Apple has unveiled the Apple Watch Series 12 and Apple Watch Ultra 4, bringing notable upgrades to health sensors, tracking capabilities and new Apple Intelligence features such as audio transcription and summarisation, without raising the starting price of either device. The launch matters because it shows Apple pushing meaningful hardware and software improvements, including a new ceramic case option for the Series 12, while keeping the entry-level cost the same as the previous generation.

The Apple Watch Series 12 starts at $399 for the aluminium version without cellular, while the Apple Watch Ultra 4 starts at $799. Both models are powered by Apple's new S11 processor, which enables the Apple Intelligence features and more detailed health and fitness tracking. The Ultra 4 also gains extended battery life of up to 50 hours, up from 42 hours on the Ultra 3, though all the new watches are marginally heavier than their predecessors, with the ceramic Series 12 weighing 42.8g (42mm) or 52.9g (46mm) and the heaviest Ultra 4 reaching 63.1g, compared with 61.8g previously.