Apple Watch Series 12 and Ultra 4 Debut With S11 Chip as Preorders Open

Wired reported that both watches keep the designs of their predecessors but run on the S11 chip, which Apple says brings faster CPU and GPU performance and improved Siri capabilities. They ship with watchOS 27, the software Apple announced at WWDC last June. The update includes deeper Siri and Apple Intelligence integration, AI-suggested apps, new one-handed gestures, expanded workout and women’s health tracking, and Siri Recap for real-time transcription and translation.

Apple is expanding health tracking with a redesigned Health app that adds a Longevity tab with metrics such as Health Age and a Readiness score. The new Health Sensing System uses 32 electrodes, compared with two on the Series 11, along with photodiodes arranged in a ring and new LEDs that allow heart rate measurements every five seconds. The Series 12 has faster charging but keeps 24 hours of battery life; the Ultra 4 raises battery life to 50 hours, according to Wired.

Preorders are open at Amazon, Best Buy and Apple. The Verge reported that the Series 12 starts at $399 for the 42mm size and $449 for the 46mm model, while the Ultra 4 starts at $799 in a single size with GPS and 5G support. The Verge said a ceramic-case Series 12 starts at $899, the first ceramic option since the Series 5, while 9to5Mac listed a 46mm ceramic model at $949. The Verge also reported that Apple did not update the Apple Watch SE for 2026 and did not change Apple Watch prices. The watches launch on Sept. 18, the same day as the iPhone 18 Pro and Pro Max, according to The Verge.

Apple also opened preorders for the AirPods 5. According to 9to5Mac, both AirPods 5 models add active noise cancellation that was absent from the AirPods 4, though the lower-end model lacks on-stem volume controls and a wireless charging case, and the higher-end model offers about an extra hour of battery life. New Apple Watch band colors are also available on Amazon, 9to5Mac reported.

TechRadar reported that Best Buy is offering the 42mm GPS-only Apple Watch Series 12 for as little as $219, down from $399, when customers trade in a qualifying smartwatch. The $180 discount is limited to preorders with a Sept. 18 ship date. Customers can check trade-in value on the product page, and Best Buy refunds the trade-in amount to the original payment method after receiving the device, according to TechRadar.

Android Authority reported that the Series 12 and Ultra 4 include Audio Intelligence, which lets Shazam passively identify nearby music without manual input. Identified song titles and artists appear in the Music Recognition widget in the watchOS Smart Stack. Apple has not shared a release timeline for the instant Shazam feature, and Android Authority said it appears the feature will be available on the new watches at launch. The feature resembles Google Pixel’s Now Playing, but Apple is offering it on Apple Watch rather than iPhone.

Editor's Summary

Apple’s Apple Watch Series 12 and Ultra 4 add the S11 chip, a redesigned Health Sensing System and Audio Intelligence, with preorders open ahead of a Sept. 18 launch. Prices start at $399 for the Series 12 and $799 for the Ultra 4, while Best Buy is offering a trade-in discount on the Series 12. Apple did not update the Apple Watch SE this year, and the new watches arrive alongside the AirPods 5 and new band options.