Apple Announces Apple Watch Series 12 With Redesigned Health Sensors, S11 Chip and New Readiness Feature

Apple is pushing the Apple Watch further into health and wellness tracking with the new Apple Watch Series 12, which introduces upgraded sensors, new recovery insights, and a broader set of intelligence features powered by the S11 chip.

A major part of the update is the redesigned health sensing system. Apple has increased the contact area used for ECG measurements and reworked the optical heart rate hardware with a new arrangement of photodiodes and more efficient LEDs. The company says the changes allow Series 12 to collect heart rate data more accurately and more frequently throughout the day.

That additional data feeds into a new Readiness feature, which gives users a daily score based on recent workouts, sleep, and other health measurements. The score is designed to help determine whether it may be better to train harder, maintain a normal routine, or prioritize recovery.

Apple is also preparing a substantial update to the Health app later this year. New features include Health Age, which compares health indicators with a user’s chronological age, and a Longevity section that combines trends across sleep, cardiovascular fitness, movement, and other metrics.

Users will be able to incorporate blood test information as well, either by entering results manually or syncing supported medical records. In the U.S., Apple is partnering with Quest to offer a blood panel covering more than 50 biomarkers for $119. A separate VO2 max assessment will use both the Apple Watch and an iPhone camera during guided exercises.

The new S11 chip also enables several audio-focused features. Sound Recognition can identify noises such as alarms, doorbells, and a crying baby, while Live Rewind can display a transcript of speech from the previous 15 seconds.

Another upcoming feature, Siri Recap, can create summaries and key takeaways from conversations for later review. Apple says users will be able to control when the feature is active, and that the system does not save audio recordings. Siri Recap is expected to launch in beta later this year, beginning with English.

Apple has refreshed the materials and finishes available for Series 12 as well. Aluminum models are offered in Space Gray, Black, Light Gold, and Dark Bronze, with Ceramic Shield now covering the display for improved durability. Titanium versions come in Radiant Gold and Natural, while ceramic models are available in Pearl White and Night Blue.

Apple Watch Series 12 starts at $399. Preorders are open now, with the new models scheduled to arrive on September 18.