Apple’s latest Watch Series 12 is now available for preorder at Amazon and Walmart starting at $399, with orders set to begin shipping on September 18. This year’s watch places an even greater focus on health, fitness, and AI, while adding useful improvements in battery life and durability.
Apple also added a new readiness experience that looks at your recent activity, sleep, and health data to help you decide whether to push harder or take it easy. And you get more fitness tools, so whether you’re running, hiking, lifting weights, or simply trying to stay more active, the watch keeps useful information at your fingertips.
Why Choose the Apple Watch Series 12
Heart health remains a major focus for the Series 12. According to Apple, the watch now measures heart rate variability as often as every five minutes to provide more information about stress and recovery.
The Vitals app lets you check overnight health metrics, while a daily sleep score gives you another way to understand how well you rested. Series 12 can also track menstrual cycles and take blood oxygen readings where available. The new readiness experience brings several of these measurements together with recent activity to give you a better idea of how prepared your body is for the day ahead.
For workouts, the Apple Watch Series 12 includes tools such as Heart Rate Zones and Pacer, along with more detailed fitness metrics. Workout Buddy uses Apple Intelligence from a nearby compatible iPhone to provide personalized motivation during exercise.
Battery life also gets a welcome boost. The Series 12 can last up to 24 hours of normal use, which should make it easier to get through the day and track sleep at night. When the battery does run low, a 15-minute fast charge can provide up to 12 hours of normal use.
Apple is also bringing more AI into the experience. Siri AI is designed for more natural back-and-forth conversations and can help with tasks such as brainstorming using your voice. You also get audio intelligence features such as Live Rewind and Siri Recap, designed to help you catch up on things you missed. However, some of these features are expected to arrive later in 2026, and availability may vary.
Series 12 is built with everyday accidents in mind, too. The aluminum models now use Ceramic Shield 2, while titanium and ceramic models use a crack-resistant sapphire crystal display. Safety features include Fall Detection and Crash Detection, which can help connect you with emergency services and alert your emergency contacts when needed. And when paired with your iPhone or connected to Wi-Fi, the GPS model can handle texts, calls, music, Siri, and notifications right from your wrist.
Starting at $399, the Apple Watch Series 12 brings meaningful updates to everyday features. The new readiness experience and more frequent heart readings could be especially useful if you like keeping a closer eye on recovery and daily activity. Preorders are open now, with the first Series 12 watches set to ship on September 18.