Apple Watch Series 12 and Ultra 4 Launch With Live Step Tracking, Theater Mode; Shopify Debuts Apple TV Dashboard

9to5Mac reported that the new watches add live step tracking as a built-in complication from the Fitness app, alongside activity rings. Step data had long been collected by Apple Watch and, before the watch existed, by iPhone models dating back to the iPhone 5s, but Apple previously kept it inside the Fitness and Health apps. Third-party apps such as Pedometer++ had already displayed step counts on the watch face. 9to5Mac said the new feature is hardware-specific, likely because the new hardware is more capable and efficient, and because Apple previously presented Apple Watch as broader than step tracking. The reviewer described the number as surprisingly motivating, especially at the start of the day, when it becomes a race to get out of the hundreds and into the thousands. The reviewer uses a 16-minute rolling hills workout on a GymKit-equipped BowFlex T6 treadmill early in the day and finds it satisfying to watch the count increase even without logging a workout.

9to5Mac also reported that the Series 12 and Ultra 4 include a new Health Sensing System that measures heart rate every five seconds, compared with every five minutes on prior models. The green light behind the watch is therefore almost always flashing, which may be visible if the band is loose. The watches drop back to five-minute intervals in Theater Mode and Sleep Mode. Sleep Mode reduces measurements to extend battery life and because the watch does not need to detect physical activity in the same way, according to the report. Theater Mode, toggled from Control Center, is designed to prevent the display from lighting up and by default also reduces heart-rate sensing to every five minutes, presumably to keep the green light from being noticeable in a dark environment. Users who want more frequent data can go to Settings > Heart on the watch and toggle on In Theater Mode under Allow Continuous Measurements. The 9to5Mac writer said the light is not noticeable unless intentionally peeking under the watch, so the toggle was turned on.

Shopify released Shopcast, a new Apple TV app for tvOS, according to 9to5Mac. The app listing says Shopcast turns Apple TV into a dashboard for a Shopify business and is designed for an office, retail space, or team room. It lets users follow sales, discover best-selling products, and see where orders are coming from. The dashboard can show sales, orders, units sold, and average order value; order activity on an interactive globe; leading products and popular colours; comparisons between online and Shopify POS activity; busiest retail locations and customer markets; and separate data for connected shops. It also offers light and dark modes. Users navigate Revenue, Overview, Products, Retail, and Geography views with the Apple TV remote, and dashboard totals refresh periodically. Connecting a shop requires authorization through Shopify, and available information depends on account permissions. Shopcast displays store activity, while products, orders, and settings continue to be managed in Shopify. The app requires an existing Shopify store, authorized access, and an internet connection, and is currently available in English. It can be downloaded from the App Store on Apple TV.

Deals followed the launches. TechRadar reported that Amazon offered the first discount on the Apple Watch Series 12, selling the GPS-only model for $389.99, down from $399, a $10 discount on the configuration with a dark bronze aluminum case and olive Sport Band. TechRadar said Apple calls the Series 12 the ultimate device for a healthy life because of advanced health sensors that Apple claims are the most accurate heart rate sensing in a wearable, a new Health Sensing System powered by the S11 chip, a readiness score, advanced workout and sleep tracking, up to 24 hours of battery life, and up to 10 hours during an outdoor workout, a 25% improvement over the previous model. TechRadar said the discount was limited-time and applied only to that configuration.

9to5Mac reported other launch-week deals. Amazon had AirPods Pro 3 at $199, down from $249. Apple’s official certified refurbished store offered the 2026 Studio Display with a tilt-adjustable stand for $1,359 shipped, $240 off the $1,599 list price for the entry model; the refurbished unit includes Apple’s one-year limited warranty and 14-day returns policy, with AppleCare available, but no engraving or gift wrap, and supplies were limited. By comparison, Amazon listed the model at $1,540 and had recently seen it hit a $1,484 all-time low. Ahead of releases scheduled for the next day, Amazon also listed pre-order discounts on M6 Mac mini models: 16GB/256GB at $880, down from $899; 16GB/512GB at $1,070, down from $1,099; and 24GB/512GB at $1,270, down from $1,299. A pre-order discount on the M5 Pro 24GB/512GB mini was listed at $1,669, down from $1,699, though 9to5Mac said that deal had jumped back to full MSRP. The 2026 Mac Studio with M5 Max, 36GB of RAM, and 512GB of storage was $2,450, down from $2,499. Amazon also offered the 2026 Mac Studio base model with 18-core CPU and 32-core GPU for $2,449.99 shipped, nearly $50 off the $2,499 list price. 9to5Mac said Amazon was shipping select M6 Mac mini models faster than Apple, and that early Apple Watch Ultra 4 deals were available on some Black Titanium and Natural Titanium configurations, including models with the new Translucent Ocean Band.