While both new watches look similar to their predecessors, there are a number of updates under the hood that might intrigue some people enough to warrant a preorder. My colleague Victoria Song got hands-on with both smartwatches, and runs down the biggest changes, from the Audio Intelligence features made possible by the S11 chip (included in the Series 12 and Ultra 4), plus the possible impact of its improved sensors and tracking capabilities.
If you don’t want to wait for reviews to hit before you make the purchase, the Series 12 starts at $399 at Amazon, Best Buy, and Apple itself for the 42mm size ($50 more for the 46mm). High rollers can configure one with a ceramic case (the first time ceramic has been on the menu since the Series 5) starting at $899. Like usual, the Apple Watch Ultra 4 starts at $799 from Amazon and Best Buy and comes in one size, which features GPS and 5G support. Launches will occur on September 18th, the same day as the iPhone 18 Pro and Pro Max.