On the surface,theApple Watch Series 12doesn’t appear to be a major upgrade over last year’s release and, in many ways, it isn’t. But after a week of wearing it day and night, I noticed that the Series 12 feels more intuitive, putting fewer steps between me and the information I need from myeveryday smartwatch.
Health tracking is more thorough, thanks to a new Health Sensing System and faster S11 chip. The watchOS 27 update, first announced atWWDC in Juneand finally available to consumers, gives theApple Watcha cleaner, streamlined interface that positionsSiri AIat the center of the user experience. The most notable addition is perhapsAudio Intelligence, a suite of listening tools powered byApple Intelligence. Plus, in a fun return, the Series 12 also comes in ceramic, a premium finishApplediscontinued in 2020.
Not everyone needs the upgrade, though. If you’re coming from theSeries 8or older, the Series 12 is a generational leap, with a better display, longer battery life, and newer health features, including sleep apnea andhypertension notifications. Owners of theSeries 9or10have fewer reasons to swap, but the battery improvements alone (18 hours to 24 hours) may be compelling. If you already have theSeries 11, Audio Intelligence probably isn’t going to be enough to justify replacing a watch that’s already capable of most of the same functions.
Polished, Inside and Out
Visually,Appleisn’t fixing what isn’t broken, and I’m not mad about it. The Series 12 looks nearly identical to its predecessors, but Apple highlights it as its thinnestApple Watchyet. The aluminum and titanium models measure 9.7 millimeters thick, and the ceramic option is 9.85 millimeters thick. I didn’t notice a difference during everyday wear, but the Apple Watch Series remains one of the most comfortable smartwatches I’ve tested. Aside from thenew Hermès collection, there aren’t any new band designs this year, butApplehas addednew colorsto the existing lineup.
