Apple's new Series 12 smartwatch outclasses the three-year-old Series 9, but only owners chasing serious fitness data need to care.
Apple Watch Series 12 is now shipping, replacing the Series 9 that the company discontinued back in 2024. The case is thinner, the display is bigger, and the S11 chip comes paired with twice the RAM of its predecessor. Health tracking got the biggest overhaul: a fourth-generation optical heart sensor takes readings every five seconds, feeding new Recovery HRV and Readiness scores the Series 9 can't match. Apple also added a water temperature sensor, a depth gauge, and Audio Intelligence features like Sound Recognition, while keeping the starting price at $399, the same number the Series 9 launched at three years ago.
For swimmers, runners, and anyone obsessing over recovery metrics, that sensor upgrade is the real reason to switch, not the thinner case or marginally faster charging. Everyone else keeps a watch that still runs watchOS 27, still has an always-on display and ECG, and still talks to Siri's AI features when paired with a compatible iPhone.
Three years of chip updates and a redesigned case is a modest return for Apple's flagship wearable, and most casual owners will do just fine skipping this one.