Apple Watch Series 12
The default Apple Watch, now with heart rate every five seconds and a free daily Readiness score.
Key specs
- Battery life
- 1 day
- Battery saver
- 38 hr
- GPS tracking
- 10 hr
- Charging
- 1 hr
- Weight
- 39.5g
- Case size
- 46mm
- Display
- AMOLED, always-on
- Water resistance
- 5 ATM (50m)
- Phone
- iPhone only
- Sensors
- Optical heart rate, ECG, SpO₂, Skin temperature, Accelerometer, Gyroscope, Barometer, Compass, GPS, Altimeter, Ambient light, Microphone
For most iPhone users this is the one. The change is underneath: a rebuilt Health Sensing System reads heart rate every five seconds, all day, where older models take periodic spot checks, and samples HRV up to 24 times more often. That feeds Readiness, a free 0–10 daily score built from sleep, vitals, and Training Load. It is Apple’s answer to Whoop Recovery, and only this and the Ultra 4 get it. All-day battery stays at 24 hours, but a GPS workout now runs 10 hours instead of 8, and 15 minutes on the charger buys 12 hours instead of 8. Aluminium models swap Ion-X for Ceramic Shield 2, and ceramic returns at $899. The catch: the 46mm aluminium costs $20 more than the Series 11 and weighs 1.7g more.
Strengths
- Heart rate every five seconds and a free daily Readiness score
- GPS workouts stretch to 10 hours; 15 minutes of charge buys 12
- Full sensor stack — ECG, SpO2, wrist temperature — still from $399
Tradeoffs
- iPhone-only; no Android support
- All-day battery unchanged at 24 hours
- Hypertension alerts flag risk — still no blood pressure reading
Full specs
Specs and pricing verified
Loading full specs…
Common questions
- How much does the Apple Watch Series 12 cost?
- The Apple Watch Series 12 starts at $399, with larger sizes and premium finishes costing more.
- Does the Apple Watch Series 12 require a subscription?
- No. Apple sells an optional premium tier at a monthly fee for deeper analysis, but the Apple Watch Series 12 tracks and syncs without it.
- How long does the Apple Watch Series 12 battery last?
- About 1 day of typical use per charge. Heavy GPS use, an always-on display, and continuous sensing all pull that number down.
- How much does the Apple Watch Series 12 weigh?
- The 46 mm Apple Watch Series 12 weighs 39.5 g.
- How big is the Apple Watch Series 12?
- The Apple Watch Series 12 has a 46 mm case in the configuration we list, which weighs 39.5 g.
- Is the Apple Watch Series 12 waterproof?
- The Apple Watch Series 12 is rated 5 ATM (50m), which covers showering, swimming, and surface water sports. It is not a dive rating.
- Does the Apple Watch Series 12 work with iPhone and Android?
- It pairs with iPhone only — there is no Android app.
- When was the Apple Watch Series 12 released?
- Apple released the Apple Watch Series 12 in 2026, and it is still in the current lineup.