and claimed that at least one high-end model was to get a significant sensing upgrade involving eight sensors arranged in a ring.
- Ceramic housing option: Gurman reported this month that the Apple Watch’s distinctive ceramic case is expected to return this year or in 2027, and the leaker and prototype collector known as “Kosutami” has since claimed it will arrive with the Series 12. The finish has been absent from the lineup for six years and would give Apple a premium case option above titanium for the first time since 2020.
- New colors and stripes: Gurman expects to see the device revealed with a new collection of case finishes and strap options.
Leaked code related to the Apple Watch Series 12 included references to “AppleMesa,” Apple’s codename for Touch ID, sparking rumors that a sensor could be under the screen or in the side button. The same leaker who reported the focus on the battery denied the claim, arguing that it would increase costs and consume internal space better devoted to the battery. Gurman said he doesn’t expect any significant design changes to the Series 12 or Ultra 4, which a fingerprint sensor would almost certainly require, so the rumor seems unlikely to come to fruition.
A rumor regarding a new sensor integrated into the bracelet seems equally improbable. Kosutami claimed in July that the Series 12 could come with at least one health sensor in one band, which would be a first for the product. Every existing model houses its sensors within the case itself, and no other sources have corroborated this claim.
The Apple Watch Series 12 is expected to be announced alongside the Apple Watch Ultra 4, iPhone 18 Pro, iPhone 18 Pro Max, and the foldable “iPhone Ultra.” There is no expectation that there will be a new Apple Watch SE this year.
