Longer artillery life and a much tin chipset (that enables a big of caller features) are the main reasons to upgrade.
Longer artillery life and a much tin chipset (that enables a big of caller features) are the main reasons to upgrade.
by
Sep 10, 2026, 3:00 PM UTC
Photo: Antonio G. Di Benedetto / The Verge
is an editor covering deals and gaming hardware. He joined successful 2018, and aft a two-year stint astatine Polygon, he rejoined The Verge successful May 2025.
The iPhone Duo was the unequivocal prima of Apple’s “Surprise and shine” event, but not for group who were mostly paying attraction for news connected wearables. Thankfully, Apple had a batch to stock astir its caller Apple Watch Series 12 and Ultra 4. There’s nary update to the SE exemplary for 2026, which isn’t needfully a bad point (the SE 3 rules). Also, nary value changes either, which can’t beryllium said for the entire iPhone lineup.
While some caller watches look akin to their predecessors, location are a number of updates nether the hood that mightiness intrigue immoderate group capable to warrant a preorder. My workfellow Victoria Song got hands-on pinch some smartwatches, and runs down the biggest changes, from the Audio Intelligence features made imaginable by the S11 spot (included successful the Series 12 and Ultra 4), positive the imaginable effect of its improved sensors and search capabilities.
If you don’t want to hold for reviews to deed earlier you make the purchase, the Series 12 starts astatine $399 astatine Amazon, Best Buy, and Apple itself for the 42mm size ($50 much for the 46mm). High rollers tin configure 1 pinch a ceramic case (the first clip ceramic has been connected the paper since the Series 5) starting astatine $899. Like usual, the Apple Watch Ultra 4 starts astatine $799 from Amazon and Best Buy and comes successful 1 size, which features GPS and 5G support. Launches will hap connected September 18th, the aforesaid time arsenic the iPhone 18 Pro and Pro Max.
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