Apple Watch 12 and Ultra 4's biggest upgrade isn't the hardware—it's what your wrist can now hear

Published Sep 9, 2026, 2:55 PM EDT Timi is the news and deals reporter for Android Police, who has been reporting on technology since 2008. He has worked in tech retail and also the IT space, providing hardware and software support, which gives him a unique perspective on the tech that he covers. This allows him to effectively break down complex subjects into easy-to-read pieces that even casual readers can enjoy. Before joining Android Police, he was a news writer for XDA, where he eventually transitioned to covering deals. He also worked as an editor and reporter for Neowin, where he covered news and attended major tech events like CES. He also reviewed phones, tablets, PC products, and other devices. In addition, he also created video content for the Neowin YouTube channel. Wear OS devices are the go-to option for Android users. However, it never hurts to take a look at what the competition is coming up with, because some day those same features may arrive on your Wear OS smartwatch. Today, Apple announced two new wearables: the Apple Watch 12 and the Apple Watch Ultra 4. We knew they were coming, but it's always nice to see new Apple hardware that improves on its predecessors in new ways. It's worth upgrading this year Credit: Apple For both watches, Apple was focused on its new Health Sensing System. Apple achieves this with a new S11 chip, along with improved and updated sensors. Apple shares that the new watches will feature "higher-frequency heart rate and heart rate variability (HRV) measurements, which power an enhanced suite of health and fitness features including a new readiness score." It does this by measuring the heart rate every five seconds all day. Apple claims that this "passive measurement delivers deeper insight into a user’s fitness and physiological state while making Exercise and Move Activity rings even more accurate." Naturally, we can't argue with more accurate data, and it's a welcome change. Taking a page from its competitors, Apple now has a Readiness score, which will take into account "recent activity, training load, vitals, and sleep score." It's meant to give users a simple and more complete picture of their bodies without making it complicated. Despite all its new hardware, the Apple Watch 12 will last a full day without a charge. The Apple Watch 12 will come in two sizes, 42mm and 46mm. The Apple Watch 12 starts at $399 and is now available for preorder through the Apple Store and participating retailers. It will be available on September 18. The Ultra experience Credit: Apple In addition to the Apple Watch 12, the Watch Ultra 4 is part of this year's lineup, offering a more robust choice for those in need. While the core elements don't change much from the Apple Watch 12, you do get better battery life, with the Ultra 4 lasting up to 50 hours with regular use. You can preorder the Ultra 4 starting today with a starting price of $799. It will begin shipping on September 18. Audio Intelligence could be the big story here With a brand-new S11 chip and powerful microphones, Apple is bringing new, powerful software features to both Apple Watches this year. Audio Intelligence includes four features: Sound Recognition, Live Rewind, Siri Recap, and Shazam. Sound Recognition notifies users about surrounding noises that could be critical, like "sirens, alarms, doorbells, or a baby crying," and "uses on-device intelligence to notify users when they’re detected." Apple says this feature is primarily for people who are "deaf or hard of hearing." Live Rewind lets users double-press the Digital Crown to get a small text snippet of the conversation from just 15 seconds earlier. This is great if you missed something or just need to clarify some details that were shared. The best part is that you can rope Siri in for help or save it to read later. Siri Recap will be the biggest one of the bunch, allowing users to "create high-level summaries of conversations that users can review later." Using Apple Intelligence, Siri Recap "automatically generates a title and key points in the new Siri app." We've seen this feature come up a lot over the past couple of years with AI pins, so it makes sense to have it available on your wrist. Of course, watchOS 27 also brings more software features to love, and it will be available on September 14. This software will be available on the Apple Watch 12 and Watch Ultra 4. The software update will also be available on a limited number of older watches. Apple Watch Ultra 4 Battery Up to 50 hours Case Material Titanium IP Rating IP6X Case size Natural, Black Storage 64GB The Apple Watch Ultra 4 takes things to the next level with the new Health Sensing System, a longer battery life, and more. Apple Watch Series 12 Battery Up to 24 hours Case Material Aluminum, Titanium, or Ceramic IP Rating IP6X Wi-Fi connectivity Wi‑Fi 4 Take control of your health with the most accurate heart rate sensing available in a wearable.