Apple Watch Series 12 and Ultra 4 are set to launch next month with a significant upgrade: a new, more powerful S-class chip. Unlike recent years where new Watch models often reused existing chips, this year's models will feature a genuinely improved processor, likely named S11 or S12.

Mark Gurman recently confirmed that the new models will receive a "long-awaited bump in chips and speed." The last meaningful performance upgrade was the S9 chip in 2023, making this year's enhancement particularly noteworthy.

The timing aligns perfectly with the upcoming watchOS 27 release, which introduces Siri AI as its main feature. This advanced Siri requires substantial processing power, and early beta testing has shown some responsiveness issues on older hardware. The new chip will be the first Apple Watch processor specifically designed for the AI era.

Apple Watch Series 12 and Ultra 4 will debut this upgraded chip at an ideal moment, ensuring smooth performance for AI-driven features and maintaining compatibility with the latest software updates.