Apple Watch Series 12 brings back a ceramic option, and in conjunction with watchOS 27, it has a new health app called Readiness, and privacy-centric audio recording features.
Ceramic is back with the new Apple Watch Series 5
In an update that sees little else changed with the Apple Watch Series 12, there is now a ceramic option plus watchOS 27 adds new Readiness and Recap apps.
It’s seven years since the last ceramic model, the Apple Watch Series 5, but now Apple has brought back the material and done so in two colors. This the only visible change in the Apple Watch Series 12, but it’s a welcome return for the premium scratch-resistant material.
That last ceramic Apple Watch only came in white, too, so it’s actually been nine years since there were two options like this.
Ceramic was a popular material for the Apple Watch Series 2, Series 3, and Series 5. The ceramic options were primarily prestige ones, but they did have the practical benefit that they were scratch-resistant.
But ceramic is also heavier than the aluminum or stainless steel used in other Apple Watches. Most significantly, though, ceramic is a brittle material so it can more easily crack or chip.
The new ceramic Apple Watch Series 12 comes in pearl white and night blue. The aluminum model comes in black, light gold, and a new dark bronze.
Apple Watch Series 12 has a new gold color, as well as a natural titanium one.
New watchOS features
If the Apple Watch hardware hasn’t significantly changed with the new Apple Watch Series 12, watchOS 27 software has. Plus as recently predicted, watchOS 27 comes with more features than were shown in the beta releases.
It appears that some of those features will have to wait for future hardware updates, but Apple has unveiled a new Readiness fitness app that should work on at least most recent editions of the Apple Watch.
There are many new health features where an Apple Watch Series 12 will be required, though.
New health features
Apple Watch Series 12 has an increased surface area for its electrode, meaning that it has better skin contact. It’s also been redesigned to use larger green LEDs to support more regular heart rate measurements throughout the day.
Example Apple Watch faces showing health features – image credit: Apple.
There is a higher frequency of monitoring that means heart rates are taken every five seconds all day, which is 60 times more than before. Heart Rate Variability (HRV) is also checked up to every five minutes.
All of this data, and more, is saved to the Apple Health app. Apple Intelligence then provides suggestions for improving fitness workouts.
Putting Apple Watch more in competition with specialist health wearables is a new series of features that assess the wearer’s capacity for exercise and effort on a given day.
Audio Intelligence and Siri Recap
Unique to the Apple Watch Series 12 and the Apple Watch Ultra 4, though, is Siri Recap. This is a Siri AI-based feature that can summarize the wearer’s day, based on workouts and location.
Apple Watch Series 12 and watchOS 27 also use the Apple Watch’s microphone to capture audio data throughout the day. It only does so if the user allows it to, though, and it parses what it hears for data rather than recording to sharing the actual audio.
It starts with sound recognition, which means the Apple Watch can now identify alarms, sirens, and so on. It also, though, features Live Rewind which lets you listen back to the last 15 seconds of a conversation.
Apple’s summary of Apple Watch Series 12 features – image credit: Apple.
Apple says that the idea is to help when users miss an important detail. Plus double-pressing the Digital Crown saves a transcript of the conversation to the Siri app.
Siri Recap is claimed to be private, not identifying who is speaking, and not sharing the recordings. Apple stressed this privacy aspect, but it’s still likely to be a controversial addition.
Apple Watch Series 12 is now available for pre-order. It comes in 42mm and 46mm, starting at $399, and will be in stores from September 18, 2026.
This story is breaking. Refresh for more details.
