An Apple Watch Extremely 4 Might Outshine the Collection 12 This 12 months, however at What Value?
Apple seems to be bracing for a double-Apple Watch debut at its Sept. 9 occasion, with rumors pointing to a brand new Extremely 4 launching alongside the flagship Collection 12. In line with Bloomberg’s Mark Gurman, Apple is making ready each watches with sooner chips together with new well being and health options.
The unique Extremely arrived in 2022 with a extra rugged titanium construct, sapphire crystal show and options geared toward outside adventurers and athletes. Since then, it’s added help for leisure scuba diving and emergency satellite tv for pc connectivity, nevertheless it hasn’t adopted the predictable yearly launch cycle of the flagship Collection. There was a two-year hole between the Extremely 2 and final yr’s Extremely 3.
A significant processor improve this yr might make a back-to-back refresh simpler to justify. All three Apple Watches launched final yr nonetheless run on the S10 chip, and it’s unlikely Apple would go away its costliest watch behind with an ageing processor whereas upgrading the flagship mannequin. Gurman studies Apple is making ready a sooner S11 or presumably an S12 to match the flagship’s naming for each the Collection 12 and Extremely 4.
However a bump in processing energy might additionally include a bump in value. The Extremely 3 already begins at $799, twice the Collection 11’s beginning value, and whereas there’s no strong value rumor but for its successor, Apple has raised costs throughout components of its {hardware} lineup this yr. Google and Samsung have additionally raised costs on their flagship smartwatches in 2026, and I wouldn’t depend on Apple holding the road at $799.
Extra processing energy for the brand new Siri AI
The Apple Watch with Siri AI floats your prime 5 apps to the highest of your grid.
Apple
One place that additional processing energy might turn out to be useful is WatchOS 27, which brings the brand new Siri AI to the Apple Watch. I’ve already been testing Siri AI in beta on the Extremely 3, and it’s miles forward of conventional Siri. It might reply extra complicated and contextual questions, reference info in Apple’s native apps and customarily keep away from the irritating “Right here’s what I discovered on the internet” response that made conventional Siri really feel particularly irritating on the wrist.
I’ve been impressed by what it could actually do, however I’ve additionally observed some lag. A part of that may very well be as a result of the software program continues to be in beta, however a sooner processor might assist pace up these interactions.
Battery positive factors welcome
Battery life is one other space the place a extra environment friendly processor might assist. The Extremely 3 is already Apple’s longest-lasting watch, giving me about two days of constant day-and-night use in my real-world testing. That’s nonetheless effectively behind conventional sports-watch manufacturers like Garmin and Coros, which might measure battery life in weeks somewhat than days, with some fashions even going past the 30-day threshold with solar energy.
Apple is unlikely to shut that hole in a single era, however any acquire will assist. Battery life stays one of many largest ache factors for Apple Watch homeowners and other people contemplating making the leap. Even with no bigger battery, effectivity positive factors from a brand new processor might assist the Extremely stretch its runtime even additional.
No design modifications anticipated for the Extremely 4
Gurman has stated no main design modifications are anticipated for this yr’s Apple Watch lineup, past the supplies and equipment, which would go away the Extremely 4 with the identical basic look as final yr’s mannequin. The Collection 12 is anticipated to convey again the ceramic circumstances, nevertheless it’s much less possible that Apple will swap ceramic for titanium on the Extremely.
New well being options
WatchOS 26 brings an Apple Intelligence-powered Exercise Buddy to the Apple Watch, nevertheless it wants the iPhone to work.
Vanessa Hand Orellana/CNET
A few of the Extremely 4’s new methods received’t require new {hardware} in any respect. WatchOS 27 brings expanded one-handed gesture controls, exercise updates and new perimenopause insights to the Apple Watch. Exercise Buddy, Apple’s hype-person in your ear, may also work in Spanish and with out an iPhone close by.
The brand new watches can also convey expanded blood stress options. Apple’s present hypertension notifications can flag patterns related to hypertension, however they cease wanting supplying you with an on-the-spot blood stress studying. In line with Gurman, Apple has examined blood stress measurement internally however encountered accuracy issues, so there’s no assure the characteristic might be prepared this yr.
Wild card: TouchID on an Apple Watch
One other potential new addition (albeit utilizing previous know-how) is Contact ID. MacWorld lately noticed inner Apple code suggesting the corporate has experimented with biometric authentication on the Apple Look ahead to both 2026 or 2027. It’s unclear whether or not Apple would put a fingerprint sensor beneath the show, within the Digital Crown or elsewhere fully, however the Extremely may very well be a logical mannequin to debut the brand new performance, given its bigger case and extra bodily Motion button.
In fact, all of this stays hypothesis till Apple makes it official. Examine again for our protection of Apple’s Sept. 9 occasion for all the small print on the brand new Apple Watch(es).
