Apple Watch Series 12 is expected to be unveiled at Apple’s new product announcement event on September 9th (local time). Since the official announcement, including the name, has not yet been made, the following information is based on news reports. It is reported that there are few changes in appearance, and the main issue this year seems to be the way the sensor works and the redesign of the app side. We will organize the changes that have been reported and summarize the information that will help you decide whether to purchase a new product.
Three points that will change with this year’s Apple Watch
Apple’s focus this year seems to be on measurement and software, rather than appearance. The following three points in the news report have the greatest impact on readers.
- Continuous measurement throughout the day: A method by which heart rate sensors collect data throughout the day is reportedly being tested.
- Health app revamp: Aim to revamp health-related apps and increase wellness metrics
- Minor changes in appearance: Visible changes center on the band, including Apple Watch Ultra 4
Current reports suggest that a major redesign is at least a year away. In other words, Apple Watch Series 12 is likely to be a generation that chooses based on its measurable range, rather than a generation that chooses based on its appearance. There are examples of health-related functions reaching older models through OS updates, and changes to the app may also extend to existing models with watchOS 27.
How will the heart rate sensor of Series 12 change?
What is likely to be the real highlight this year is how to use heart rate sensors. Apple is reportedly experimenting with a method to keep this sensor running throughout the day.
Differences from current measurement methods
Current heart rate sensors move in real time during your workout or when you open the heart rate app. At other times, measurements will be taken only intermittently, and abnormal value notifications will also be activated if the setting is turned on.
The following are assumptions based on media reports, and actual specifications may vary depending on the announcement.
| Current method | Continuous measurement throughout the day (assumed) | |
|---|---|---|
| Constant measurement | Only during exercise or measurement operations | Continuing throughout the day |
| Treatment during normal times | Check intermittently | Continuously record changes |
| What you get | Awareness of abnormal values | The ups and downs of heartbeat throughout life |
| battery | Based on current model drive time | Possibility of increased consumption |
If continuous measurement throughout the day is realized, the increase in heart rate during a meeting and the changes in heart rate before falling asleep will be connected as a line.
How to use it in Japanese daily life
Rather than people who have a habit of exercising, people who have not exercised for a long time may benefit more. If you work mainly at a desk every day, your heart rate will increase significantly during commuting and work breaks.
It’s very reassuring to be able to see how traveling on a crowded train or working long overtime affects your heart rate in numbers, rather than just by feeling. However, the heartbeat changes even when eating food or at room temperature, so the cause cannot be determined just by looking at the numbers. After using it for several generations, I feel that I notice more changes in the number of hours spent doing nothing than when I exercise.
Please note that Apple Watch’s health-related functions provide reference information for health management, and are not intended for diagnosing diseases. If you have any symptoms that concern you, please consult your healthcare provider.
Concerns about battery life
Continuing to use the sensor consumes more power, so the more people want to wear it for long periods of time, including while sleeping, the more they worry about when to charge it. If you use it to measure your sleep, you tend to charge it while getting ready in the morning. We will have to wait to see if this operation will work for continuous measurement all day long or not with an actual device.
Is the health app revamp the answer to screenless trackers?
Don’t overlook developments on the software side. Apple is redesigning its health-related apps, and it is said that the reason behind this is to counter trackers that do not have a screen.
What are the differences in design philosophy?
Some trackers without screens have gained popularity by showing the conclusion that “today’s physical condition can be interpreted like this”. The Apple Watch, on the other hand, handles notifications and payments, and handles health data as one of its many roles. It seems that the reason for Apple’s intervention is that although they have the same biometric data, the design concept of how to display it is different.
Advantages and disadvantages of increasing the number of indicators
Although the trend is to increase the number of wellness indicators, it is not necessarily the case that more items are better. The success or failure of renewal depends not on the number of items, but on whether you can present the one thing you need to see that day.
In Japan, health insurance associations and local governments are expanding efforts to record step counts, and the compatibility will change as more metrics are displayed.
Should I buy the Series 12? Judgment criteria by generation
The starting point for this decision is that a major redesign is more than a year away. If you buy it this year, it’s unlikely to look inferior next year, but if you value a new look, there’s still a reason to wait.
People who want to consider replacing
- I’m using a model I bought a few years ago, and I feel like the battery life is decreasing.
- I would like to understand my state during the day and during sleep using numbers rather than during exercise.
- I want to share my activity records with my family and review my lifestyle rhythm.
Depending on the exchange rate level, the domestic price of Apple products may change. However, prices are not determined solely by exchange rates, so there is no need to rush into purchasing based on price increases.
Someone you don’t mind seeing off
If you are not dissatisfied with your exercise records on Apple Watch Series 10 or Series 11, it is unlikely that there will be any problems even if you postpone it this year. The renewal of the health app is a change on the software side, and based on past examples, some of it will also be delivered to existing models with the release of watchOS 27.
It is not known whether all-day continuous measurement will be provided for existing models as well. The sensor itself is included, but the design of power consumption is involved in running it all day long.
What do you think of this year’s Apple Watch?
With all-day continuous measurement and an updated app, the meaning of the time you wear on your wrist will change. This is a type of evolution that is difficult to measure with a spec sheet, and can only be evaluated after you start using it.
It will be easier to understand the aims of this year’s update if you keep these two points in mind: to what extent all-day continuous measurement will be implemented and what the revamped health app will show you first. The event will start in the early hours of September 10th Japan time.
Photo:Macworld
Source: iPhone Mania
