Apple has unveiled the Watch Series 12, focusing on more frequent health data collection and new audio-based AI features.
The smartwatch starts at $399 and is available for pre-order today, with shipments beginning September 18.
The new Health Sensing System includes redesigned optical and electrical sensors with larger green LEDs.
These upgrades allow the watch to record heart rate every five seconds in the background and measure Heart Rate Variability (HRV) up to 24 times more frequently than the Series 11.
This increased data collection feeds into a new Readiness metric, which provides a daily score from 0 to 10 based on recent activity, sleep, and daytime vitals.
The score advises users whether to rest or proceed with a workout, catching up to features already standard on Garmin and Oura devices.
The watch also adds passive notifications for potential hypertension and sleep apnea.
On the iPhone side, a redesigned Health app introduces a Health Age metric to compare user data against age-based averages.
Audio Intelligence and S11 chipset
The new S11 chipset brings a suite of microphone-dependent features branded as Audio Intelligence.
The standout is Live Rewind, which transcribes the last 15 seconds of audio when the user double-clicks the Digital Crown, designed for when you miss a detail in conversation.
Another feature, Siri Recap, generates text summaries of recent chats.
For privacy, Apple says all audio processing takes place directly on the watch using the S11 chip’s Secure Exclave, so raw audio is neither stored nor sent to the cloud.
Live Rewind also plays an audible chime and shows an on-screen animation to let people nearby know when transcription is active.
Design, battery, and watchOS 27
The Series 12 comes in 42mm and 46mm sizes, with aluminum and titanium cases, alongside the return of a ceramic option in white and blue.
Aluminum models get an updated Ceramic Shield 2 glass, which Apple claims is 60% tougher than the previous generation.
Battery life remains at 24 hours for standard use, though Apple says outdoor workout tracking now lasts up to 10 hours.
Charging speeds have improved slightly, with a 15-minute charge yielding 12 hours of use.
The device ships with watchOS 27, which includes a new Siri AI integration for more conversational queries.
At the event, Apple also launched its first foldable smartphone, the iPhone Duo, featuring dual 120Hz displays, a titanium build, and the A20 Pro chip.
The company also introduced the iPhone 18 Pro and iPhone 18 Pro Max, which come with a variable aperture camera and the 2nm A20 Pro chip.
