Apple says Live Rewind on Apple Watch cannot be used secretly because activation requires a deliberate double press of the Digital Crown, plays a chime, and shows a full-screen animation with a microphone indicator. The chime plays even when the watch is muted or headphones are connected. After activation, Live Rewind shows only a text […]
Apple’s Apple Watch Ultra 4 technical specifications list precision dual-frequency GPS with GPS, Galileo, QZSS, and BeiDou, but GLONASS is missing. The older Apple Watch Ultra specification page lists GLONASS alongside those systems. That makes the omission a real change in Apple’s published wording, although Apple does not explain whether it reflects hardware, software, regional […]
Apple now sells three Apple Watches, and for most sports the answer is the middle one. The Apple Watch Series 12 at $399 covers running, swimming and everyday health tracking on Apple’s own numbers, the Ultra 4 at $799 earns its price only if your day runs past 10 hours of workout tracking or your […]
Apple Watch Series 12 starts at $399, which is what Series 7 cost in 2021 and what every Series watch in between has cost at launch. Apple Watch Ultra 4 starts at $799, the same as the first Ultra in 2022, and Apple Watch SE 3 is $249, the same as the SE it replaced. […]
Apple rated the Apple Watch at up to 18 hours of normal use for four straight generations, from Series 7 in 2021 to Series 10 in 2024. Series 11 moved that to 24 hours last year, Series 12 keeps it, and Apple Watch Ultra 4 is now rated at up to 50 hours. The more […]
Both new Apple Watches swim. Apple rates Series 12 at 50 meters with a depth gauge that stops at 6 meters, and Ultra 4 at 100 meters with recreational scuba certification to 40 meters, and that single difference is what separates a $399 watch from a $799 one in the water. Everything else in the […]
iPhone Duo strongly leads Apple’s new-product YouTube views; AirPods and Apple Watches trail far behind.
A day after Apple’s September 9 event, official videos on the company’s YouTube channel show a clear hierarchy of interest: the first foldable iPhone is pulling far ahead of everything else Apple announced.
The five products in the spotlight were the iPhone Duo, iPhone 18 Pro, Apple Watch Series 12, Apple Watch Ultra 4, and AirPods 5. View counts on Apple’s own “Introducing” and “Everything announced” videos, posted about a day ago, put them in this order from most watched to least:
1. iPhone Duo
The flagship “Introducing the new iPhone Duo” film has about 8.8 million views. A longer “Everything announced” explainer sits at about 1.7 million. No other new product is close. The foldable is the first major change to the iPhone’s shape in nearly two decades, and the numbers show that curiosity is concentrated there.
2. iPhone 18 Pro
“Introducing the new iPhone 18 Pro” has about 5.9 million views. The companion deep-dive video is at about 1.4 million. That is a strong showing for a conventional Pro refresh, but it is still millions behind the Duo. Camera, battery, and A20 Pro messaging are landing — just not as hard as a folding screen.
3. Apple Watch Series 12
The standalone Series 12 introduction video is at about 473,000 views. Interest is real, especially around heart-rate sensing, but it is an order of magnitude below the two iPhones.
4. Apple Watch Ultra 4
Apple bundled Ultra 4 with Series 12 in a combined “ultimate wearable” video that has about 441,000 views. There is no separate Ultra film matching the Duo or 18 Pro numbers. The rugged watch is part of the conversation, not the center of it.
5. AirPods 5
The main AirPods 5 video sits around 354,000 views. Open-ear design plus active noise cancellation is a notable change, but it is the least-watched of the five launches on Apple’s channel so far.
The full event stream, which covers every product at once, has tens of millions of views and is not a clean product-to-product comparison. The individual films are. They show a two-tier launch: iPhones, especially the Duo, are driving almost all of the official video traffic; watches and AirPods are clustering together far behind.
MacDailyNews Take: View counts move quickly in the first 48 hours, and Apple will keep posting follow-ups. As of now, the public signal on YouTube is unambiguous. People came for the foldable and to a lesser extent, the iPhone 18 Pro models. The rest of the new releases are watching from a distance.
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Aos poucos, informações sobre os novos produtos da Apple — que geralmente não são detalhadas pela empresa — vão sendo reveladas. Ontem, por exemplo, comentamos por aqui as capacidades oficiais das baterias dos iPhones 18 Pro/18 Pro Max.
Agora, essas informações abordam as quantidades de RAM1Random access memory, ou memória de acesso aleatório. que os novos dispositivos possuem — não só dos iPhones, mas também dos Apple Watches Series 12 e Ultra 4.
Ainda segundo a reportagem, o Xcode ainda não oferece suporte ao iPhone Duo, mas como o dobrável utiliza o mesmo chip A20 Pro dos iPhones 18 Pro, é provável que ele também possua 12GB de memória.
Eles também confirmaram que os novos Watches têm uma quantidade maior memória do que os seus respectivos antecessores.
Apple Watch Series 12: 4GB
Apple Watch Ultra 4: 4GB
Os Apple Watches Series 11 e Ultra 3, cabe lembrar, possuem 2GB de RAM — portanto, os novos modelos contam com o dobro de memória.
Apesar da grave escassez de chips de memória — que levou a Apple a aumentar os preços de iPhones, iPads, Macs e outros produtos nos últimos meses —, as linhas Series 12 e Ultra 4 mantiveram os mesmos preços iniciais das linhas Series 11 e Ultra 3.
Notas de rodapé
1
Random access memory, ou memória de acesso aleatório.
Audio Intelligence is a brand-new class of Apple Intelligence features that use the microphones of Apple Watch, the power of Apple silicon, and on-device and cloud-based AI models to help you detect sounds, identify music, and stay present and engaged — all while protecting your privacy at every step.
Siri Recap: Uses ambient listening to generate high-level notes from conversations, such as takeaways from a team meeting or a parent-teacher conference, producing an Apple Intelligence-generated title, summary, and key points reviewable in the Siri app.
Live Rewind: Lets users “go back in time for 15 seconds,” transcribing and displaying what was just said in a conversation with a double press of the Digital Crown.
Shazam: Automatically identifies music playing nearby and surfaces the song title and artist on the Music Recognition widget in the Smart Stack.
Sound Recognition: Brings sound alerts to Apple Watch for users who are deaf or hard of hearing, listening for sirens, alarms, doorbells, a baby crying, and more, even when their iPhone isn’t nearby.
Apple is emphasizing that all of them are built to prioritize privacy and security using the extensive infrastructure the company has developed to protect its other Apple Intelligence and Siri services. As more and more of these types of features debut, though, the audio intelligence announcements are a reminder that AI-powered tools are becoming increasingly universal in all areas of computing and life.
“These features do not create or store audio recordings, and raw audio used for processing is completely inaccessible to the operating systems, apps, the user, or Apple,” the company wrote in a report shared with WIRED.
[…]
Apple emphasizes that its on-device capabilities for Apple watches have expanded thanks to the company’s new S11 chips. The chips include a special memory-protected space that Apple calls the Secure Exclave. Designed specifically for sensor data, the exclave is an isolated buffer that is inaccessible to the rest of the operating system where Apple Watch can hold and process audio data in a protected space.
[…]
To try to mitigate blatant privacy violations, Apple says that the watch produces an audible chime when a watch owner initiates a Live Rewind transcript to alert other people in the area—even if it is on silent mode or paired with headphones. And the features are built to omit or filter out potentially identifying information about speakers. But the sheer scope and breadth of the tools is extremely noteworthy.
Ron Huang introduced a couple of features of the Series 12 and Ultra 4 that struck me as both disturbing and possibly illegal. They certainly seem at odds with Apple’s commitment to privacy.
[…]
I’m sure Apple will argue that there’s no privacy issue because the recordings aren’t being saved. But if there’s a transcription, isn’t that a type of saving?
And then there’s the question of legality. A great variety of law, both in the United States and across the world, concerns the recording of electronic and in-person conversations. I’m sure Apple has considered this, but I have to think some jurisdictions will frown on Live Rewind. If Apple has to defend it, that’s fine. What’s one more squadron of lawyers to Apple? But if an Apple Watch owner has to defend a transcription made innocently—made with Apple’s encouragement, in fact—that seems like an unfair burden. Maybe Apple should indemnify all future Watch buyers from privacy-related legal action.
[…]
The hoops Apple jumped through to avoid certain words is pretty funny. […] You think your watch records the audio around you? No no no. The audio flows into the Secure Enclave, and flowing is definitely not recording because it’s a different word.
Live Rewind and other Audio Intelligence features do not generate audio recordings. Audio flows into the Secure Exclave, is processed, and then deleted.
According to Apple, Live Rewind text snippets “disappear permanently” from the Apple Watch approximately 30 seconds after the Apple Watch display dims, unless the info is saved to the Siri app.
But good luck explaining that to anyone around you after you read back an exact transcript of what they just said. Apple says they should be sufficiently notified Live Rewind is active because “an audible chime plays from the speaker on your Apple Watch, even if your Apple Watch is on silent or you have headphones connected”, plus the watch plays an animation, but it is not clear to me when this happens. It is not shown in Apple’s video. The impression I get is that Live Rewind is always running in the background and these notifications are only played after you double-click the Digital Crown to look at the text.
This feels like a glimpse of how Apple will market its inevitable wear-anywhere glasses product. I do not think it does enough to assuage privacy concerns. I think normal people will continue to react negatively when you tell them you have been passively recording them because, outside Silicon Valley, that is considered gross and invasive.
I have to admit that the Siri Recap stuff all being “documented” using AI slop is really giving me confidence in the level of care that went into designing this feature
I’m frankly surprised Apple even went through with this feature at this time, considering the bans and backlash other AI-powered surveillance wearables are getting.
[…]
Apple is keen to evidence its trustworthiness, with on-device AI and Private Cloud Compute and an insistence that it doesn’t record or log audio and transcripts. However, if people think they’re being discreetly recorded without their permission, it’s possible Apple Watch wearers could experience their own slice of the abuse hurled at Meta Glasses wearers.
Given that Apple has to warn of this, it’s the surest sign the features shouldn’t be released in this form. Apple repeats the form of the warning I see regularly at my gym… but apparently it isn’t heeding it.
Just called my HSA provider and upfront they say that calls may be recorded and transcribed by AI and then provide no means of opting out. So of course the person who finally answered says I have to give my social to verify my identity.
I was walking home from dinner here in Philadelphia a few weeks ago with a friend visiting from out of town, talking about this, and he stopped midway between the restaurant and my house and asked me to count how many cameras we were on at that spot. I think we counted seven or eight. Who knows how many we missed? I’m not saying that’s good or bad, it’s just the world today. So too it’s soon going to be with personal devices recording audio. This is inevitable. I’m glad to see Apple ship features like this early, with pretty limited scope, to provide good examples before other companies ship devices that record and save audio continuously throughout the day. I think it’s better for Apple to lead with privacy-minded versions of ambient transcripts and AI-generated conversation summaries than to follow after other products have hit the market with all-day recordings and whole-life transcripts.
[…]
I shouldn’t be able to hide my iPhone on or near someone’s desk, or in a conference room, or in a car, or anywhere else, to get Siri Recap summaries of conversations where I’m not present. Making this an Apple Watch exclusive feature avoids that. Thus, I think Apple Watch can be trusted to “listen” ambiently, all the time while it’s unlocked on the wearer’s wrist, in ways that even an iPhone can’t.
I applaud Apple’s decision to make Siri Recap, Live Rewind, and Shazam features opt-in. In the case of Siri Recap, they’ve taken the extra step of allowing you to schedule when and where the feature is active, allowing you to set parameters such as ‘never at home’ or ‘only between ten and six.’ This is the right way to treat a feature this sensitive.
[…]
So why do they creep me out?
[…]
Audio Intelligence appears to me to be the first case of a always-on feature with some of the qualities of surveillance we’ve seen in other products—an enduring record, an uncertainty on the part of others in the room about what’s happening—that also takes care to minimize the privacy harms that seem to be essentially intrinsic to such products. By doing their homework and showing us the receipts, Apple has taken fears of audio recording or even detailed after-the-fact transcripts off the table. But what they’ve left there is a set of questions about social and even legal norms and expectations. They’ve also created a potential problem for Apple Watch users in the form of a newfound suspicion that every word is being recorded unseen.
Apple’s consent model appears to focus primarily on the device owner. Yet the feature operates in a social environment involving people who may have no idea it’s enabled.
Those people haven’t purchased the watch, reviewed Apple’s privacy explanations, or chosen to participate in an automated note-taking system.
And unlike the watch owner, they have no corresponding control over what happens to their words.
An audible chime doesn’t adequately address this.
[…]
The technology doesn’t need to be abused to change how people behave around it. The possibility is enough.
The new Health Sensing System on Apple Watch Series 12 and Apple Watch Ultra 4 features new optical and electrical heart sensors, enabling higher-frequency heart rate and heart rate variability (HRV) measurements, a new readiness score, a more comprehensive Vitals overview with the addition of HRV, and an updated Heart Rate app.
[…]
Apple Watch Series 12 and Apple Watch Ultra 4 introduce readiness — a new feature that analyzes a user’s recent activity, vitals, and sleep score, and then provides a single 0-10 score each day with a clear, actionable recommendation: Recover, Pace Yourself, Ready, or Go For It. This helps a user decide how to take on their workday or tackle their training plan.
[…]
A new Longevity tab analyzes a user’s longitudinal health data for deeper insights into heart health, sleep, mental wellbeing, movement health, metabolic health, hearing, and nutrition. The tab includes Health Age, a new feature that uses Apple Watch data to show users how their metrics are tracking relative to their chronological age, informed by the best available science.
Engineered with the new Health Sensing System and S11 chip, Apple Watch Ultra 4 delivers the most accurate heart rate sensing in a wearable, higher-frequency heart rate and heart rate variability (HRV) measurements, and a new readiness score to support athletes of all kinds. Apple Watch Ultra 4 also offers extended battery life to track outdoor workouts for up to 45 hours and the most accurate on-device GPS in a sports watch.
[…]
For everyday use, Apple Watch Ultra 4 now offers more than two days of battery life, up to 50 hours. In Low Power Mode, it offers up to 84 hours of battery life. Charging is now faster than ever: Just 15 minutes adds up to 18 hours of additional battery life.
[…]
The pedometer model has been completely redesigned with new machine learning algorithms and the S11 chip to provide more accurate distance measurements during indoor walk or run workouts, and more accurate step counts all day.
The Ultra 2 was sold to me as the watch that can do Siri without network connectivity. That was very useful to me to leave reminders for stuff I think about while on a run without the phone.
3 years later, Apple releases the OS 27 versions and Siri got improved to the point where it can’t work on-device any more on said Ultra 2
So to get the feature back which I paid for and which was specifically used to sell me the device and which now has been taken away from me, I just have to… buy the next hardware generation?
And how long will that last before they decide to remove the feature again?
The Apple Watch Ultra 4 lasted 84 hours with the screen off before I hit 15% battery life remaining. I recharged it in 90 minutes using one of my chargers (not sure if that was fast charging). That’s 3.5 days on a charge…probably could have gotten the full 4 days.
An Apple event can only cover so much. Some of the most useful details turn up in the product pages, technical specifications, footnotes, and summary slides after the presentation ends. We’ve collected our favorite smaller changes from yesterday’s Surprise and Shine event below:
iPhone Duo
In the hands-on area after Apple’s event, Ben Bajarin reported that the Duo’s hinge crease is barely noticeable, except at specific angles.
iJustine has an excellent video showing off multitasking using both the outer and inner screen of the Duo.
Apple has released a six-video playlist on YouTube and in the Apple Developer app called “Get ready for iPhone Duo” to help get designers up to speed with the phone’s new format. The Human Interface Guidelines have been updated too.
The vertical strip along the side of the Duo uses App Control icons for what would be tab bars and nav bars on other devices.
For developers, Apple has released five tech talk videos in the Apple Developer app, including “Raise the bar with iPhone Duo.” Additional materials, workshops, and the Xcode 27.1 beta are coming later this month.
Continuous Angle API lets developers receive ongoing updates about the Duo’s hinge angle to power interactive effects.
Developers who don’t update for the iPhone Duo may have their apps letterboxed.
iPhone 18 Pro and Pro Max
The iPhone 18 Pro supports Adjustable Voltage Supply, which works with Apple’s 40W Dynamic Power Adapter.
The A20 Pro uses Super cores like Apple’s M6 chip and shares its dual Neural Engine architecture.
iPhone Handoff, which lets you move one phone number between two iPhones, changes your Find My location to the receiving phone and can only be turned off with the help of your carrier.
Apple published a study that compares its new Apple Watch Series 12 to other wearables, and the results are impressive.
Your Readiness score changes during the day, adjusting based on workouts and changes in your daytime vitals.
Audio Intelligence requires more than just a new Apple Watch. Features like Live Rewind and Siri Recap won’t work with the iPhone 16e or iPhone 15 Pro models even though those iPhones support Apple Intelligence.
Unsaved Siri Recaps are automatically deleted after seven days, and unless saved, Live Rewind transcripts disappear around 30 seconds after your Watch’s screen dims. Siri Recaps can be edited and exported to other apps like Notes.
With the new Health Sensing System, Apple Watch Series 12 features the most accurate heart rate sensing in a wearable.
Apple on Wednesday announced its most advanced health and fitness experience yet, expanding what Apple Watch and iPhone can do as intelligent, science-driven tools for users’ personal wellbeing. Apple Watch Series 12 and Apple Watch Ultra 4 introduce the new Health Sensing System, enabling the most accurate heart rate sensing in a wearable, as well as a new readiness experience to give users insight into their body’s capacity to take on their day. They pair with a redesigned Health app coming later this year to iPhone, which offers a holistic view of long-term health alongside new, easy-to-understand health and longevity insights powered by Apple Intelligence. Together, these updates will give users a more complete picture of their health and fitness while keeping their personal health data private, secure, and under their control.
Apple Watch and iPhone deliver powerful and intelligent health and fitness insights.
“At Apple, we believe technology can empower everyone with actionable, science-based insights built with privacy at the core. By combining breakthrough sensing on Apple Watch with Apple Intelligence in the Health app, we’re able to translate complex biometric data into clear guidance for users,” said Sumbul Desai, M.D., Apple’s vice president of Health and Fitness, in a statement. “This both helps people navigate their day-to-day routines with confidence and connects those moments with deeper context around their longevity, building a strong foundation for a healthier future.”
The New Health Sensing System on Apple Watch
The new Health Sensing System on Apple Watch Series 12 and Apple Watch Ultra 4 features new optical and electrical heart sensors, enabling higher-frequency heart rate and heart rate variability (HRV) measurements, a new readiness score, a more comprehensive Vitals overview with the addition of HRV, and an updated Heart Rate app.
Accuracy of health data is critical to providing meaningful insights. A scientifically rigorous study on a population of over 1,000 participants with representation across demographic groups compared the new heart rate sensing accuracy on Apple Watch against leading wearables, and resulted in Apple Watch showing the highest heart rate accuracy across devices.
With larger, power-efficient green LEDs on the optical heart sensor, Apple Watch Series 12 and Apple Watch Ultra 4 now measure heart rate every five seconds, all day long. This continuous, passive measurement delivers deeper insight into a user’s fitness and physiological state while making Exercise and Move Activity rings even more accurate. Users can view their real-time heart rate at a glance throughout their day — whether they’re recovering from a workout or dashing for the train — using the updated Heart Rate app and new watch face complications.
HRV, a key indicator of stress and recovery, is now measured as often as every five minutes — 24x more frequently — and available to view in a new section of the Heart Rate app. Apple Watch provides two separate variants of HRV for better understanding of a user’s health status. Recovery HRV is best to identify daily signals of stress and recovery, while overall HRV is best for insights on a user’s broader health, including cardiovascular health. Higher variability is generally associated with better overall recovery.
Overnight vitals now includes Recovery HRV analyzed against a user’s personal baseline, providing a more complete view of their health status. A new daytime vitals view lets users toggle between overnight and daytime metrics, and can potentially spot shifts in their metrics before they show up overnight.
Overnight vitals now includes recovery HRV measurements analyzed against a user’s personal baseline, providing a more complete view of their health status. The Vitals app includes a new daytime view and integrates high-frequency HRV for a more complete look at a user’s health status, night or day.
Readiness: A Daily Read on the Body’s Capacity
Apple Watch Series 12 and Apple Watch Ultra 4 introduce readiness — a new feature that analyzes a user’s recent activity, vitals, and sleep score, and then provides a single 0-10 score each day with a clear, actionable recommendation: Recover, Pace Yourself, Ready, or Go For It. This helps a user decide how to take on their workday or tackle their training plan.
The new readiness feature analyzes activity, vitals, and sleep score to deliver a daily 0-10 score along with actionable recommendations to optimize a user’s day.
Readiness updates throughout the day as new data comes in, reflecting, for example, an intense workout or a shift in daytime vitals. Readiness clearly highlights which factors are driving the score and allows users to tap into more details. The scoring algorithm was developed using data from the Apple Heart and Movement Study, in collaboration with exercise scientists and physicians at Apple.
Readiness clearly highlights which factors are driving the score and allows users to tap into more details.
A Redesigned Health App with Apple Intelligence at Its Core
The Health app on iPhone is a central and secure location for a user’s health and fitness information, and can uniquely provide a better understanding of their overall health. Apple Intelligence brings powerful AI capabilities into the apps and experiences users rely on every day, making them more personal and helpful than ever, and with iOS 27 and iPadOS 27, Apple Intelligence extends to the Health app. Redesigned to dynamically adapt to a user’s personal health and fitness metrics, the Health app now offers iPhone and iPad users a view of their long-term health alongside easy-to-understand insights, providing personalized guidance that can help them live a better day and healthier life. The redesigned Health app has been built to securely and privately protect a user’s data at every step.
Insights Tab
The new Insights tab surfaces timely health information with a summary that updates throughout the day across heart, sleep, readiness, fitness, vitals, and cycle tracking data. A new For You section delivers personalized recommendations and relevant articles based on a user’s data — like a suggestion to improve a wind-down routine after a stretch of late nights.
The Health app has been redesigned to dynamically adapt to a user’s personal health and fitness metrics, offering a holistic view of their long-term health alongside easy-to-understand daily insights.
Longevity Tab
A new Longevity tab analyzes a user’s longitudinal health data for deeper insights into heart health, sleep, mental wellbeing, movement health, metabolic health, hearing, and nutrition. The tab includes Health Age, a new feature that uses Apple Watch data to show users how their metrics are tracking relative to their chronological age, informed by the best available science. The algorithm can factor in metrics from Apple Watch like VO2 max, resting heart rate, sleep, and HRV, and users can also add lab data, including A1c and LDL, to enrich the analysis.
Within the Longevity tab, users can see what’s shaping their long-term health based on data from iPhone, Apple Watch, AirPods, and clinical health records, as well as third-party apps and devices. An informative visualization fills in each category, helping users understand their status in different areas of health. Users can further build out their health picture through new evaluations, at-home movement assessments, and the ability to add lab tests.
Movement Evaluations
Mobility is a critical marker of overall function and a strong predictor of independence, chronic disease risk, and quality of life. Yet routine assessment remains largely absent from proactive health management, typically requiring a visit to an exercise physiologist or physical therapist. Now, users can take in-depth physical assessments — measuring flexibility, strength, balance, movement mechanics, and VO2 max — right at home using their iPhone camera and Apple Watch. This experience runs entirely on device; no video is ever recorded, stored, or shared. Using vision-based AI models, these assessments provide real-time audio and visual feedback, and were developed using clinician input.
Labs
Lab results from routine testing can provide important insights into a user’s overall wellbeing. Health app users can already import existing labs and see their results and trends over time. Users will be able to schedule and purchase new labs that feature over 50 key biomarkers for $119 directly through the Health app at approximately 2,000 Quest Diagnostics locations in the U.S.
Tailored Health Content
Users will be able to see videos and articles across each area of health that overlays their data with insights from Apple Health clinical experts explaining why it’s important. For example, after a user receives their annual lab results, the Health app will present a video from an expert explaining their LDL levels, what the data means, and how they can take steps to improve, if needed. Or if a user learns from their movement assessment that they need to work on their balance, the Health app will present a video from an expert explaining what they can do. They will also receive an exercise plan to help them improve their balance, with moves selected for their ability and needs.
The redesigned Health app will be available later this year, starting in U.S. English, with more languages to follow.
Perimenopause and Menopause Support Arrive on Cycle Tracking
A person’s menstrual cycle is an essential indicator of overall health, and the Cycle Tracking experience is designed to support individuals across life stages, from logging their first period to receiving a retrospective ovulation estimate, and now, to supporting perimenopause and menopause. Cycle Tracking adapts as users’ health priorities change, whether that’s rooted in curiosity, daily planning, family building, or long-term wellbeing.
With iOS 27, the Health app adds support for perimenopause and menopause, as well as notifications about cycle deviations inclusive of perimenopause, to Cycle Tracking. Users will be able to log if they are in perimenopause or menopause for further customization of their Cycle Tracking experience, track their symptoms, and monitor cycles over time. Additionally, if a user logs bleeding after menopause, they will receive a notification to speak with their doctor. New educational articles are available in the Health app to help users better understand this new chapter, in addition to tips informed by clinical experts.
Additionally, many people don’t recognize they’re in perimenopause because the symptoms can start years before their last period. Now, users age 40 and over can receive a notification if a deviation in their logged cycle patterns is suggestive of perimenopause, so they can speak to their doctor about it at their next appointment.
More Ways to Stay Healthy
With iOS 27, iPadOS 27, macOS 27, and watchOS 27, Apple introduces additional ways to stay healthy:
• Workout Buddy works on Apple Watch even when users don’t have their iPhone nearby. The feature also now incorporates even more fitness data when delivering motivational insights, and is available in both English and Spanish.5
• Expanded GymKit functionality enables users with AirPods Pro 3 to sync their heart rate data through iPhone with compatible gym equipment, including treadmills and indoor bikes.
• More accurate treadmill readings, powered by new machine learning models, improve distance calculations from the very first step of a walk or run.
Availability
• watchOS 27 will be available for Apple Watch Series 9 or later, Apple Watch SE 3, and Apple Watch Ultra 2 or later beginning Monday, September 14, and requires iPhone 11 or later or iPhone SE 3 with iOS 27. Not all features are available on all devices or in all regions. For more information about availability, visit apple.com.
• The redesigned Health app will be available on Apple Intelligence-enabled iPhone and iPad models with the latest software, with select features available only on iPhone. Some features may not be available in all regions or languages. Health Age requires Apple Watch. The test to estimate VO2 max requires Apple Watch, AirPods Pro 3, or a third-party heart rate sensing device. Some features require users to be 18 or older. For information on Apple Intelligence availability, visit support.apple.com/en-us/121115.
• Features are subject to change. Some features may not be available in all languages or regions, and availability may vary due to local laws and regulations. For more information about availability, visit apple.com.
MacDailyNews Take: Very nice health and fitness additions to a strong Apple Watch lineup this year!
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Apple has officially introduced the Apple Watch Ultra 4, bringing a new generation of health-sensing hardware, the company’s latest S11 chip, and longer endurance to its high-end smartwatch lineup.
The new model was unveiled during Apple’s September 10 launch event alongside the iPhone 18 series and several other products. In China, the Apple Watch Ultra 4 starts at 6,499 yuan, with pre-orders opening September 11 and retail sales beginning September 18.
Apple Watch Ultra 4 Focuses Heavily on Health Tracking
Apple says the Apple Watch Ultra 4 is designed to play a more important role in health and fitness tracking. One of the biggest changes comes from its updated health-sensing system, which features a larger electrode surface designed to maintain better contact with the skin during measurements.
The upgraded system also increases the frequency of heart-rate sampling. According to Apple, the watch can collect heart-rate data every five seconds, while heart-rate variability can be monitored every five minutes.
These changes are intended to give the Apple Watch Ultra 4 a more detailed picture of the user’s physiological data rather than relying solely on occasional measurements.
The Heart Rate app and watch-face complications have also received updates, making it easier to access health information directly from the watch.
New Fitness Features Add More Context to Health Data
Apple is also expanding the way the watch presents fitness information. Within the Fitness app, users can view a body score designed to provide a broader interpretation of their current physical condition.
Apple Intelligence can use available data to generate suggestions, with recommendations changing according to the user’s condition and collected activity information.
Another addition allows users to manually add and synchronize medical records. Based on available measurements, the system can also recommend related videos from clinical experts, giving users additional health information to explore.
These features make the Ultra 4 more than a conventional activity tracker, although the information should still be viewed as wellness data rather than a replacement for professional medical evaluation.
Apple Watch Ultra 4 Adds On-Device Sound Recognition
The new smartwatch also introduces expanded audio intelligence features.
The Apple Watch Ultra 4 can recognize certain everyday sounds, including alarms, doorbells and a baby’s crying. This could be particularly useful when the wearer is exercising, working with headphones on, or otherwise unable to immediately notice an environmental sound.
Apple is also adding a new recording-related feature that can turn conversations into text summaries. English will be supported first, while Apple says it has built privacy protections into the feature.
S11 Chip Brings More Processing Power
Under the hood, the Apple Watch Ultra 4 uses Apple’s new S11 chip, which combines upgraded CPU, GPU and NPU capabilities.
The additional processing power should help the watch handle more demanding health, fitness and intelligent features while keeping everyday interactions responsive.
The combination of new sensors and faster processing is particularly important because many of the Ultra 4’s new capabilities depend on analyzing information locally and presenting useful results without making the user manually interpret every measurement.
Up to 50 Hours of Battery Life
Battery life remains one of the Apple Watch Ultra series’ major advantages.
Apple rates the Apple Watch Ultra 4 for up to 50 hours of normal use. During standard workout tracking, the watch can operate for up to 18 hours.
For longer endurance activities, an extended workout mode can provide up to 45 hours of continuous tracking. That makes the Ultra 4 better suited to activities such as ultra-distance running, where keeping GPS and fitness monitoring active for many hours can quickly drain a smartwatch battery.
The combination of long battery life and advanced fitness tracking is therefore one of the clearest reasons to choose the Ultra 4 over a more conventional smartwatch.
Apple Watch Ultra 4 Price and Availability
The Apple Watch Ultra 4 is priced from 6,499 yuan in China.
Apple will begin accepting pre-orders on September 11, followed by official retail availability on September 18.
With its new health-sensing system, S11 processor, sound recognition, intelligent fitness features and up to 50 hours of battery life, the Apple Watch Ultra 4 represents a substantial upgrade focused less on appearance and more on health, endurance and intelligent tracking.
For athletes and users who regularly rely on a smartwatch for long workouts, navigation and health monitoring, those improvements could make the Ultra 4 one of Apple’s most capable wearable devices yet.
Hoje, com a revelação dos Apple Watches Series 12 e Ultra 4, a Maçã também anunciou um novo conjunto de recursos chamado Inteligência de Áudio (Audio Intelligence), composto pelas funções Reconhecimento de Som (Sound Recognition), Reconhecimento de Música (Music Recognition), Live Rewind e Siri Recap.
Parte da Apple Intelligence e exclusivas desses novos relógios, essas ferramentas analisam o som ambiente — que, em alguns casos, é captado constantemente — para alertar o usuário sobre sons importantes, ajudá-lo a descobrir o título de músicas, recobrar algo que foi falado nos últimos instantes e revisar anotações sobre as suas principais conversas ao longo do dia, respectivamente.
Por mais bem intencionados que esses recursos possam ser, no entanto, é natural que alguns usuários torçam o nariz para eles — afinal, a ideia de ter um dispositivo monitorando tudo o que você fala (e que falam para você) sem interrupções pode ser um tanto… preocupante, principalmente do ponto de vista da privacidade — um assunto tão abordado pela Apple.
E foi muito provavelmente pensando nessas pessoas que a Apple colocou no ar uma extensa página de suporte que detalha o funcionamento dessas ferramentas, além de explicar quais medidas de segurança foram tomadas para proteger usuários que decidirem ativar essas ferramentas. A empresa também publicou um documento [PDF] que mergulha ainda mais nas minúcias dessas novidades, as quais dependem não só do poder de fogo do novo SiP 1System in a package, ou sistema em um pacote.S11, como também dos seus recursos de segurança embutidos.
Para início de conversa, a Apple deixa claro que todos esses recursos são completamente opcionais; o Reconhecimento de Som, por exemplo, precisa ser configurado nos Ajustes (Settings) do iPhone, de modo que ele só vem ativado por padrão no Apple Watch caso o recurso equivalente do iOS já tenha sido ativado anteriormente pelo usuário no iPhone. Outras ferramentas, como o Reconhecimento de Música, podem ser ativadas diretamente nos Ajustes do Apple Watch (caso já não tenham sido ativadas anteriormente).
Divulgação/Apple
O Live Rewind, por sua vez, entra em cena apenas quando o usuário dá um clique duplo na Digital Crown, mostrando em seguida uma transcrição dos últimos 15 segundos de conversa. Ainda segundo a Apple, o relógio para de gerar essa transcrição assim que o último trecho de conversa é exibido, além de não salvar qualquer texto — a menos que o usuário faça uma pergunta sobre o seu conteúdo para a Siri ou escolha salvá-lo no app da assistente, que é onde estão os ajustes dessa ferramenta.
Divulgação/Apple
Disponível na Central de Controle, o Siri Recap pode ser ativado e desativado manualmente a qualquer momento, mas também permite que o usuário defina uma programação com base na hora e/ou localização. A Siri também pode ser barrada de realizar qualquer registro em momentos/lugares específicos.
Trechos de texto do Live Rewind e anotações do Siri Recap podem ser visualizados, editados e apagados a qualquer momento no app da Siri, bem como exportados para apps como o Notas (Notes) e o Diário (Journal). Além disso, apagá-los faz com que eles sumam de todos os seus dispositivos sincronizados — lembrando que a Apple os protege com criptografia de ponta a ponta antes de enviá-los ao iCloud.
Proteções adicionais
Segundo a Apple, em todos esses casos, nenhuma gravação de áudio é gerada ou armazenada no Apple Watch. Em vez disso, o áudio captado pelos microfones passa pelo Secure Exclave do SiP S11 — compartimento isolado por hardware que processa dados de maneira separada do resto do sistema, impedindo que aplicativos, o watchOS, a Apple ou até mesmo o próprio usuário possam acessá-lo.
Os resumos da Siri Recap são gerados pelos chamados Apple Foundation Models no Private Cloud Compute, que não salva nenhuma das informações. As anotações também são apagadas automaticamente pelo app da Siri depois de sete dias, caso o usuário escolha não salvá-las ou exportá-las.
A Apple também garante que esses recursos não identificam ou atribuem locutores nos áudios captados — protegendo, assim, a identidade de pessoas no entorno do usuário. A única particularidade aqui é a Siri Recap, que pode registrar nomes citados no conteúdo da conversa, mesmo sem identificar quem é o locutor ou interlocutor; ele também reconhece e censura “conteúdo potencialmente prejudicial, como linguagem que promove automutilação ou discurso de ódio, e informações confidenciais, como dados financeiros, identificadores governamentais, dados de autenticação e certos identificadores pessoais”.
Divulgação/Apple
No caso do Live Rewind, um alerta sonoro é reproduzido sempre que o usuário ativa o recurso, não importa se o Apple Watch está com o modo silencioso ligado ou não. Uma animação em tela cheia também é exibida junto com um indicador de uso do microfone; “Isso serve para alertar as pessoas próximas de que o recurso foi ativado”, explica a empresa.
Dependente do Shazam, o Reconhecimento de Música compartilha apenas uma assinatura acústica, e não o áudio bruto, na hora de processar o áudio captado — algo que acontece nos servidores do serviço. A assinatura acústica, ainda segundo a Apple, é gerada em um buffer seguro no Secure Exclave.
Disponibilidade
Todos esses recursos, como dito, requerem um Apple Watch Series 12 ou um Apple Watch Ultra 4 para funcionar.
Indisponíveis para usuários menores de 13 anos, o Live Rewind e a Siri Recap serão liberados como recursos beta ainda neste ano (inicialmente apenas em inglês). O Reconhecimento de Som e o Reconhecimento de Música serão liberados junto com os novos smartwatches.
Apple’s new Apple Watch Series 12 and Ultra 4 pair redesigned health sensors with the S11 chip for denser heart-rate data, Readiness scores, and Audio Intelligence, while Ultra 4 gains substantially longer battery life and Series 12 brings back ceramic cases.
Por padrão, quando a Apple lança novos iPhones e certas gerações de Apple Watches, ela aproveita para anunciar as novidades dos processadores que equipam esses dispositivos. Neste ano, não foi diferente.
Com base no mais recente processo de fabricação de 2 nanômetros, o A20 Pro traz novidades na CPU 1Graphics processing unit, ou unidade de processamento gráfico., na GPU 2Graphics processing unit, ou unidade de processamento gráfico. e no Neural Engine.
A CPU traz 50% mais largura de banda de memória do que o A19 Pro, que equipa os iPhones 17 Pro/17 Pro Max, enquanto a GPU com 7 núcleos é até 40% mais rápida.
Há um novo Neural Engine duplo de 16 núcleos com o dobro de processamento para inteligência no aparelho, totalizando 32 núcleos — o dobro do poder de processamento de IA visto no A19 Pro.
A Apple também aprimorou o processo de acondicionamento do chip, colocando-o lado a lado com a memória — inspirado nos chips da série M, de Macs e iPads. Na prática, há melhorias na circulação/dissipação do calor, aumentando ainda mais o desempenho térmico do aparelho.
Divulgação/Apple
Soma-se a isso uma nova câmara de vapor, com o triplo da área de superfície em comparação com o A19 Pro. O desempenho contínuo é, segundo a empresa, até 40% melhor que o iPhone 17 Pro.
Divulgação/Apple
Em relação ao iPhone Duo, o A20 Pro desbloqueia o suporte a múltiplas telas e transições mais suaves entre elas.
C2
Parece mentira, mas o C2 é como se fosse a terceira geração de modems celulares da Apple — já que ela lançou, só no ano passado, o C1 no iPhone 16e e o C1X no iPhone Air.
O C2 trabalha em conjunto com o chip A20 Pro para oferecer uma maior qualidade e confiabilidade da rede celular, permitindo uploads até 50% mais rápidos (comparando com o C1X) ao mesmo tempo que consome menos bateria. Nos Estados Unidos, o C2 é também o primeiro modem da Apple a suportar redes 5G mmWave.
Curiosamente, a página americana de especificações técnicas dos iPhones 18 Pro/18 Pro Max mostra que apenas o 18 Pro (modelo com a menor tela) é equipado com o C2, enquanto a versão maior aparenta ainda estar equipada com um modem da Qualcomm.
Apple's tech specs page seems to indicate the iPhone 18 Pro has the C2 modem and the 18 Pro Max sticks with Qualcomm. pic.twitter.com/6hSrzgu2td
A página de especificações técnicas da Apple parece indicar que o iPhone 18 Pro tem o modem C2 e o 18 Pro Max continua com a Qualcomm.
S11
Depois de um hiato de três anos, o Apple Watch finalmente ganhou um novo processador! Por ser um SoC 3System on a chip, ou sistema em um chip., dentro dele temos 2 núcleos de 64 bits, um chip W3 para conexões sem fio, um chip de banda ultralarga de segunda geração e um Neural Engine de 4 núcleos.
Com um design mais compacto e eficiente para oferecer um maior desempenho, o S11 desbloqueia vários dos recursos de inteligência dos Apple Watches Series 12 e Ultra 4 — como a variabilidade de frequência cardíaca (VFC) a cada cinco minutos e leituras em segundo plano a cada cinco segundos.
Divulgação/Apple
A Inteligência de Áudio (Audio Inteligence), que usa o microfone integrado e a segurança do novo chip, pode entender melhor os sons ao seu redor.
Divulgação/Apple
Isso é possível graças à inclusão do chamado Secure Exclave, um compartimento dedicado que processa o áudio de forma isolada do sistema e o exclui de forma imediata — garantindo, assim, total privacidade.
Não sei vocês, mas estou ansioso para ver os primeiros testes com essas novas belezinhas! 😄
Notas de rodapé
1
Graphics processing unit, ou unidade de processamento gráfico.
2
Graphics processing unit, ou unidade de processamento gráfico.
Apple’s hardware announcements usually bring a wave of smaller additions to the Apple Store. We’ve gone through the new cases, straps, wallets, and Apple Watch bands introduced alongside today’s products and collected the details below.
iPhone cases and accessories
iPhone 18 Pro and iPhone 18 Pro Max cases
Apple announced new silicone and TechWoven cases for the iPhone 18 Pro and iPhone 18 Pro Max. The silicone case is $49 in the U.S. and comes in Burgundy, Olive, Crisp Blue, Navy Blue, Magenta, and Black. The TechWoven case is $59 in the U.S. and comes in Burgundy, Olive, Taupe, Chambray Blue, Mulberry, and Black. Apple is also offering a clear case for $49 in the U.S.
Silicone case (left) and TechWoven case (right) for iPhone 18 Pro.
Apple announced two cases for the upcoming iPhone Duo. The first is simply called the iPhone Duo Case. It will cost $79 in the U.S. and comes in Sand and Navy Blue. The second is the iPhone Duo Folio with Kickstand, which comes in Taupe and Navy Blue for $129 in the U.S. Its built-in stand snaps back into place when not in use.
Apple’s Wrist Strap and Crossbody Strap are available in a variety of colors and attach to select Apple iPhone cases. The Wrist Strap is $29 in the U.S. and comes in Burgundy, Olive, Crisp Blue, Taupe, Magenta, and Black. The Crossbody Strap is $59 in the U.S. and comes in Burgundy, Olive, Crisp Blue, Navy Blue, Taupe, Magenta, Light Gray, Black, and Sand.
Apple has also refreshed its iPhone FineWoven Wallet with MagSafe. It costs $59 in the U.S. and comes in Dark Olive, Burgundy, Wildflower Blue, Magenta, Navy, and Black.
Apple’s latest band lineup includes new colors and styles across Apple, Nike, and Hermès models. Note that for some bands, the accompanying image only includes representative colors and not all available colors.
At today’s Surprise and Shine event, Apple introduced the new Apple Watch Series 12 and Apple Watch Ultra 4. Both models build on the devices’ existing designs, adding new health and fitness features as well as what Apple calls Audio Intelligence. The star of the Apple Watch show that powers those features on both models is the brand-new S11 chip. Let’s dig into the details of what the new chip and improved sensors means to both models.
Apple Watch Series 12
The Series 12 takes a heart reat measurement every five seconds. Source: Apple.
The new Apple Watch Series 12 comes in 42 and 46mm sizes and is equipped with the new S11 chip. Apple says that enables the device to take sixty times the heart rate measurements and 24x HRV readings compared to the Series 11 Watch. More heart rate measurements and HRV readings mean more accurate and meaningful readings; in fact, better than any other wearable on the market, according to Apple. Apple says step tracking is more accurate, too.
The Series 12 has improved sensors, too. There’s a larger, more power-efficient green LED array for measuring your heart rate every five seconds and a Secure Exclave for processing audio privately and securely. On the outside, the Series 12 features Ceramic Shield 2, making it tougher than the Series 11. The case is now IP6X rated for dust and can be used to six meters of depth. Plus, the battery is rated to last 24 hours during normal use and a 15-minute charge will power it sufficiently to last 12 hours.
Improved sensors. Source: Apple.
HRV readings have been added to your overnight vitals statistics to provide a more complete picture of your health, and Apple has added daytime vitals which you can track during the day. The new health sensing features also enable Readiness, a daily score that uses your vitals to give you a sense of whether your body is ready for a big workout or whether you should take it easy.
The Series 12 comes in a wide array of finishes, too, including aluminum, titanium, and ceramic. The aluminum model comes in Dark Bronze, Light Gold, Black, and Space Gray. Titanium is polished and comes in Radiant Gold and Natural. Finally, Ceramic comes in Pearl White and Night Blue. Aluminum models start at $399, titanium at $699, and ceramic at $899. It’s great to see so many different choices and styles. We’ll have a separate story that covers Apple Watch bands and other accessories on the site soon.
Siri Recap, which is coming later this year. Source: Apple.
With the richer data delivered by the S11 chip that powers Apple’s new Health Sensing System, the company revealed a wide variety of new software features, including:
Live Rewind, which with a double press of the Digital Crown displays a transcript of the last 15 seconds of a conversation, allowing you to see what was spoken as text. The feature plays a chime and shows an animation when it’s activated.
Siri Recap, which can be activated at all times, on a schedule, or on demand via Control Center and produces a summary of conversations.
Sound recognition using on-device intelligence to detect alarms, a baby crying, sirens, and other sounds.
Automatic song detection with Shazam.
It’s worth noting that Siri Recap and Live Rewind won’t be available until later this year.
The Series 12 looks to be a big step forward for the Apple Watch. Some years in the past have been hardware-focused, while others have leaned into new watchOS features. This year, users get both in what appear to be meaningful measures, which is great.
Apple Watch Ultra 4
Source: Apple.
Personally, I’m even more excited for the Apple Watch Ultra 4, which starts at $799. I love its battery life, which is getting even better this year, as well as the fitness features. The Ultra 4’s color options are far more limited than finishes available with the Series 12, with options for natural and black titanium. I realize the Ultra is a more utilitarian watch than the Series 12, but I still wish Apple would expand their case and band choices a little more.
That said, there are a lot of other features to like in the latest model. The battery life is now rated at 50 hours up from 45, and the Ultra benefits from the same chip and sensor improvements found in the Series 12. Plus, in Low Power mode, the Ultra 4 can last for as much as 84 hours, which is truly impressive. Fast charging enables 18 hours of battery life, which is something I know I’ll appreciate when I’m ready to run and find my watch battery nearly spent. The Extended Workout mode for runs, hikes, and walks can last for up to 45 hours, too.
Source: Apple.
Like the Series 12, the Ultra 4 incorporates the S11 chip and new sensors. That enables Readiness on the Ultra 4 and more meaningful heart rate and HRV readings. Audio Intelligence is part of the Ultra 4’s software story, too, with Live Rewind, Siri Recap, sound recognition, and automated Shazam results available too. So, as with past Ultra models, the big difference between the Ultra 4 and the Series 12 is the display size and battery life, which I expect will come in handy with the watch’s new capabilities.
Health
The Health app will be updated later this year.
Finally, the iPhone’s Health app is being updated with a new design and incorporates the enhanced data collected by the new Apple Watch models. There will be a new Insights tab that provides health information based on the data stored in the app. Plus, Health will include a Longevity tab for longitudinal health data and a Health age calculation to give users a sense of their health relative to their age. It’s worth noting that the updated Health app, like Siri Recap and Live Rewind, won’t debut until later this year.
This is the first year in a long while that i’ve been excited about new Apple Watches. I’d convinced myself that this year would amount to small, incremental changes that wouldn’t justify an update for another year or two Instead, I immediately ordered the Apple Watch Ultra 4. I love the combination of more and better health readings, Readiness, and the new Health app, and I’m intrigued by what I can get out of Audio Intelligence in my day-to-day life. I’ll know soon enough I guess because mine arrives next Friday.
Apple Watch Ultra 4, the ultimate sports and adventure watch, now includes new, advanced health and fitness features, and longer battery life.
Apple today introduced Apple Watch Ultra 4 — the ultimate sports and adventure watch — now including new, advanced health and fitness features, and longer battery life.
Engineered with the new Health Sensing System and S11 chip, Apple Watch Ultra 4 delivers the most accurate heart rate sensing in a wearable, higher-frequency heart rate and heart rate variability (HRV) measurements, and a new readiness score to support athletes of all kinds. Apple Watch Ultra 4 also offers extended battery life to track outdoor workouts for up to 45 hours and the most accurate on-device GPS in a sports watch. A redesigned Health app on iPhone arrives later this year, including a new Longevity tab with a Health Age feature showing how metrics are tracking relative to a user’s age. In addition to powering the Health Sensing System, the S11 chip — Apple’s most powerful wearable chip — enables new Audio Intelligence features arriving later this year, to help users remember key moments from their conversations and stay alert to important sounds, built with privacy, security, and accessibility innovations at the core. With watchOS 27, Apple Intelligence powers Siri AI on Apple Watch, bringing personal context understanding and broad world knowledge to the wrist.
These features add to the many ways Apple Watch Ultra already supports users with advanced workout tracking across activities, sleep tracking, powerful health features like heart health notifications and the ECG app, and game-changing safety capabilities like satellite communications. Apple Watch Ultra 4 is the most comprehensive wearable across health, fitness, and safety.
Apple Watch Ultra 4 delivers the most accurate heart rate sensing in a wearable, higher-frequency heart rate and heart rate variability (HRV) measurements, and a new readiness score to support athletes of all kinds. Apple Watch Ultra 4 also offers extended battery life to track outdoor workouts for up to 45 hours, and the most accurate on-device GPS in a sports watch.
Apple Watch Ultra 4 comes in sleek and durable natural and black titanium options. It is available to pre-order today, with availability beginning Friday, September 18.
“The new Health Sensing System and S11 chip take Apple Watch Ultra 4 — our most rugged and capable Apple Watch — to the next level, delivering longer battery life, faster charging, and the most accurate heart rate sensing in a wearable,” said Kaiann Drance, Apple’s vice president of Worldwide Apple Watch Product Marketing, in a statement. “With powerful health and fitness insights including readiness, new intelligent features, and its large, bright display, Apple Watch Ultra 4 is designed to support you wherever you go, from your workouts, to adventures, to everything you tackle in a day.”
The Most Accurate Heart Rate Sensing in a Wearable
Apple Watch Ultra 4 is re-architected to provide continuous high-fidelity health monitoring using the Health Sensing System, featuring new optical and electrical heart sensors. Using this system and the S11 chip, Apple Watch Ultra 4 offers the most accurate heart rate sensing in a wearable. A scientifically rigorous study on a diverse population of over 1,000 participants compared the new heart rate sensing accuracy on Apple Watch against leading wearables, with Apple Watch showing the highest accuracy across devices.
With larger, power-efficient green LEDs on the optical heart sensor, Apple Watch Ultra 4 now measures heart rate every five seconds, all day long. This continuous passive measurement delivers deeper insight into a user’s fitness and physiological state while making Exercise and Move Activity rings even more accurate. Users can view their real-time heart rate at a glance throughout their day on a new heart rate watch face complication.
Apple Watch Ultra 4 is re-architected to provide continuous high-fidelity health monitoring using the Health Sensing System, featuring new optical and electrical heart sensors.
HRV, a key indicator of stress and recovery, is now measured up to 24 times more often and available to view in a new section of the Heart Rate app. Apple Watch provides two separate variants of HRV for better understanding of a user’s health status. Recovery HRV is best for identifying daily signals of stress and recovery, while overall HRV is best for insights into a user’s broader health, including cardiovascular health. Higher variability is generally associated with better overall recovery, while a lower variability value is an indicator of stress.
Overnight vitals now includes recovery HRV measurements analyzed against a user’s personal baseline, providing a more complete view of their health status. A new daytime vitals view lets users toggle between overnight and daytime metrics, and can potentially spot shifts in their metrics before they show up overnight.
Readiness: A Daily Read on the Body’s Capacity
Apple Watch Ultra 4 introduces readiness, a new feature that analyzes a user’s recent activity, training load, vitals, and sleep score to offer insight into their capacity for the day ahead. Readiness provides a single 0-10 score each day with a clear, actionable recommendation: Recover, Pace Yourself, Ready, or Go For It. This helps a user decide how to take on their day, whether they’re headed into a workday or tackling their training plan.
Apple Watch Ultra 4 introduces readiness, a new feature that can help a user decide how to take on their day. Readiness analyzes a user’s recent activity, training load, vitals, and sleep score, and then provides a single 0-10 score each day with a clear, actionable recommendation: Recover, Pace Yourself, Ready, or Go For It.
Readiness updates throughout the day as new data comes in, to reflect, for example, an intense workout or a shift in daytime vitals. Readiness clearly highlights which factors are driving the score and allows users to tap into more details. The scoring algorithm was developed using data from the Apple Heart and Movement Study, in collaboration with exercise scientists and physicians at Apple.
Readiness updates throughout the day as new data comes in, to reflect, for example, an intense workout or a shift in daytime vitals. Readiness clearly highlights which factors are driving the score and allows users to tap into more details.
Longer Battery Life and Faster Charging
For everyday use, Apple Watch Ultra 4 now offers more than two days of battery life, up to 50 hours. In Low Power Mode, it offers up to 84 hours of battery life. Charging is now faster than ever: Just 15 minutes adds up to 18 hours of additional battery life.
For outdoor workout tracking, the new Extended Workout mode delivers up to 25 hours of battery life for tracking workouts with full GPS and heart rate readings — a 25 percent increase from the previous model. For even longer workouts, the Max Extended Workout mode allows Apple Watch Ultra 4 to track outdoor runs, walks, and hikes for up to 45 hours, typically enough to finish a 100-mile race, while still taking GPS readings every second.
The Most Accurate Step Tracking of Any Smartwatch
The pedometer model has been completely redesigned with new machine learning algorithms and the S11 chip to provide more accurate distance measurements during indoor walk or run workouts, and more accurate step counts all day. As a result, Apple Watch Ultra 4 now offers the most accurate step tracking of any smartwatch. The S11 chip also enables the brand-new Steps complication, so users can track their steps in real time, right from their watch face.
The pedometer model has been completely redesigned with new machine learning algorithms to provide more accurate distance measurements during indoor walk or run workouts, and the S11 chip allows for more accurate step counts all day.
A Redesigned Health App Offering a Holistic View of Long‑Term Health
The Health app on iPhone serves as a central and secure location for a user’s health and fitness information, uniquely positioning it to provide a better understanding of a user’s health. The Health app has been redesigned to dynamically respond to a user’s data using Apple Intelligence, with a new Insights tab that surfaces timely health information and a new Longevity tab that analyzes a user’s longitudinal health data for deeper insights. The Longevity tab includes Health Age, an Apple Watch feature that shows users how certain metrics are tracking relative to their actual age.
The Health app also includes movement evaluations that measure flexibility, strength, balance, and more using vision-based AI models on iPhone and heart rate data from Apple Watch. Users will be able to schedule and purchase new labs that feature over 50 key biomarkers for $119 directly through the Health app at approximately 2,000 Quest Diagnostics locations in the U.S. The redesigned Health app will arrive later this year, starting in U.S. English.
Audio Intelligence: A New Way to Stay More Present and Engaged Throughout the Day
Since Apple Watch is always on a user’s wrist, it is the perfect device to help users stay alert to important sounds and stay present and engaged in conversations throughout the day. With the built-in microphone, the power of the S11 chip, the latest Apple Intelligence models on iPhone, and Private Cloud Compute, Apple Watch Ultra 4 offers a brand-new class of Apple Intelligence features. Audio Intelligence helps users stay aware of the world around them, catch what they missed, and remember key moments — with user control, privacy, security, and accessibility at the center of its design.
Audio Intelligence features include:
• Sound Recognition, which comes to Apple Watch to alert users who are deaf or hard of hearing of important sounds, even when their iPhone isn’t with them. This feature listens for sounds like sirens, alarms, doorbells, or a baby crying, and uses on-device intelligence to notify users when they’re detected.
• Live Rewind, which can help users recall what was just said in conversation. A double press of the Digital Crown shows the previous 15 seconds of a conversation as a text snippet, so users can catch something they may have missed or are less familiar with. Users can ask Siri about the content of the text or save it to the Siri app to revisit later.
• Siri Recap, which can create high-level summaries of conversations that users can review later to jog their memory. When Siri Recap is turned on, after a conversation, Apple Intelligence automatically generates a title and key points in the new Siri app, allowing users to be more present and engaged in the moment.
• Shazam, which instantly detects the music playing around the user and automatically displays the song title and artist’s name on the Music Recognition widget in the Smart Stack, easily glanceable on the wrist.
Shazam instantly detects the music playing around the user and automatically displays the song title and artist’s name on the Music Recognition widget in the Smart Stack.
Privacy by Design
Audio Intelligence features are private by design, combining hardware, software, and services to protect user privacy in a way that only Apple can. These features do not create or store audio recordings, and raw audio used for processing is completely inaccessible to the operating systems, apps, the user, or Apple. This is because the S11 chip on Apple Watch Ultra 4 includes Secure Exclave, a dedicated hardware-isolated compartment that processes audio in complete isolation from the rest of the system, then immediately deletes it.
Users are in control and can choose whether to opt in to each Audio Intelligence feature. They can decide exactly where and when Siri Recap takes notes, and can turn Siri Recap on or off at any time, right from Control Center.
By design, Audio Intelligence features do not identify and attribute speakers, to protect the privacy of both the user and those around them. Siri Recap produces a brief, high-level summary of conversations — not a transcript — and is designed to exclude sensitive information like financial information or government-assigned identifiers. Live Rewind plays an audible chime when it is being used, even if Apple Watch is on silent, and shows a full-display animation and microphone indicator so people nearby can hear and see that the feature has been activated.
Live Rewind text snippets and Siri Recap summaries are end-to-end encrypted in the Siri app with iCloud syncing, and are not accessible even by Apple. Read more about how Audio Intelligence protects privacy. Siri Recap and Live Rewind arrive in beta later this year.
Siri AI Brings Personal Context Understanding and Broad World Knowledge
With watchOS 27, Apple Watch Ultra 4 supports Siri AI, an entirely new version of Siri powered by Apple Intelligence. The new Siri app lets users continue conversations on the go and tap into Apple Intelligence capabilities — like personal context understanding and broad world knowledge — making Apple Watch an even more intelligent companion on the wrist. A new Siri Modular watch face makes it even easier to access Siri throughout the day.
Featuring watchOS 27
watchOS 27 brings a range of additional updates to Apple Watch Ultra 4, including:
• A dynamic app grid featuring the icons for five Siri-suggested apps, which are a user’s most-used and recently used Apple Watch apps.
• A new single-handed tap gesture, which lets users conveniently open a widget in the Smart Stack by tapping their index finger and thumb. Now users can use the double tap gesture to scroll through the Smart Stack and single tap to select an individual widget — all using only one hand.
• Smart Stack widget suggestions, which surface when they are most relevant, like a Parked Car suggestion from Maps or a Birthday Message suggestion on a close contact’s birthday.
• Support for perimenopause and menopause in Cycle Tracking on Apple Watch and in the Health app on iPhone.
• Support for Workout Buddy on Apple Watch when users don’t have their iPhone nearby. Workout Buddy also now incorporates even more fitness data when delivering motivational insights, and is now available in Spanish in addition to English.
Lineup and Bands
Apple Watch Ultra 4 is available in natural and black titanium.
This fall’s band lineup features new colors across the range. Trail Loop now comes in dark umber, sand, and burgundy, while Alpine Loop comes in desert, dark olive, and burgundy.
Ocean Bands are now made from a unique translucent silicone, which comes in three new colors: translucent gray, translucent kelp, and translucent black.
This fall’s band lineup — including Trail Loop, Alpine Loop, and Ocean Band — brings new colors to complement the natural and black titanium cases for Apple Watch Ultra 4.
Apple Watch Hermès Ultra 4
In addition to Apple Watch Hermès Ultra 4 available in natural titanium, the Apple Watch Hermès collection introduces a bold new Grand H titanium band featuring a built-in extension mechanism to conveniently adjust the band to fit over a wet suit. Apple Watch Hermès Ultra 4 also features the new Fathom and Wonder watch face, which allows users to explore an illustration of the ocean’s depths. Rotate the Digital Crown to select one of four watch face options, from the surface to the seabed. Each option features a unique shade of blue and distinct animations.
The Apple Watch Hermès collection introduces a bold new Grand H titanium band featuring a built-in extension mechanism to conveniently adjust the band to fit over a wet suit.
Pricing and Availability
• Customers in Australia, Canada, France, Germany, India, Japan, the UAE, the UK, the U.S., and more than 50 other countries and regions can pre-order Apple Watch Ultra 4 today, with availability in stores beginning Friday, September 18.
• Apple Watch Ultra 4 starts at $799 (U.S.).
• New Apple Watch bands will be available to order today from apple.com/store and in the Apple Store app, with availability in stores beginning Friday, September 18.
• watchOS 27 will be available for Apple Watch Series 9 or later, Apple Watch SE 3, and Apple Watch Ultra 2 or later on Monday, September 14, and requires iPhone 11 or later or iPhone SE (2nd generation or later) with iOS 27. Not all features are available on all devices or in all regions. For more information about availability, visit apple.com.
• Apple Intelligence will be available with watchOS 27 on Monday, September 14, for users with an Apple Intelligence-enabled device set to a supported language. Apple Intelligence is available with support for these languages: English, Danish, Dutch, French, German, Italian, Norwegian, Portuguese, Spanish, Swedish, Turkish, Vietnamese, Chinese (simplified), Chinese (traditional), Japanese, and Korean. Some features may not be available in all regions or languages. For feature and language availability and system requirements, see apple.com/apple-intelligence.
• Siri AI is rolling out with watchOS 27 as a beta on Monday, September 14, for users with a supported device set to English, with support for French, Japanese, Korean, Portuguese, and Spanish coming in October. Some features may not be available in all regions or languages.
• New subscribers may get three months of Apple Fitness+ and Apple Music with the purchase of Apple Watch Series 12, Apple Watch SE 3, or Apple Watch Ultra 4. Offer and service availability varies by region. See apple.com/promo for details.
• AppleCare delivers exceptional service and support, with flexible options for Apple users. Customers can choose AppleCare+ to cover their new Apple Watch or, in the U.S., AppleCare One to protect multiple products in one simple plan. Both plans include coverage for accidents like drops and spills, theft and loss protection on eligible products, battery replacement service, and 24/7 support from Apple Experts. For more information, visit apple.com/applecare.
• Apple Upgrade, a leasing program provided by Klarna and available in the U.S., gives eligible customers monthly payment options for Apple Watch Ultra 4, with 12- and 24-month leasing terms starting as low as $24.99 (U.S.) per month for 24 months. For more information, visit apple.com/shop/apple-upgrade.
MacDailyNews Take: The King of Smartwatches.
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