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A tech writer who skipped many Apple Watch generations upgraded from the Series 10 to the Series 12, despite near-identical design, citing improved heart-rate monitoring, a new 'Readiness' app, faster performance, and a redesigned Health app. The reviewer says the device now rivals third-party wearables like WHOOP, which charges a $239/year subscription.
Amazon is offering early discounts on several of Apple's newest products as part of its fall Prime Day sale, including AirPods 5, Beats 360 ANC headphones, the Apple Watch Series 12 and Ultra 4, and the M6-powered Mac mini and Mac Studio. Notably, today marks the last day for an 80% discount on the Beats 360 Cushion Kit, dropping it to $10 from $50.
Apple confirmed two upcoming watchOS 27 features for the Apple Watch Series 12 and Ultra 4: Siri Recap, which ambiently logs conversations and generates Apple Intelligence summaries that auto-delete after seven days unless saved, and Live Rewind, which lets users double-press the Digital Crown to see a text snippet of the last 15 seconds of speech. Both features are part of Apple's broader Audio Intelligence push and will arrive later this year, with Apple publishing separate privacy white papers for each.
WIRED's 2026 smartwatch guide picks the Apple Watch Series 12, priced at $399, as the best option for iPhone owners, and Google's $400 Pixel Watch 5 as the top choice for Android users. The review highlights the Series 12's new Health Sensing System, S11 chip, more frequent heart rate and HRV tracking, a new Readiness score, and faster charging, while noting battery life remains largely unchanged.
Apple has extended watchOS 27.0.1, which fixes an issue causing unexpected restarts, to all Apple Watch models compatible with watchOS 27. The update had initially been limited to Apple Watch Series 12 and Apple Watch Ultra 4 last week, and shares the same build number, 24R365, as that earlier release. Apple simultaneously released related updates including iOS 27.0.1, iPadOS 27.0.1, visionOS 27.0.1, and several macOS versions.
WIRED's wearables reviewer tested Apple's current three-model Watch lineup—Series 12, Ultra 4, and SE 3—and named the Series 12 the best overall choice. The Series 12 introduces a new Health Sensing System with a 32-electrode ECG, more frequent heart-rate and HRV tracking, a new Readiness score, and Audio Intelligence features, alongside faster charging and satellite connectivity that the Series 11 lacked.
A week of hands-on use with the Apple Watch Series 12 highlights improvements in battery life and charging speed, attributed to the new S11 chip. The reviewer notes the watch now lasts through a full day and night of sleep tracking without needing a mid-day charge, and gains 12 hours of use from just 15 minutes of charging, per Apple. A new step-counter complication was also found exclusive to Series 12 despite step data being available on older models.
Engadget published a monthly review roundup covering Apple products released after Labor Day, alongside the return of Sonos. The lineup includes the iPhone 18 Pro with upgraded cameras, the Apple Watch Series 12 with expanded health tracking and unreleased audio features, revamped AirPods 5 with active noise cancellation on both models, and updated Mac mini and Mac Studio units with new chips at higher prices.
In episode 83 of the Overtime podcast, hosts Fernando Silva and Jeff Benjamin discuss Apple's rumored screenless fitness tracker and why it appeals to them. Silva also recounts hands-on impressions of the iPhone 18 Pro, Apple Watch Series 12, and Apple Watch Ultra 4, while the pair note disappointing findings on aftermarket SSD upgrades for the M6 Mac mini.
Apple's watchOS 27 update expands the Modular watch face with 13 new color choices, including Olive, Burgundy, Magenta and Navy Blue, accessible via the Color screen when customizing the face. The update also brings new complications for Daily Steps, Heart Rate, and Readiness, though these are exclusive to Apple Watch Ultra 4 and Series 12.
Apple's WatchOS 27 update introduces a dynamic app view that surfaces a user's six most-used or recent apps when the digital crown is pressed, rather than displaying the full grid of dozens of installed apps. A separate bubble at the bottom of the screen still leads to the complete home screen of apps.
Apple has added a new 'Readiness' bezel configuration to Apple Watch Ultra 4, joining existing options like Seconds, Depth, Elevation and Training. The bezel displays a numerical readiness score and description, using four illuminated bars to show which score category the wearer currently falls into. The feature works with bezel-supporting faces such as Modular Ultra and the new Siri Modular face, and ties into the Readiness app introduced alongside Apple Watch Series 12.