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Apple Watch Series 12 and watchOS 27: What to Expect Later This Year

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While not too much has been reported about the next Apple Watch models, there are a few rumors about potential design changes and watchOS 27 features.

Apple-Watch-Series-10-Jet-Black-Touch-ID.jpg

Apple Watch Series 12 and Apple Watch Ultra 4 models are expected to be released in September, and we have outlined some of the key rumored hardware and software changes below. A new Apple Watch SE is not expected this year, as that model was just updated last year and it typically goes two to three years between refreshes.

Apple will unveil watchOS 27 during its WWDC 2026 keynote on Monday, June 8, and a developer beta will likely be available immediately afterwards. A public beta typically follows in July, and the update should be widely released in September.

Touch ID

Touch ID may be coming to the Apple Watch Series 12 and Apple Watch Ultra 4, according to internal Apple software code that leaked online last year.

Touch ID would likely be built into the Apple Watch's side button, enabling users to unlock the device with their fingerprint instead of a passcode.

Even though new Touch ID references were discovered within the code, there is no guarantee that Apple will move forward with this plan either this year or ever. In addition, credible sources such as Bloomberg's Mark Gurman and Apple supply chain analyst Ming-Chi Kuo have yet to mention Touch ID coming to the Apple Watch this year.

New Chips After One-Year Hiatus

While the Apple Watch Series 11, Apple Watch Ultra 3, and Apple Watch SE 3 all contain the same S10 chip as the previous year's models, the leaked Apple code indicated that the Series 12 and Ultra 4 will get a new chip. It is unclear if the chip will have S11 or S12 branding, but performance improvements are expected either way.

New Modular Watch Face

watchOS 27 will reportedly include new watch faces, including a variant of the "Modular Ultra" watch face that is currently exclusive to the Apple Watch Ultra.

New Apple Intelligence Features

On watchOS 26, the following Apple Intelligence features are available on an Apple Watch when it is paired with an iPhone 15 Pro or newer:
  • Workout Buddy
  • Live Translation in Messages
  • Notification Summaries
When it announced the dates for WWDC 2026, Apple promised to unveil "AI advancements" across its platforms, and it can be reasonably assumed that watchOS 27 will include some additional Apple Intelligence features powered by the iPhone.

New Satellite Features

Apple Watch Ultra 3 has built-in satellite connectivity, enabling Emergency SOS, Find My, and Messages via satellite without any reliance on an iPhone.

iOS 27 will reportedly include up to five new satellite features, and the following two would likely extend to watchOS 27:
  • Apple Maps via satellite
  • Photos support for Messages via satellite
Amazon last month announced plans to acquire Globalstar, the satellite company that powers Apple's satellite features on the iPhone 14 and newer and the Apple Watch Ultra 3. In turn, Amazon announced that it has signed an agreement with Apple to provide satellite connectivity for current and future iPhone and Apple Watch features.

Article Link: Apple Watch Series 12 and watchOS 27: What to Expect Later This Year
 
Article Link
https://www.macrumors.com/2026/05/08/apple-watch-series-12-and-watchos-27-rumors/
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MacRumors said:
Touch ID

Touch ID may be coming to the Apple Watch Series 12 and Apple Watch Ultra 4, according to internal Apple software code that leaked online last year.

Touch ID would likely be built into the Apple Watch's side button, enabling users to unlock the device with their fingerprint instead of a passcode.
Click to expand...
The only time I enter the passcode on my AWs in 10+ years is when OS updates are happening, otherwise unlock it via the iPhone, so to me there is not really a need for touchid, besides, on all the various devices, iPhones, iPads touchid had <80% success rate. Besides that, every Apple device requires you to enter the passcode/word once per week, except, the AW. So touchid for the purpose of unlocking it seems counter-productive to me.

As for an Ultra 4, well, the Ultra 2 didn't get updated for 2 years so who knows?

And as for AI "features? No thank you from me.

And missing from the rumor list: updated/new health sensors/features. That is the strongpoint of the AW for me and if there are yet again no updates, it would be disappointing.

As usual, I make a decision after Apple announces the devices.
 
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Not interested until the blood oxygen can be done completely on the watch side, that means 2028 at the earliest, right?

Love my Ultra 2 that still has it before the ban hit them. 😆
 
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When I get the ability to make my own passes, that will really unlock what I want from the watch. More watch faces are…fine but why on earth cant we design our own yet?

Not fussed on AI stuff. Battery life is fine on ultra 3. Unless new health stuff from sensors come out, I’ll stick with it for a while. I imagine most new health related features will be ML models from already existing sensor data.
 
HaHaRich! said:
Curious if the Watch will see a 2nm chip this round, as it seems the 2nm capacity has been completely booked for $2k cell phones and AI kuhescheize
Click to expand...
Very unlikely - Apple watch chips haven't been produced on the latest gen manufacturing tech since the Series 4 was released. The current Apple Watch chip is produced on TSMC's 4nm process (and is based on the Apple A16 chip that was released in 2022). At most we might see a 3 nm chip based on the A19, however it is just as likely that the newest S series chip would feature the same chip based on the A16 that was in the S9 and S10 but with an updated wireless networking chip with Bluetooth 6.0 and maybe even something newer than Wifi 4.
 
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jz0309 said:
have you tried the apps "grid" view? For me it lets me forget about the dock, YMMV
Click to expand...

It's a poor substitute but yes I've been forced to use it.

Also doesn't help that since 27 taps don't register like half the time.

I just don't understand why they forced two ways to bring up the "smart stack" I never use and zero ways to have a Dock.
 
CarAnalogy said:
It's a poor substitute but yes I've been forced to use it.

Also doesn't help that since 27 taps don't register like half the time.

I just don't understand why they forced two ways to bring up the "smart stack" I never use and zero ways to have a Dock.
Click to expand...
that's fair, for me, I see 17 app icons on the grid view (Ultra 2) so hardly ever a need to scroll whereas the dock view only 4 or maybe 5 dock items/apps. But they could give us a choice ...

And I totally agree on the Smart Stack, I never use it and it pops up regularly, really wish there were a way to just turn it off.
 
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MacRumors said:
While the Apple Watch Series 11, Apple Watch Ultra 3, and Apple Watch SE 3 all contain the same S10 chip as the previous year's models, the leaked Apple code indicated that the Series 12 and Ultra 4 will get a new chip. It is unclear if the chip will have S11 or S12 branding, but performance improvements are expected either way.
Click to expand...
YESSSS! Finally Apple is doing something right.
The S9 and S10 chips are the exact same btw, hopefully its actually a real upgrade.
 
There will definitely be new watch faces. New satellite features while good will most likely be limited to US. Not sure whether Touch ID will come to the watch this year.
 
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I am still using my first gen Ultra so it is time for an upgrade as the battery is getting slightly worse. I wish they could get multiple days of battery, a screen with solar charging abilities, better body and water temperature sensing and some new and more precise health sensors. Also for the love of god, make the screen work with wet fingers.. maybe return force touch.

Touch ID is maybe coming but I see no use for it. Satellite features are welcome but rarely needed for me but it is nice to have. Some day I might end up out at sea or in the wilderness without phone service. It will be great to know that I have the possibility to get help if needed.
 
jz0309 said:
that's fair, for me, I see 17 app icons on the grid view (Ultra 2) so hardly ever a need to scroll ...
Click to expand...
FWIW, on the S10, I also see 17 apps in the grid. It occurred to me all too recently (like a few months ago - I've been wearing an Apple Watch since S0), to go in and rearrange all of the apps in a way that was pleasing and logical to me - so sound-related apps are in one row, heart-related in another, etc. it's something I should have done 5+ years ago, makes it much easier to access things, rather than poking across and scrolling.

I actually do find myself using the Smart Stack occasionally. It's cool that o can bring it up by double tapping my finger and thumb (and send it away with a flick of the wrist).
 
The thing that concerns me about TouchID on the watch is... we started with it on phones, on the home button, where it had a sensor that was what, maybe ½" in diameter, which seems like a good-sized sample area. Then we went to the iPad side (top?) button, where it's perhaps ⅝" by ⅛" - about the same area, but in a thin strip - perhaps a little harder to read adjacent ridge patterns.

I'm concerned there will be even less sensor area on an Apple Watch side button. Meaning it would be reading less ridges, which seems more likely to get false positives.
 
Yet another year of boring mild refresh of the Apple Watch, without significant new features. People want new and better sensors, possibly a new design, longer lasting battery. Nobody asked for Touch ID on something that only very rarely requires a password (and when it does will probably do anyway, as both touchid and face id require manual password after reboot or using after prolonged inactivity).
 
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