Bloomberg’s Mark Gurman has outlined what to expect from the Apple Watch Series 12 and Apple Watch Ultra 4, which are set to be unveiled on September 9.
Despite earlier rumors that Touch ID could come to the Apple Watch this year, Gurman reiterated that he does not expect the Series 12 or Ultra 4 to feature major design changes compared with the current Series 11 and Ultra 3 models.
Ceramic Apple Watch case may return
Apple is expected to bring back a ceramic case option for the Apple Watch Series 12. Gurman said Apple has tested both white and dark gray ceramic finishes, similar to those offered for the highest-end Apple Watch Series 3 in 2017.
A separate rumor suggested that the Series 12 could launch with a band containing an embedded health sensor, but Gurman did not mention such an accessory.
Apple Watch Series 12 health and performance updates
Instead, the expected changes are more conventional, including faster performance and improvements to health and fitness tracking. The Apple Watch Series 11 and Ultra 3 both use the S10 chip introduced with the Series 10 and Ultra 2. A new S11 chip or a newer processor would therefore deliver the first significant Apple Watch performance improvement in several years.
One feature currently being tested would allow the Apple Watch heart-rate sensor to collect data continuously throughout the day, according to Gurman. Apple is also working on redesigned Health and Fitness apps that would display more wellness-related metrics “in a similar fashion to increasingly popular app offerings from Whoop and Oura.”
Apple is not expected to release an Apple Watch SE 4 this year.
Major Apple Watch redesign still in development
A “big redesign” is in development for the Apple Watch, but Gurman said it is unlikely to arrive for another year or two. Looking further ahead, he has previously reported that Apple continues to develop a blood sugar detection feature, with a goal of releasing it by 2030.
