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Apple Watch Series 12 could bring a real chip upgrade
Rumors point to four Apple Watch Series 12 changes: a new chip, better battery life, a health update, and a new watch face.
Image: 9to5Mac
After three generations built on essentially the same silicon, Apple Watch Series 12 could finally get a meaningful processor upgrade this fall.
According to Macworld, Apple’s 2026 watch lineup is identified internally as the “Watch8” family, a break from the “Watch7” designation used for Apple Watch Series 9, Series 10, and Series 11. The report says the N237, N238, and N240 models — covering Apple Watch Series 12 in GPS and Cellular versions, plus Ultra 4 — will use a new CPU labeled T8320. The last fully new Apple Watch processor arrived with Apple Watch Series 9 in 2023, bringing faster CPU and GPU performance.
Battery life is also said to be a major focus. The report says Apple is working on both a physically larger battery and efficiency improvements elsewhere, a notable shift as the company continues to push features like sleep tracking.
On health features, DigiTimes reports that Apple has submitted a new high blood pressure notification feature to the FDA for review. The current hypertension feature, added in watchOS 26, does not provide a blood pressure reading. Instead, it uses heart rate sensor data to detect a “pattern of hypertension” over 30-day evaluation periods. A noninvasive glucose monitor is still in development, but the source says that feature remains years away.
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Bloomberg has also reported that Apple is developing a new watch face described as a simplified version of Modular Ultra. It keeps the large clock from the Ultra design, removes the large central complication and the row of three smaller complications above the time, and instead places three smaller complications beneath the clock.
One thing now looks less likely: Touch ID. Earlier rumors suggested it might come to Series 12, but more recent reports say Apple dropped the idea to prioritize health features and larger batteries.
Apple Watch Series 12 is expected to be announced in September alongside Apple Watch Ultra 4.
Gadgets Editor
Eli is obsessed with the tangible future. He reviews phones, wearables, and everything with a battery. Known for his rigorous testing protocols and unabashed teardowns, Eli has broken more review units than he cares to admit, all in the name of discovering the truth about durability and repairability.
via 9to5Mac
