Apple announced the Apple Watch Series 12 and Apple Watch Ultra 4 during its September 9 event at Apple Park, and both models look very familiar. In fact, from the outside, you probably wouldn’t be able to tell these are the new models; everything worth paying for is happening in new smartwatches. The Series 12 starts at $399 for the 42mm aluminum model and the Ultra 4 at $799, with pre-orders open now and shipping starting September 18.
The biggest changes include the new S11 chip – which is the first real silicon upgrade for the Apple Watch in three generations – faster charging and longer drive battery life on the Series 12, a ceramic case option returning after six years and a much bigger battery on the Ultra 4. watchOS 27 arrives on September 14 before both watches after months of beta releases, although older models may also be updated. up to date. There’s no new Apple Watch SE, so the SE 3 remains the cheapest way to get into the lineup.
Apple Watch Series 12
The Series 12 has the same case that Apple introduced with the Series 10 in 2024, making this the third year Apple has used the current design. Each Apple Watch chassis typically lasts three generations before a major refresh, so this isn’t a surprise. If you’re waiting for a new Apple Watch with a slightly different look, you might want to wait until 2027. Touch ID was rumored to appear in Series 12 for months, but didn’t make it. But this year, ceramic returns as a case option at the high end, above titanium, in pearl white and midnight blue. It’s a finish Apple hasn’t offered since 2020. The aluminum models benefit from Ceramic Shield 2, which is rated 60% stronger than the 11 Series’ Ion-X Glass.
Apple
The new S11 processor is the most interesting part of the Series 12. The Series 11 reused the S10 chip, which was the same silicon as the 2023 S9 chip in the Apple Watch Series 9. This makes the Series 12 the first Apple Watch in years with a new chipset offering improved performance. Apple calls the S11 its most powerful wearable chip and powers the new health detection system. Daily battery life remains 24 hours compared to the Series 11, so you’ll find many smartwatches with longer battery life. But outdoor workouts are now rated to last 10 hours, 25% longer than the Series 11, and 15 minutes of charging adds up to 12 hours.
Health tracking benefits from some improvements, although these largely come from new software features. The heart rate sensor can now collect measurements continuously throughout the day rather than just during workouts, and Apple claims the most accurate heart rate sensing in a wearable device, based on a study of more than 1,000 participants. HRV is measured every five minutes, or 24 times more often. Readiness transforms recent activity, training load, vital signs, and sleep score into a daily score from 0 to 10 with one of four recommendations: Recover, Pace yourself, Ready, or Go.
Audio Intelligence is the other major addition to the new Apple Watch. Live Rewind displays the last 15 seconds of a conversation as text after a double press of the Digital Crown, with a chime and on-screen microphone indicator so people nearby know it’s in progress. Siri Recap summarizes subsequent conversations and sound recognition signals sirens, alarms and doorbells. Both are coming to beta later this year, as is a redesigned Health app with a Longevity tab and a Health Age display that compares your measurements to your actual age. Siri AI arrives on the wrist with watchOS 27, as expected after months of beta versions.
Apple Watch Ultra 4
The Ultra 4 hasn’t changed much in terms of design either, it uses the same casing that Apple has been using since 2022, in natural titanium and black. Inside, you’ll find the same new S11 chip as the 12 series. Battery life improves the most, with daily use now lasting up to 50 hours – or more than two days – with 84 hours in low power mode, and 15 minutes of charging totals 18 hours.
The Ultra 4 has two additional workout modes that the 12 Series doesn’t offer. Extended Workout will track activities with full GPS and heart rate for up to 25 hours, a 25% increase over the Ultra 3. Meanwhile, Max Extended Workout extends outdoor runs, walks and hikes for up to 45 hours with a GPS reading every second. Apple says this is usually enough to complete a 100-mile race. Apple also claims the most accurate built-in GPS in a sports watch and the most accurate step tracking of any smartwatch. The Ultra 4 shares the 12 Series’ health sensing system, with new optical and electrical heart sensors, heart rate reading every five seconds and HRV every five minutes, as well as the same audio intelligence features and access to the redesigned Health app. The preparation, however, is tied to the S11 chip, so Ultra 3 owners won’t get it through watchOS 27.
Satellite is one of the best features of the Apple Watch line. It started with the Ultra 3, where Apple introduced Emergency SOS, Find My, and satellite text messaging without an iPhone nearby. All of this is kept on the Ultra 4, free for two years from activation, running on Globalstar. Nothing new has been added this year – contrary to rumors predicted – so satellite capabilities are not a reason for Ultra 3 owners to upgrade.
