Apple has unveiled the Apple Watch Series 12 and Apple Watch Ultra 4, with both models receiving substantial upgrades focused on health monitoring, fitness insights and on-wrist intelligence.
At the heart of both watches is Apple’s new Health Sensing System, paired with the new S11 chip. Apple says the combination delivers its most accurate heart-rate sensing yet, while heart rate variability (HRV) is measured much more frequently to provide a better picture of stress and recovery.
The two watches also introduce a new readiness score, designed to give users an easily understood indication of how prepared their body is for the day ahead.
The Series 12 remains Apple’s mainstream smartwatch and starts at S$599, while the more rugged Ultra 4 extends the formula with longer battery life and outdoor-focused capabilities for S$1,199.
Both are available for pre-order now, with retail availability in Singapore beginning September 18.
Health Monitoring Gets More Frequent
One of the biggest upgrades shared by the two watches is the new optical and electrical heart sensor system.
Larger and more power-efficient green LEDs allow the watches to take a heart-rate measurement every five seconds throughout the day. Apple says its testing, involving more than 1,000 participants and comparisons against competing wearables, found the new system delivered the highest heart-rate accuracy among the devices evaluated.
HRV measurements are taken up to 24 times more frequently. Apple separates the information into Recovery HRV, intended to help identify daily stress and recovery signals, and overall HRV, which provides a broader indication of health and cardiovascular trends.
The Vitals experience has been expanded accordingly. Overnight vitals can compare recovery HRV against the wearer’s personal baseline, while a new daytime view may reveal changes before they become apparent in overnight measurements.
Readiness Tells You Whether to Push or Recover
The new readiness feature turns the increasing amount of health data collected by Apple Watch into something intended to be easier to act upon.
It combines recent activity, training load, vitals and sleep score to generate a score from zero to 10, accompanied by one of four recommendations: Recover, Pace Yourself, Ready or Go For It.
Unlike a once-a-day recovery measurement, the score can change as new information becomes available. A particularly demanding workout or a change in daytime vitals, for example, can alter the recommendation later in the day.
Apple says the algorithm was developed using data from the Apple Heart and Movement Study in collaboration with exercise scientists and physicians.
Apple Watch Ultra 4 Goes Further on Battery Life
Apple Watch Ultra 4 is aimed at considerably longer adventures. It delivers up to 50 hours of normal use or 84 hours in Low Power Mode. A 15-minute charge can add up to 18 hours of battery life.
Its Extended Workout mode provides up to 25 hours of workout tracking with full GPS and heart-rate measurements. For ultramarathons and other endurance activities, Max Extended Workout mode can track outdoor runs, walks and hikes for up to 45 hours, while continuing to record GPS readings every second.
The Apple Watch Series 12 offers up to 24 hours of everyday battery life, but outdoor workout tracking increases to as much as 10 hours, a 25 per cent improvement over its predecessor. A 15-minute charge can provide up to another 12 hours of battery life.
Apple has redesigned its pedometer model using new machine-learning algorithms and the processing capabilities of S11.
The changes are intended to improve both everyday step counting and distance measurements during indoor walking and running workouts. Apple claims the resulting system provides the most accurate step tracking of any smartwatch.
A new Steps complication also makes the current step count directly visible on the watch face.
Audio Intelligence Comes to the Wrist
The S11 chip is also enabling a new category of Audio Intelligence features scheduled to arrive later this year on both Series 12 and Ultra 4.
Sound Recognition can listen for important noises such as alarms, sirens, doorbells or a baby crying and alert the wearer, with a particular focus on accessibility for people who are deaf or hard of hearing.
Live Rewind is designed for moments when users miss part of a conversation. Double-pressing the Digital Crown can display the previous 15 seconds as text. Siri Recap, meanwhile, can generate a title and key points from a conversation so users can revisit the important details later.
Shazam integration can automatically identify music playing nearby and surface the song and artist through the Smart Stack.
Apple says these functions do not create or retain conventional audio recordings. Audio processing is isolated within a Secure Enclave on the S11 chip, and the raw audio is deleted after processing. Live Rewind also plays an audible chime and displays a visual indicator when activated.
Live Rewind and Siri Recap are due to arrive in beta later this year.
Siri AI Arrives With watchOS 27
Both watches run watchOS 27, which brings Siri AI and Apple Intelligence capabilities to the wrist.
Siri gains access to personal context and broader knowledge, while a new Siri app lets users continue conversations and access previous interactions. A Siri Modular watch face provides quicker access to the assistant.
Other watchOS 27 additions include a dynamic app grid that surfaces frequently and recently used apps, smarter Smart Stack suggestions and a new single-handed tap gesture for selecting widgets.
Cycle Tracking expands to support perimenopause and menopause, while Workout Buddy can now operate on Apple Watch without requiring an iPhone to be nearby.
Series 12 Adds Ceramic and More Case Choices
While the software and health upgrades are broadly shared, Apple Watch Series 12 offers substantially more choice in its appearance.
It comes in 42mm and 46mm sizes, with aluminium finishes including dark bronze, black, light gold and space grey. Titanium versions are offered in radiant gold and natural titanium.
Apple is also bringing ceramic back to the Series 12 lineup, with pearl white and night blue finishes.
The aluminium versions receive Ceramic Shield 2, which Apple says is 60 per cent tougher than the Ion-X glass used on previous aluminium models.
New bands accompany the launch, including olive, burgundy, wildflower blue and pale succulent Sport Bands. Sport Loops add new colours and plaid designs, while the Milanese Loop gains radiant gold and dark bronze options.
Apple Watch Hermès Series 12 is also being offered in radiant gold titanium for the first time alongside silver titanium, accompanied by new Hermès band designs.
Ultra 4 Keeps Its Rugged Titanium Focus
Apple Watch Ultra 4 sticks more closely to the established Ultra design, with natural and black titanium case options.
The new Trail Loop comes in dark umber, sand and burgundy, while Alpine Loop adds desert, dark olive and burgundy. The Ocean Band switches to a translucent silicone material in grey, kelp and black.
In Singapore, Apple Watch Series 12 starts at S$599, while Apple Watch Ultra 4 starts at S$1,199. Both can be pre-ordered now and will be available in stores from September 18.
Find out more at apple.com/sg.
