Apple Watch Series 12 · Reported Feature

Battery life wins out over Touch ID

What we’re expecting

Multiple sources report Apple prioritized battery capacity over adding Touch ID this cycle. Combined with S12 3nm efficiency and a likely LTPO display improvement, battery life should beat the Series 11's 24 hours. No hour count has been reported, but the trade-off shows Apple made this a primary target.

Apple's reportedly trading new Series 12 hardware for battery life, letting the S12 chip do more per charge instead of adding sensors. Touch ID was on the table and got cut, not because Apple doesn't want it but because a fingerprint reader would eat battery or crowd out health features. Battery is the top smartwatch gripe, so it's the right thing to spend the room on.

iDevice Confidence

Highly expected

The evidence is strong and largely consistent across sources.

How does Apple Watch Series 12's battery life compare?

Standalone runtime per charge, longer is better.

Galaxy Watch Ultra 2
~72hrs est. (~800mAh leaked)
Samsung Galaxy Watch 9
~50hrs est (40mm) / +30% vs Watch 8
Galaxy Watch Ultra (current)
Up to 48 hours (590mAh)
Apple Watch Ultra 3
Up to 42 hours
Samsung Galaxy Watch 8
Up to 40 hours (40mm)
Apple Watch Series 12
Improved (est. 24–36 hrs)
Pixel Watch 4
~30hrs (41mm) / ~40hrs (45mm)
Apple Watch Series 11
Up to 24 hours

Tethered and USB-C-powered devices excluded (no standalone rating).

Sources reporting this (2)

This Year’s Apple Watch Might Play Things Very SafeGizmodo · May 11, 2026
Apple Watch Series 12: Here’s what we know so far9to5Mac · May 16, 2026