Apple Watch Series 12 announced: Everything you need to know about the new flagship Apple Watch

(Image credit: Apple) Move over, Apple Watch Series 11; there's a new flagship Apple Watch in town. Apple just announced the Apple Watch Series 12 alongside the Apple Watch Ultra 4 during Cupertino's September 9 "Surprise and Shine" event (we also got the new iPhone 18 series and the iPhone Duo).Boasting a completely redesigned health sensor array, upgraded processor, and tons of new wellness tools, here's everything you need to know about the Apple Watch Series 12.Apple Watch Series 12: Upgrades cheat sheetPrice and release: The Apple Watch Series 12 is available for preorder starting today and will be available on September 18, with a starting price of $399, the same as the Series 11Design: The Series 12 looks similar to the Series 11; available in Space Grey, Black, Light Gold, and Dark Bronze (aluminum case); Pearl White and Night Blue (ceramic case); Polished Gold and Polished Silver (titanium case)Health features: Updated health sensing system; improved heart rate and heart rate variability (HRV) tracking; HRV reflected in Vitals app; new Readiness metric; new Health Age score; redesigned Health app with improved recovery insights and personalized AI health/fitness guidance that updates dynamically; Health app now supports personal health data and lab resultsAI features: Support for Siri AI voice assistant; Live Rewind lets you ‘go back in time’ up to 15 seconds; Sound Recognition can auto-alert users to common sounds like sirens and alarms; Siri Recap takes high-level notes of conversations and generates summariesUnder-the-hood: Upgraded S11 processorBattery life: Up to 24 hours per charge, same as Series 11Last year's Apple Watch Series 11 currently tops our best smartwatch list; will the new Apple Watch Series 12 take its place? Maybe! Here's what's new and exciting about the latest model.Apple Watch Series 12: Price and release (Image credit: Apple)Unlike Google and Samsung, which increased pricing across their respective smartwatch lines this year, Apple kept the pricing of the Series 12 consistent with last year’s model. The Apple Watch Series 12 starts at $399 for the smaller, non-cellular 42mm model.You can preorder the Apple Watch Series 12 starting today. The device is expected to be available on September 18th.Apple Watch Series 12: Design (Image credit: Apple)Like the Apple Watch Series 11, the new Apple Watch Series 12 comes in 42mm or 46mm. While the basic design and display remain unchanged, the Series 12 features Apple's Ceramic Shield 2 screen coating, which is 60% tougher than the Ion-X glass used on the Series 11.Apple has also added some exciting new case options, including two ceramic models in your choice of Pearl White or Night Blue.Get instant access to breaking news, the hottest reviews, great deals and helpful tips.The Series 12 is additionally available in Polished Silver titanium and Polished Gold titanium.Apple Watch Series 12: Health and fitness (Image credit: Apple)The most notable upgrades to the Apple Watch Series 12 are related to health and fitness. Cupertino completely redesigned the sensor array on the bottom of the device for improved accuracy and efficiency.The electrode surface, used for ECG, has been increased in size for more precise readings. The photodiodes, meanwhile, have been rearranged in a ring, resulting in improved efficiency, and the LEDS, used for monitoring heart rate, are more powerful than before.The heart rate sensor on the Series 12 now takes a reading every five seconds, day and night, a 60-fold increase in sample frequency compared to the Series 11. Heart Rate Variability (HRV) is now sampled every five minutes, or 24 times more frequently than before.According to Apple’s internal testing, the brand’s latest smartwatches have the “most accurate heart rate tracking in a wearable.” (Image credit: Apple)Meanwhile, a new Heart Rate Variability meter, which lives in the Vitals app, provides dynamic stress and recovery advice. Apple has also added a dynamic Readiness Score, similar to what the competition offers, based on recent activity, sleep quality, and vitals.Later this year, Cupertino will also be rolling out an updated Health app with a much cleaner design. It also adds a new “Insights” tab where users can view AI-generated summaries of their recent health trends. Speaking of AI, the app also generates custom-tailored workout and recovery suggestions.There’s also a new “Longevity” tab where users can follow guided assessments to learn how their physical fitness compares to other users in their age range. Apple is additionally adding a new Health Age metric, similar to Garmin’s Fitness Age, which similarly compares your workout habits, VO2 Max, sleep trends, heart health, and more, to the averages for your age group.Finally, the updated Health app will support the integration of personal health data, like lab results and medical stats. This feature is, of course, optional.Apple Watch Series 12: AI features (Image credit: Apple)The Apple Watch Series 12 supports Apple's Siri AI voice assistant, but that’s not all. There are a handful of new audio-based AI features that sound (pun intended) promising, like Live Rewind, which lets you relisten to the past 15 seconds of ambient sound at any moment with a double-press of the digital crown.I’m admittedly bad with names, so I could definitely see this feature being useful at my next social outing. Like the latest iPhones, the Series 12 also supports Sound Recognition, which is designed to alert those who are hard of hearing to common noises like fire alarms, doorbells, and even a crying baby.Finally, Siri Recap is designed to listen in on your important conversations and create digestible notes with summaries and key points. Users can set when this feature is active or not, either manually or via a schedule/geolocation.It’s worth noting that when using these audio AI features, no actual audio is saved, speakers aren’t identified, and everything gets end-to-end encrypted. Unfortunately, you’ll need to wait a while to test Live Rewind and Siri Recap out; they won’t be released until later this year (in beta).Apple Watch Series 12: Outlook (Image credit: Apple)While improved battery performance or a brighter screen topped my upgrade wish list, the Apple Watch Series 12 still seems to be a noteworthy improvement over its predecessor, thanks to a faster processor, better health tracking tech, new wellness metrics galore, and support for some genuinely useful-sounding AI features. I'm also beyond pleased to see no price increases across the Series 12 line.Stay tuned for our full Apple Watch Series 12 review. In the meantime, what are your thoughts on the new model? Are you excited for its debut, or less than impressed? Let me know below. Follow Tom's Guide on Google News and add us as a preferred source to get our up-to-date news, analysis, and reviews in your feeds. Alternatively, you can read our content on the Tom's Guide app available now for iOS and Android. More from Tom's GuideWe asked 368 people what they want from the Apple Watch Ultra 4. Here’s the resounding answer (and it’s not AI)I’ve been writing about the Apple Watch for the past decade: Here’s the rumored update I’m most excited about for the Apple Watch Ultra 4Leaked Apple Watch 12 design change is the opposite of an upgrade — and that has me worried Dan Bracaglia is the Tom’s Guide editorial lead for all things smartwatches, fitness trackers and outdoor gear. With 15 years of experience as a consumer technology journalist testing everything from Oura Rings to instant cameras, Dan is deeply passionate about helping readers save money and make informed purchasing decisions. In the past year alone, Dan has assessed major product releases from the likes of Apple, Garmin, Google, Samsung, Polar and many others. An avid outdoor adventurer, Dan is based in the U.S. Pacific Northwest where he takes advantage of the beautiful surroundings every chance he gets. A lover of kayaking, hiking, swimming, biking, snowboarding and exploring, he also makes every effort to combine his day job with his passions. When not assessing the sleep tracking and heart rate accuracy of the latest tach gadgets, you can find him photographing Seattle’s vibrant underground music community.