Key Points
- Apple unveiled Watch Series 12 and Ultra 4 with upgraded health sensors, fitness tools and artificial intelligence features.
- Both watches use the S11 chip and measure heart rate every five seconds throughout the day.
- Longer battery life and expanded workout tracking target everyday users and endurance athletes alike.
The latest
Apple has introduced the Apple Watch Series 12 and Apple Watch Ultra 4, alongside AirPods 5, at its “Surprise and Shine” event in California. The new watches combine the S11 chip, Health Sensing System and watchOS 27, with upgrades spanning heart monitoring, fitness assessment, battery life and Apple Intelligence. Daily battery life reaches 24 hours on Series 12 and 50 hours on Ultra 4. Prices for the watches start at $399, while AirPods 5 start at $129.
Details
- Precision sensing: Series 12 uses new optical and electrical heart sensors. Apple said they deliver its most accurate wearable heart-rate measurement, citing a company study involving more than 1,000 people. Heart rate is measured every five seconds, while heart-rate variability readings occur up to 24 times more frequently than before.
- Readiness score: The new Readiness feature analyses recent activity, training load, vital signs and sleep score. It assigns a daily rating from zero to 10 and recommends recovery, reduced exertion, readiness or maximum effort. The score changes during the day as new workout and health data arrive.
- Series 12 battery: Series 12 provides up to 24 hours of daily use and 10 hours of outdoor workout tracking, a 25% increase from the previous generation. A 15-minute charge supplies up to 12 additional hours. The watch comes in 42mm and 46mm sizes.
- Ultra endurance: Ultra 4 delivers up to 50 hours of daily use or 84 hours in low-power mode. Extended Workout tracks outdoor exercise for 25 hours with GPS and heart monitoring active. Max Extended Workout raises tracking to 45 hours, recording GPS data every second. A 15-minute charge adds up to 18 hours of use. Apple said the longest mode is generally sufficient to complete a 100-mile race.
- Navigation upgrades: Apple described Ultra 4 as offering the most accurate on-device GPS among sports watches. Step-counting algorithms were redesigned with machine learning and the S11 chip to improve distance and step calculations during walking and running.
- Intelligent features: WatchOS 27 adds Siri powered by Apple Intelligence, five app suggestions based on usage and a one-handed index-finger-and-thumb gesture. Audio Intelligence recognises sirens, doorbells and crying babies. Live Rewind displays a transcript of the previous 15 seconds of conversation, while Siri Recap produces short conversation summaries.
Background
Apple revived the ceramic Series 12 in pearl white and midnight blue, alongside aluminium and titanium versions. Aluminium models gain Ceramic Shield 2, which Apple said is 60% more resistant than the previous Ion-X glass. Ultra 4 comes in natural or black titanium.
What’s next
Preorders open on September 9. Live Rewind and Siri Recap are scheduled to arrive in beta later in the year.
