Apple appears to be taking its time with the next big Apple Watch redesign. While this fall’s Apple Watch Series 12 and Ultra 4 are shaping up to be relatively modest updates, Apple is reportedly working toward a much more significant overhaul that could arrive as soon as next year – although it may slip to 2028.
The latest details come from Bloomberg’s Mark Gurman, who says Apple is continuing to develop a redesigned Apple Watch while preparing smaller upgrades for this year. That means anyone expecting a dramatically different watch in the next generation may be disappointed, but there are still some interesting changes coming.
The Series 12 is expected to bring back ceramic cases, which Apple internally refers to as “iceman.” Gurman says Apple has tested both white and dark gray versions of the ceramic models, as well as a range of new band colors and configurations.
The Series 12 may be familiar, but Apple is testing smarter health tracking.
The more interesting changes could happen beneath the surface. One feature currently being tested would allow the Apple Watch’s heart-rate sensor to continuously collect data throughout the day, rather than activating only during workouts, periods of intense activity, or at other intervals.
The idea is fairly straightforward: instead of the watch deciding when heart-rate information is worth collecting, it would essentially keep the workout-style monitoring approach running continuously. That could give Apple a much richer picture of a user’s cardiovascular activity throughout the day.
Apple is also reportedly reworking its fitness and health software. The redesigned experience would surface more wellness-related metrics, bringing Apple’s approach closer to products and services from Whoop and Oura, which have increasingly focused on turning large amounts of health data into easily understood daily insights.
That software shift could ultimately be more meaningful than another case redesign. Apple already collects a considerable amount of health information from the Watch; making that information easier to understand could help turn the device into a more useful wellness companion.
The big Apple Watch redesign is still coming – eventually
While the Series 12 and Ultra 4 are expected to remain relatively minor upgrades, Gurman says Apple is pushing to have its major redesign ready by next year. However, development could slip by another year if the company isn’t satisfied with the result.
That gives Apple more time to rethink the watch rather than simply changing its appearance. The company has reportedly explored different materials, case designs and other ways to make the wearable feel substantially different from today’s models.
For consumers, that creates an awkward choice. If your current Apple Watch is getting old, this year’s models could still offer meaningful improvements, particularly around health and fitness. But if you’re specifically waiting for the next major design change, it may be worth holding on a little longer.
Apple’s strategy increasingly appears to be about making the Watch more than something that displays notifications and tracks workouts. The next major Apple Watch may be defined less by how it looks and more by how continuously it understands you.