- Deep Dive - The New Apple Watch Series 12 🆕
- Health Challenge Update - Join our October 2026 Challenge! 🏆
Apple announced the new Apple Watch 12 and Apple Watch Ultra 4 at its annual fall event on September 9, 2026. If you pre-ordered your new watch model right after the event, like I did, you might already have the new watch on your wrist! Here's what I have loved and hated about my new watch and the latest software features.
What I Love About the Apple Watch Series 12
With all the talk of tech getting more expensive, I was worried that the new watch models would come with crazy price hikes. While iPhone prices went up by $100, the new watches don't cost more, which was a relief.
Feature-wise, the most exciting thing about the newest Apple Watch models that you can experience right away is the high-frequency background heart rate tracking. This means that your watch can now measure your heart rate frequently enough to get a better overall idea of your health.
What I Don't Love About the Apple Watch Series 12
It's not unusual for some new features to be delayed, but it always drives me crazy that I have to keep waiting even after I have the new watch on my wrist. One of the features I'm impatiently waiting for is Audio Intelligence, which was first announced during the fall event and promised to give you the ability to use the new smarter Siri to summarize a conversation you've had or to use the 15-second Live Rewind if you missed what was said. These new features are as creepy as they are exciting, and I hate not knowing when I'll be able to test them out for myself!
Another new feature that I'm still waiting to experience is part of the Readiness app that's only available on the new watch models. While the concept of a Readiness score is new to Apple devices, it has been popular on devices like the Oura Ring for years. Frustratingly enough, until you sleep in your new watch for seven nights, you won't see your Readiness score. I’ve only had my watch for 5 nights, so I'm still waiting to see how the feature works.
My annual complaint to Apple is that they release every device in a random selection of colors and they never had any fun matching colors. As I wait for my burgundy iPhone, I am bitterly wondering why I don't have a matching burgundy Apple Watch. Even if you get the silver iPhone 18 Pro/Pro Max, it won't match the darker Space Gray Apple Watch Series 12, which seems ridiculous to me.
We've known about most of the watchOS 27 features since Apple's WWDC event in June, but a bunch of new features were announced this fall. Surprisingly, the only features you'll need a new Apple Watch model to experience are Audio Intelligence, Readiness Score, and high-frequency background heart rate tracking.
Everything else announced this summer and some of the new features announced this fall (like the new Longevity score and a native complication that puts your step count on your watch face) will be available on some older Apple Watch models, like the Apple Watch Series 11 and Apple Watch Ultra 3.
Is there a feature that you didn't learn about until recently? Email OntheWatch@iphonelife.com and let me know!
The iPhone Life October Health Challenge is almost here!
The monthly iPhone Life Challenge is a great way to come together as a community and motivate each other to reach our health goals by staying active. We'll be doing a weekly accountability post for subscribers in our Insider Facebook group. Join to share struggles, trade tips, and support one another on our journeys.
To join the challenge, download the free Challenges app on your iPhone and enter the code NV6Y when prompted. Need help? This article explains the steps and tells you more about the app.
Are you enjoying the challenge? Do you have any suggestions for how we can make it even better? Email OnTheWatch@iPhoneLife.com and let me know.
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