Apple Launches Watch Ultra 4 and Watch Series 12
The company highlighted the Apple Watch’s role in helping users monitor their health, stay active and connected, and, in some cases, respond to potentially life-threatening situations
Apple has launched its next generation Ultra and Series 12 watches at "Surprise and shine" event in Cupertino, California, on Wednesday.
The Apple Watch Series 12 starts at $399, while the Apple Watch Ultra 4 starts at $799. Both models are available to preorder today and will go on sale on September 18.
The Apple Watch Ultra 4 features a larger battery, offering up to two days of battery life. With GPS and heart-rate tracking during workouts, it provides up to 18 hours of battery life, or up to 45 hours in Max Extended Workout mode.
The Ultra 4 comes in Black and Natural Titanium, along with new band colors and a new titanium Hermes band.
The Apple Watch Series 12 will be available in Space Grey, Black, Light Gold and Dark Bronze.
The aluminum models feature Ceramic Shield, which Apple says makes the display 60% more durable. The watch is also available in titanium with polished finishes in Radiant Gold and Natural, while ceramic models come in Pearl White and Night Blue.
Apple said its new S11 chip enables Audio Intelligence features on the Apple Watch while keeping user data private and secure. The chip’s power-efficient always-on processor is designed to run these features directly on the device.
The Apple Watch’s built-in microphones will power a new set of Apple Intelligence features under the company’s Audio Intelligence system. Similar to Visual Intelligence, the technology is designed to understand and interpret sounds around the user.
Apple is bringing Sound Recognition to the Apple Watch, particularly benefiting users who are deaf or hard of hearing. The feature can identify sounds such as alarms, doorbells and a crying baby, helping users stay more aware of their surroundings.
Apple is introducing a new VO2 Max test that uses the Phone to monitor users as they perform a series of exercises. The results are generated immediately and work in conjunction with the Apple Watch.
Apple is introducing a new Health Age feature that shows how key health metrics compare with a user’s actual age. The feature uses data such as VO2 Max, sleep and other measurements from the Apple Watch, along with blood-work biomarkers, to provide insights into how lifestyle habits may affect overall health.
The Health app will also get a new Longevity tab, which uses data from the iPhone and Apple Watch to assess overall health across areas such as sleep, movement and heart health.
Apple is also giving the Health app a major redesign, turning users’ health metrics into more personalized guidance with Apple Intelligence at its core.
The new health sensing system introduces a new Readiness feature on the Apple Watch. It analyzes users’ recent activity, vital signs and sleep each morning to provide a single score indicating how prepared the body is for the day.
The feature is designed to help users decide when to push themselves and when to take it easy, offering guidance such as recovering, pacing themselves or taking on a workout.
Apple is bringing high-frequency heart-rate data to the updated Heart Rate app and new watch-face complications, giving users more detailed insights into their fitness and physiological state.