Apple seems to be bracing for a double-Apple Watch debut at its Sept. 9 occasion, with rumors pointing to a brand new Extremely 4 launching alongside the flagship Sequence 12. In line with Bloomberg’s Mark Gurman, Apple is getting ready each watches with sooner chips together with new well being and health options.
The unique Extremely arrived in 2022 with a extra rugged titanium construct, sapphire crystal show and options aimed toward out of doors adventurers and athletes. Since then, it’s added assist for leisure scuba diving and emergency satellite tv for pc connectivity, however it hasn’t adopted the predictable yearly launch cycle of the flagship Sequence. There was a two-year hole between the Extremely 2 and final yr’s Extremely 3.
A serious processor improve this yr might make a back-to-back refresh simpler to justify. All three Apple Watches launched final yr nonetheless run on the S10 chip, and it’s unlikely Apple would depart its most costly watch behind with an ageing processor whereas upgrading the flagship mannequin. Gurman experiences Apple is getting ready a sooner S11 or probably an S12 to match the flagship’s naming for each the Sequence 12 and Extremely 4.
However a bump in processing energy might additionally include a bump in worth. The Extremely 3 already begins at $799, twice the Sequence 11’s beginning worth, and whereas there’s no stable worth rumor but for its successor, Apple has raised costs throughout elements of its {hardware} lineup this yr. Google and Samsung have additionally raised costs on their flagship smartwatches in 2026, and I wouldn’t rely on Apple holding the road at $799.
Extra processing energy for the brand new Siri AI
The Apple Watch with Siri AI floats your prime 5 apps to the highest of your grid.
Apple
One place that further processing energy might come in useful is WatchOS 27, which brings the brand new Siri AI to the Apple Watch. I’ve already been testing Siri AI in beta on the Extremely 3, and it’s miles forward of conventional Siri. It could reply extra advanced and contextual questions, reference info in Apple’s native apps and customarily keep away from the irritating “Right here’s what I discovered on the net” response that made conventional Siri really feel particularly irritating on the wrist.
I’ve been impressed by what it may possibly do, however I’ve additionally observed some lag. A part of that may very well be as a result of the software program remains to be in beta, however a sooner processor might assist velocity up these interactions.
Battery features welcome
Battery life is one other space the place a extra environment friendly processor might assist. The Extremely 3 is already Apple’s longest-lasting watch, giving me about two days of constant day-and-night use in my real-world testing. That’s nonetheless effectively behind conventional sports-watch manufacturers like Garmin and Coros, which may measure battery life in weeks fairly than days, with some fashions even going past the 30-day threshold with solar energy.
Apple is unlikely to shut that hole in a single era, however any acquire will assist. Battery life stays one of many greatest ache factors for Apple Watch house owners and other people contemplating making the bounce. Even with no bigger battery, effectivity features from a brand new processor might assist the Extremely stretch its runtime even additional.
No design modifications anticipated for the Extremely 4
Gurman has stated no main design modifications are anticipated for this yr’s Apple Watch lineup, past the supplies and equipment, which would depart the Extremely 4 with the identical common look as final yr’s mannequin. The Sequence 12 is anticipated to carry again the ceramic instances, however it’s much less probably that Apple will swap ceramic for titanium on the Extremely.
New well being options
WatchOS 26 brings an Apple Intelligence-powered Exercise Buddy to the Apple Watch, however it wants the iPhone to work.
Vanessa Hand Orellana/CNET
A few of the Extremely 4’s new methods received’t require new {hardware} in any respect. WatchOS 27 brings expanded one-handed gesture controls, exercise updates and new perimenopause insights to the Apple Watch. Exercise Buddy, Apple’s hype-person in your ear, may even work in Spanish and with out an iPhone close by.
The brand new watches may carry expanded blood stress options. Apple’s present hypertension notifications can flag patterns related to hypertension, however they cease in need of supplying you with an on-the-spot blood stress studying. In line with Gurman, Apple has examined blood stress measurement internally however encountered accuracy issues, so there’s no assure the characteristic will probably be prepared this yr.
Wild card: TouchID on an Apple Watch
One other potential new addition (albeit utilizing outdated expertise) is Contact ID. MacWorld lately noticed inner Apple code suggesting the corporate has experimented with biometric authentication on the Apple Look ahead to both 2026 or 2027. It’s unclear whether or not Apple would put a fingerprint sensor beneath the show, within the Digital Crown or some other place fully, however the Extremely may very well be a logical mannequin to debut the brand new performance, given its bigger case and extra bodily Motion button.
After all, all of this stays hypothesis till Apple makes it official. Test again for our protection of Apple’s Sept. 9 occasion for all the small print on the brand new Apple Watch(es).
