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

[MacRumors]

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 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

 

[CarAnalogy]

Just. Bring. Back. The. Dock.

 

[jz0309]

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.

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.

 

[B4U]

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. 😆

 

[HaHaRich!]

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

 

[jz0309]

Just. Bring. Back. The. Dock.

have you tried the apps "grid" view? For me it lets me forget about the dock, YMMV

 

[wrxrox]

Is satellite connectivity really a selling point. It’s cool though very niche imo

 

[DeeK87]

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.

 

[John Apple]

The one thing keeping me from Apple Watch is their battery life...

 

[HMFIC03]

Not much of an update 🙁

 

[bodonnell202]

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

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.

 

[ZZ9pluralZalpha]

A faster chip would be a welcome bump. Optimized software would probably have much the same benefit, but the former is more likely from the Apple of late.

 

[CarAnalogy]

have you tried the apps "grid" view? For me it lets me forget about the dock, YMMV

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.

 

[jz0309]

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.

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.

 

[Eric_WVGG]

it will be pretty exciting if one of the new watch faces is good this year

 

[WilliApple]

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.

YESSSS! Finally Apple is doing something right.
The S9 and S10 chips are the exact same btw, hopefully its actually a real upgrade.