The Apple Watch could go round, or lose its screen entirely

Apple's design team has spent a year rethinking the watch, weighing round displays and fitness bands with no screen at all. This fall's Series 12 and Ultra 4 keep the shape they have.

By iDeviceAug 9, 9:20 AM CT3 min read

Ask about the Apple Watch Series 12

Can it get wet (shower, pool, swimming)? Yes, you can shower and swim in it. It is rated to 50m, and for snorkelling. Its rating is WR50, IP6X.
Does it read blood glucose? No, it has no glucose sensor.
How long does the battery last? It runs 24 hours. That is 38 hours in low power mode, and 24 hours at most.
Does it track sleep apnea? It looks for signs that you may be at risk. It is a signal to act on, not a diagnosis.
Does it work with my phone? It works with an iPhone only. There is no Android app.
How much storage does it have? It comes with 64GB of storage.
Does it do 5G? Yes, it does 5G.
How heavy is it? It weighs 31.5g to 52.9g. The weight varies by size or finish.
What sizes does it come in? It comes in 42mm or 46mm. There are 2 case sizes, and the bigger one usually lasts longer between charges.
How sharp and bright is the screen? The screen reaches 2000 nits at its brightest. It packs 326 pixels into every inch.
How thick is it? It is 9.7mm thick.
What chip is inside? It runs on S11.
Which AI assistant does it use? It uses Siri powered by Apple Intelligence.
What software does it run? It runs watchOS 27.
What is it made of? It is made of Aluminium, titanium or ceramic.
What kind of screen is it? It uses always-on ltpo3 oled, 1hz refresh, 2,000 nits peak.
Does it track sleep stages? Yes, it tracks your sleep stages.

BUY?UPGRADE?

The Apple Watch has kept the same square screen on a band since the first one, and Apple's industrial design team has spent the last year asking whether it should. According to Bloomberg's Mark Gurman, the options being weighed run to circular displays, several screen sizes, cheaper and more premium models, and fitness accessories with no screen at all. The Health app, where an iPhone stores your health data, is being pushed in a more AI-driven direction at the same time. None of it has been decided and none of it is close to shipping.

The watch is up against the Oura Ring and other screenless fitness trackers now, and the market has kept spreading across rings and earbuds. Series 12 and Ultra 4 still arrive this fall with new processors, some new color options, better fitness features and no design changes at all. They will probably land at Apple's September event, next to the iPhone 18 Pro and the first foldable iPhone.

Update, Aug 9, 10:37 AM CT: MacRumors carries a tier plan alongside the Apple Watch rethink, with premium models above the Ultra and Hermes and cheaper ones below the SE.

Update, Aug 9, 10:19 AM CT: Digital Trends carries a longer Apple Watch roadmap from the same Gurman newsletter, with a second redesign in 2027 and a third as early as 2028.

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