Apple Watch Series 12 and Apple Watch Ultra 4 are expected to arrive later this year with faster performance, improved health tracking, and few visible design changes. Apple appears focused on internal upgrades this time, which means both models should look similar to the current Apple Watch Series 11 and Apple Watch Ultra 3.
Bloomberg’s Mark Gurman reports that Apple is now testing the Apple Watch Series 12 in Wi-Fi and cellular versions, alongside the Apple Watch Ultra 4. He does not expect Apple to introduce a new Apple Watch SE model in 2026, mainly because the company released the Apple Watch SE 3 last year.
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“None of this year’s watches is expected to get a major design overhaul. Apple is more focused on what’s inside: There will be health and fitness-tracking improvements, along with a long-awaited bump in chips and speed,” Gurman wrote.
Faster chips and better health tracking
The biggest upgrade should come from a newer processor, which could deliver the first meaningful Apple Watch performance increase in several years. Apple introduced the S10 chip with earlier models, but actual processing speed has remained largely unchanged since the S9 chip arrived in 2023.
Apple also plans unspecified health and fitness improvements, although Gurman did not mention the rumored Touch ID sensor or a watch band with built-in health sensors. Their absence makes both rumors look less likely for this year’s models.
Larger Apple Watch changes remain in development, but Gurman expects them to arrive within the next one or two years. Apple also continues working on blood sugar detection, with the company reportedly aiming to release the feature before 2030.
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