Apple expected to unveil Ultra 4 and Series 12 watches with new chip and health upgrades

Apple is set to introduce two new Apple Watch models at its September event, the Ultra 4 and the Series 12. Industry sources say both devices will receive an upgraded processor, moving from the current S10 chip to a more powerful S11, which could coincide with the rollout of watchOS 27 and its new Siri AI capabilities.

"Both models will get a long-awaited bump in chips and speed," reported Bloomberg journalist Mark Gurman.

A report from Digitimes suggests the Ultra 4 may include a redesign, though Gurman cautions that major design changes are unlikely until the following year. The same source indicates the Ultra 4 could reintroduce a ceramic case option and double the number of onboard sensors, potentially expanding health monitoring features such as hypertension notifications, which were added in watchOS 26 and are under FDA review.

Analysts note that while details remain limited, the expected chip upgrade, modest design refinements, and expanded health-tracking capabilities point to incremental improvements rather than a radical overhaul.