Looking similar to their predecessors on the surface, the new Apple Watch Ultra 4 and Series 12 wearables have a lot more going on than what would appear at first glance.
Just by looking at the Apple Watch Ultra 4, there’s not a lot that obviously separates it from the previous generation. That’s because the exterior is largely the same: it has the same 49mm size, the same 3,000-nit OLED display, and the same 40m underwater resistance rating.
What’s different, which is also true of the new Apple Watch Series 12, is a suite of new health sensors and wellness features. Using what’s called the “Health Sensing System”, both sets of wearables provide “the most accurate heart rate sensing in a wearable”, Apple claims.
This system pairs with Apple’s more powerful S11 chip and a series of new optical and electrical heart sensors. As a result, the watches measure the wearer’s heart rate every five seconds, providing more data to help paint a detailed picture of one’s health.
Like similar features offered by other smartwatches, including the latest Google Pixel Watch and Samsung Galaxy Watch models, the new Apple Watch range supports a feature called “readiness”. It analyses the wearer’s data and vitals to provide a score between zero and 10. The watch then makes a simple recommendation for the day ahead, like having a recovery day or cranking up the workout intensity.
Apple’s reworked wearable technology also extends to its built-in pedometer. According to the company, the Watch Ultra 4 and Series 12’s step-tracking is more accurate, in addition to better distance readings for indoor workouts.
As for battery, the Apple Watch Ultra 4 now lasts up to 50 hours of general use, and up to 84 hours in Apple’s power-saving mode. For reference, the Apple Watch Ultra 3 was 42 and 72 hours, respectively. Meanwhile, the Apple Watch Series 12 maintains the same 24-hour battery life as its predecessor. However, Apple claims it lasts 25 per cent longer during outdoor workouts.
Listening in
AI continues to be a focal point for Apple, which was seen throughout its wearables announcement. Both sets of watches gain a suite of “Audio Intelligence” features based on nearby sounds.
One addition is automatically detecting music and showing the song via Shazam. For accessibility, there’s also “Sound Recognition”, which alerts wearers who are deaf or hard of hearing to important sounds, like sirens and alarms.
From a productivity perspective, the latest Apple Watches can recap the last 15 seconds of a conversation via text, or generate a summary of conversations that can be saved in the new Siri AI app.
Apple stressed that its listening-based features “do not create or store audio recordings”. The company also claimed that any audio used for processing is “completely inaccessible” to anyone, including the wearer and Apple. On top of this, the recap feature is meant to “exclude sensitive information”. In other words, if you mention any banking details in a conversation, it shouldn’t appear in any generated recaps.
Apple Watch Ultra 4 + Series 12 price and release date
Pre-orders for the new wearables are now live on Apple’s website, ready to launch on 18 September — the same date as the iPhone 18 Pro range and AirPods 5. Here’s how much each watch costs in Australia:
Apple Watch Ultra 4
- Alpine Loop / Trail Loop / Ocean Band: $1,349
- Titanium Milanese Loop: $1,499
Apple Watch Series 12
- Aluminium 42mm GPS-only: $649
- Aluminium 46mm GPS-only: $739
- Aluminium 42mm GPS + Cellular: $799
- Aluminium 46mm GPS + Cellular: $889
- Titanium 42mm: $1,249
- Titanium 46mm: $1,339
- Ceramic 42mm: $1,599
- Ceramic 46mm: $1,689
Even though the watches’ external hardware looks very similar, the underlying tech and software promise to make a big difference in everyday use.
Valens Quinn attended the iPhone launch event in Cupertino as a guest of Apple.
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