Apple’s Surprise and Shine iPhone event is a week from Wednesday, and while all eyes will be on the iPhone 18 Pro and folding iPhone Ultra, Apple is also expected to unveil the Apple Watch Series 12 and Ultra 4. Rumors suggest that the updates will be minor, but a new report sheds some light on what will be new this year.
In his latest Power On newsletter, Bloomberg’s Mark Gurman confirms that Apple’s new Series 12 and Ultra 4 watches will be “fairly minor upgrades,” but shares some information about the new models, particularly the Series 12. Of note, he reports that there will be “many new band colors and configurations” this year, including a possible reemergence of ceramic “Edition” models (codename Iceman), which haven’t been sold since 2019. Gurman says white and dark gray options have been tested for the Series 12, but doesn’t say whether the Ultra will be getting new ceramic options as well, but due to its rugged nature, it’s unlikely.
Gurman points out the other than the new bands, Apple’s 2026 watches are unlikely to look much different than the ones released over the past several years. Instead, upgrades will once again be on the inside. He doesn’t mention whether there will be any new sensors, but he spotlights an upgrade to an existing one. Apple is reportedly testing the ability of the heart-rate sensor to “continuously collect data throughout the day.”
As it currently works, Apple’s heart-rate sensor only monitors your heart rate in real time for workouts, Breathe and Reflect sessions, and when you open the Heart Rate app. It also takes sporadic readings throughout the day to check for unusually high, low, or irregular rhythms. This new feature would allow it to work all day to get a clearer and constant picture of your health.
He also says Apple is “revamping its fitness and health app software” to better compete with screenless trackers from Whoop and Oura. As we wrote in our comparison test, Whoop has a superior app experience, which includes a journal of daily habits to personalize the fitness experience. Gurman says the refresh will “show more wellness-related metrics.”
Finally, Gurman says Apple is indeed working on “a big redesign,” as has been rumored for a while, but it’s still at least a year away.
