The Apple Watch Series 12 is almost certain to be introduced at Apple's annual iPhone event next month, and the rumors point to another quieter upgrade year for the device.
Apple has not altered the Apple Watch's design since the Series 10 arrived in 2024, and it is not expected to change this year either, making 2026 the third year of the current case. This isn't unusual since every Apple Watch casing design has lasted through three successive generations before being refreshed.
Bloomberg's Mark Gurman believes the Series 12 will continue a run of "modest upgrades," with virtually everything of significance happening internally. Here are all of the features and changes rumored for the device so far:
- 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 is itself functionally the same as 2023's S9 chip. After three generations of the same chip, the Apple Watch Series 12 is highly likely to deliver the first meaningfully new chip for the device in years. Evidence of this has also been spotted in internal Apple code. The new chip will likely be branded as the "S11," but it could be the "S12" if Apple wants to keep its numbering in line with the series.
- Longer battery life: A known leaker on the Chinese social media platform Weibo said in May that Apple is prioritizing battery life with the Series 12, pursuing a physically larger battery as well as efficiency gains elsewhere in the device. Apple rates the Series 11 at up to 24 hours on a charge, or up to 38 hours in Low Power Mode.
- Health and fitness improvements: Gurman referred to a number of health and fitness upgrades for the device without detailing them. DigiTimes pointed to a new blood pressure notification feature awaiting FDA clearance, which would build on the hypertension notifications Apple introduced last year, and claimed at least one high-end model is due a significant sensing upgrade involving eight sensors arranged in a ring.
- Ceramic case option: Gurman reported this month that the Apple Watch's distinctive ceramic casing is set to return either this year or in 2027, and the leaker and prototype collector known as "Kosutami" 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 high-end case option above titanium for the first time since 2020.
- New colors and bands: Gurman expects to see the device unveiled with a fresh collection of case finishes and band options.
Leaked code related to the Apple Watch Series 12 included references to "AppleMesa," Apple's codename for Touch ID, prompting rumors that a sensor could sit under the display or in the side button. The same leaker who flagged the battery focus denied the claim, arguing that it would add cost and consume internal space better given over to the battery. Gurman said he does not 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 pan out.
A rumor about a new sensor embedded in the band looks similarly improbable. Kosutami claimed in July that the Series 12 could ship with at least one health sensor in a band, which would be a first for the product. Every existing model houses its sensors in the case itself, and no other source has corroborated the 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 foldable "iPhone Ultra." There is not expected to be a new Apple Watch SE this year.
