Apple introduced Apple Watch Series 12 and Apple Watch Ultra 4 following its “Surprise and shine” event. Both models will go on sale on September 18; preorders began today.
The aluminum-cased model of Apple Watch Series 12 starts at $399 in space gray, black, light gold, and dark bronze. The natural or radiant gold titanium options are priced at $699, while the night blue or pearl white ceramic models are offered for $899. Apple says the watch provides up to 24 hours of battery life in daily use and up to 10 hours during outdoor workouts. Fast charging can provide up to 12 hours of use in 15 minutes.
Series 12 runs Audio Intelligence Siri AI features such as Sound Recognition, Live Rewind, and Siri Recap with its new S11 chip. On the health front, it features new optical and electrical heart sensors, continuous background heart-rate tracking that takes a measurement every five seconds, Health Age, which compares health measurements with chronological age, and Readiness, which scores daily readiness levels. Readiness is available only on Series 12 and Ultra 4 because it requires the new heart-sensor array.
The new sensor array uses a “32-petal design” instead of the old two-part design and brings the optical sensors closer together to reduce light leakage.
Apple Watch Ultra 4 also features the S11 chip and Audio Intelligence features. The model, available in natural and black titanium options as well as an Apple Watch Hermès version, starts at $799 and offers up to 50 hours of battery life.
Why it matters
The main impact of this announcement is that it differentiates the smartwatch experience not only through battery life and case options, but also through health tracking and AI-powered features. The fact that the Readiness feature is available only on the two new models makes the new sensor array a decisive distinction for health data-based use. The Audio Intelligence features offered with the S11 chip bring voice recognition, retrospective recording and Siri summaries together on the same device. Different materials and price levels require users making a choice to weigh technical specifications against cost. However, the report leaves open how Health Age, which compares health measurements with chronological age, and five-second rhythm tracking will be interpreted in daily use.
Background
Apple is not a new name in the FikirPilot archive: we have published 58 articles mentioning the name in the last 90 days; the most recent is dated September 11, 2026.