Apple Watch Series 12 gets Readiness, new health sensors and S11 chip

Apple Watch Series 12 is official, and health tracking is the big focus this year. Apple has redesigned the heart rate hardware, added a Readiness score and is bringing much more Apple Intelligence into the Health experience.

A new Health Sensing system

Series 12 introduces what Apple calls an all-new Health Sensing system. The electrodes now have a larger surface area, while the optical sensor uses redesigned photodiodes and larger, more power-efficient green LEDs.

Series 12 can now take background heart rate readings every five seconds, around 60 times more frequently than before. HRV measurements are also taken every five minutes, which Apple says is 24 times more frequent. Apple is calling this its most accurate heart-rate sensing system in a wearable. 

The Heart Rate app has been updated to make use of the additional data. HRV now appears in the Vitals app as well, including a new daytime view rather than being something that mainly sits in the background.

That feeds into one of the more interesting additions, Readiness. Each morning, Apple Watch looks at your vitals, sleep and recent activity and turns them into a single score. Unlike most morning readiness scores, Apple’s version does not stay fixed for the rest of the day. It updates as the day progresses and can be viewed on either the watch or iPhone.

Apple Health gets much smarter

Apple is also giving its Health app a major redesign, with Apple Intelligence playing a much bigger role. The idea is to move beyond simply displaying health metrics and provide more personalised guidance based on what the system knows about you.

Health Age estimates how your health compares with your actual age, while a new Longevity tab brings together information collected by Apple Watch and iPhone. Users can also add blood test results and other medical records, allowing those results to be considered alongside wearable data.

Apple is even adding an on-demand VO2 max assessment that can be performed at home. The iPhone camera tracks movement while the user follows pacing and on-screen guidance, with the result appearing once the test is complete.

The redesigned Health app is due later this year.

Apple Intelligence comes to the wrist

The new S11 chip provides the hardware behind another batch of Apple Intelligence features. It has a faster CPU, Neural Engine and GPU derived from the A20 Pro, along with an always-on processor.

Audio Intelligence brings sound recognition to the watch. It can identify things such as sirens, alarms, traffic and doorbells and alert the wearer.

Live Rewind is more unusual. Double-pressing the Digital Crown can take you back up to 15 seconds and display a transcription of what was just said. Siri Recap goes further by using ambient listening to create high-level notes. Users can decide exactly when the feature operates, either manually or on a schedule.

Apple says audio used by these features is not recorded or stored, speakers are not identified and synced information is protected with end-to-end encryption.

Tougher glass and new finishes

Apple has also strengthened the Series 12 front glass. Aluminum models use Ceramic Shield 2, while titanium and ceramic versions use sapphire crystal.

The aluminum case comes in Dark Bronze, Light Gold, Black and Space Gray. Titanium is available in Radiant Gold and Natural, while the ceramic model comes in Pearl White and Night Blue.

Battery life remains rated at 24 hours, unchanged from Series 11, or up to 38 hours in Low Power Mode. Fast charging can reach 80 percent in around 30 minutes, while a 15-minute charge provides up to 12 hours of normal use.

Cellular versions also gain 5G RedCap support alongside LTE, giving the Series 12 its first 5G connectivity.

Apple Watch Series 12 starts at $399. Pre-orders open today, with general availability beginning September 18. Also launched today is the Ultra 4.