The Apple Watch Series 12 is now available, two years after the Series 10 introduced the current thinner design. While the Series 11 brought just four changes, the Series 12 is a substantial update with a new S11 chip, twice the RAM (4GB vs 2GB), redesigned health sensors, exclusive health and audio features, tougher Ceramic Shield 2 glass, 5G connectivity, and new case materials. The Series 12 starts at the same $399 price as the Series 10 did in 2024.

Apple has discontinued the Series 10, but remaining units may still be available from third-party retailers and on the refurbished or second-hand market. Key upgrades include a fourth-generation always-on optical heart sensor, Recovery HRV measured up to 24x more frequently, Vitals app with daytime vitals and HRV, Audio Intelligence features like Live Rewind and Sound Recognition, and improved battery life—up to 24 hours of normal use (vs 18) and 38 hours in Low Power Mode (vs 36). Charging is faster: 15 minutes now provides up to 12 hours of normal use (vs 8).

Design-wise, the Series 12 retains the 42mm and 46mm sizes and 9.7mm thickness but is 1mm wider and 2.1–3.3 grams heavier depending on configuration. The active display area is about 2% smaller due to a wider, receded case, resulting in thicker borders. Case materials now include aluminum, titanium, and ceramic, with new color options like Dark Bronze, Light Gold, Radiant Gold titanium, and Pearl White or Night Blue ceramic.

Hermès editions feature Silver and Radiant Gold titanium. Cellular models support LTE and 5G RedCap.