TheApple Watch Series 12 is expected in September 2026 with a new chip, improved health sensors, and enhanced software integration. A complete overview of all leaks available as of May 29, 2026.
Ten days before WWDC 2026, where Apple will present watchOS 27 during its keynote on June 8, the portrait of the next generation of smartwatches is becoming clearer. Leaks, internal code analysis, and reports from specialized journalists paint a coherent picture: the Series 12 is shaping up to be a consolidation generation, focusing more on performance and health than the Series 11, but saving major visual evolutions for 2027.
A new processor after two generations without an update
The best-documented element concerns the chip. Apple made an unusual decision with the lineup launched in Fall 2025: the Series 11, Ultra 3, and SE 3 all featured the same S10 as their predecessors from the previous year. This freeze over two consecutive cycles is unprecedented in recent Apple Watch history.
Internal code analyzed by MacRumors indicates that the Series 12 and Ultra 4 will receive a new chip, ending this stagnation. The exact branding, S11 or S12, has not yet been specified in the files consulted. Internal model numbers, N237, N238, and N240, have also been identified in development versions, confirming that preparations for the next generation are well underway.
The gain will not necessarily translate into perceptible raw speed in daily use. Most of the watch's common tasks do not really tax the current processor. The main challenge for the S12 chip is rather energy efficiency, essential for powering more advanced Apple Intelligence features directly on the wrist.
Blood pressure measurement, the great unknown of Series 12
Connected health remains the central strategic focus of the Apple Watch lineup, and the Series 12 will not deviate from this rule. The question is the technological maturity available in 2026.
The measurement of blood pressure in real-time is the most anticipated feature for several years. The Series 11 merely alerts the user to indications of high pressure by analyzing their heart rate data over thirty days. According to analysts including Mark Gurman at Bloomberg, the Series 12 could take the next step and offer direct readings on the wrist. However, significant doubts remain about the technology's maturity for a 2026 launch.
Sources close to the matter also report that Apple is testing a new sensor arrangement on the underside of the casing, organized in a ring to improve measurement accuracy regardless of the watch's exact position, on the same principle as the Oura Ring 4. The exact nature of the data collected by these sensors remains unconfirmed.
Non-invasive glucose monitoring is expected at the earliest in 2028. Apple has been working on this feature for years, but the precision required for a consumer product has not yet been achieved. According to recent reports, Apple has also paused its internal project codenamed 'Project Mulberry' for this year, which involves a redesign of the Health app integrating an artificial intelligence assistant to centralize medical and sports data in a unified interface.
Touch ID: hope confirmed in the code, then abandoned
In the summer of 2025, developers identified references in internal code to 'AppleMesa,' the internal codename Apple uses for a fingerprint reader intended for the Apple Watch. The idea was to integrate this biometric sensor into the side button. The feature would have allowed unlocking without entering a code and validating Apple Pay payments, following the model of the iPad Air.
The presence of this code in development builds did not guarantee that Apple would proceed. Furthermore, neither Mark Gurman at Bloomberg nor analyst Ming-Chi Kuo had confirmed the arrival of Touch ID on the Apple Watch this year.
In May 2026, leaker Instant Digital published on Weibo that Apple had finally abandoned this feature for the Series 12. Two main reasons were reportedly decisive according to their information: an additional biometric sensor would weigh too heavily on already constrained power consumption, and its integration would occupy precious space that could accommodate a larger battery or new health sensors. The feature could return in a later generation.
watchOS 27: the software half of the equation
Software is as important as hardware in defining the Apple Watch experience. In ten days, WWDC 2026 on June 8 will unveil watchOS 27 in detail, with a developer beta likely available that evening, a public version expected in July, and the general release in September with the Series 12.
Mark Gurman reported in his Power On newsletter that Apple is testing several new watch faces for watchOS 27, including a simplified version of the 'Modular Ultra' watch face, previously exclusive to the Apple Watch Ultra. This opening would allow users of Series models to access a richer display of information without upgrading to the $799 Ultra range.
watchOS 27 is also expected to refine the Liquid Glass visual language introduced with watchOS 26 in the fall of 2025, with a stated focus on stability and improved battery life. Additional Apple Intelligence features are also anticipated, including a more autonomous Siri directly on the watch. Expanded satellite features, including Apple Maps navigation and photo sharing without cellular connection, are also among the anticipated functions. Compatibility would extend to Series 4 models and later, with Series 3 and earlier models excluded from the update.
Design and range: no upheaval before 2027
Aesthetically, several consistent sources confirm that the rounded square casing is maintained. Expected dimensions remain close to 42mm and 46mm, with aluminum and titanium finishes. Visual novelties focus on new colors and software watch faces rather than a structural redesign of the casing. Apple is reportedly reserving its major design evolution for 2027.
No Apple Watch SE is planned for 2026: the range will be limited to the Series 12 and the Ultra 4. This configuration focuses attention and marketing investment on the two most ambitious models in the range.
Apple Watch Series 12 price and availability: September 2026
The smartwatch will be presented at Apple's fall event, likely alongside the iPhone 18 Pro. If Apple again splits its iPhone launches between Pro and standard models, the Series 12 would accompany the Pro models.
No firm leaks concern the exact price. The most likely starting point remains around $399 for the GPS version, continuing the trend of recent generations. Some analysts predict rather $449 for the GPS version and around $569 for the Cellular version. Nothing suggests at this stage that Apple is considering a major price change, except for constraints related to the supply chain.
WWDC on June 8 will provide the first concrete answers about watchOS 27 in ten days, and the fall will confirm the hardware. For users equipped with a Series 9 or an earlier model, the combination of a new chip after two years of stagnation, potentially enhanced sensors, and watchOS 27 should make the upgrade particularly compelling in the fall of 2026.
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