Apple Watch Series 12 and watchOS 27: What to Expect Later This Year

At a glance:

• Apple Watch Series 12 and Apple Watch Ultra 4 are expected in September 2026, alongside the watchOS 27 wide release.
• Leaked Apple code suggests Touch ID may arrive on the Apple Watch, built into the side button, though Apple has not confirmed the feature.
• watchOS 27 will bring new watch faces, additional Apple Intelligence features, and expanded satellite capabilities — partly enabled by Amazon's acquisition of Globalstar.

What to expect in September

Apple Watch Series 12 and Apple Watch Ultra 4 models are expected to be released in September 2026, coinciding with Apple's traditional fall hardware event. Ahead of that milestone, Apple will unveil watchOS 27 during its WWDC 2026 keynote on Monday, June 8. A developer beta will likely be available immediately after the keynote, a public beta is expected to follow in July, and the update should be widely released in September alongside the new hardware.

A new Apple Watch SE is not expected this year. The current SE 3 was updated last year, and Apple has historically gone two to three years between entry-level refreshes, so the next Apple Watch SE likely won't arrive until 2027 or 2028.

Touch ID may come to the Apple Watch

Touch ID may be coming to the Apple Watch Series 12 and Apple Watch Ultra 4, according to internal Apple software code that leaked online last year. The feature would likely be built into the Apple Watch's side button, enabling users to unlock the device with their fingerprint instead of relying on a passcode.

However, there is no guarantee that Apple will move forward with this plan either this year or ever. Notably, credible sources such as Bloomberg's Mark Gurman and Apple supply chain analyst Ming-Chi Kuo have yet to mention Touch ID coming to the Apple Watch in 2026, which suggests the feature may still be in doubt or further out on the company's roadmap.

New silicon after a one-year hiatus

While the Apple Watch Series 11, Apple Watch Ultra 3, and Apple Watch SE 3 all contain the same S10 chip as their respective predecessors, leaked Apple code indicates that the Series 12 and Ultra 4 will receive a new processor. It is currently unclear whether the chip will carry S11 or S12 branding, but performance improvements are expected either way.

This would mark a return to annual chip upgrades for the Apple Watch lineup after a rare year in which Apple reused the same silicon across all three models. A faster chip could enable more on-device processing for Apple Intelligence features and improved real-time sensor data handling, both of which are increasingly important as the watch takes on more health and AI-related workloads.

WatchOS 27 software highlights

watchOS 27 will reportedly include new watch faces, including a variant of the "Modular Ultra" watch face that is currently exclusive to the Apple Watch Ultra. Bringing this face to the broader lineup would give non-Ultra owners access to one of the platform's most information-dense and customizable displays, a move that could also reduce the software distinction between Ultra and standard models.

On the Apple Intelligence front, watchOS 26 already offers several AI-powered features on the Apple Watch when it is paired with an iPhone 15 Pro or newer. These include Workout Buddy, Live Translation in Messages, and Notification Summaries. When Apple announced the dates for WWDC 2026, the company promised to unveil "AI advancements" across its platforms, and it can be reasonably assumed that watchOS 27 will include additional Apple Intelligence features powered by the iPhone.

Satellite connectivity expansion

Apple Watch Ultra 3 already has built-in satellite connectivity, enabling Emergency SOS, Find My, and Messages via satellite without any reliance on an iPhone. For the next generation, iOS 27 will reportedly add up to five new satellite features, and the following two are expected to extend to watchOS 27: Apple Maps via satellite and Photos support for Messages via satellite.

Behind the scenes, Amazon last month announced plans to acquire Globalstar, the satellite company that currently powers Apple's satellite features on the iPhone 14 and newer and the Apple Watch Ultra 3. As part of that deal, Amazon announced it has signed an agreement with Apple to provide satellite connectivity for current and future iPhone and Apple Watch features. This partnership could significantly expand the satellite infrastructure available to Apple's ecosystem in the coming years, potentially laying the groundwork for broader connectivity ambitions beyond emergency use cases.

What to watch next

The June 8 WWDC 2026 keynote will be the definitive moment for confirming which of these rumored features actually ship with watchOS 27. Until then, the Touch ID and satellite expansion stories remain unconfirmed by Apple, even if the leaked code is compelling. What is virtually certain is that the Apple Watch Series 12 and Ultra 4 will arrive in September with at least a new chip and meaningful software upgrades — and that Apple's satellite and AI strategies will continue to converge on the wrist.