GadgetsTechAppleWhere to preorder the new Apple Watch Series 12 and Ultra 4Longer battery life and a more capable chipset (that enables a host of new features) are the main reasons to upgrade.Longer battery life and a more capable chipset (that enables a host of new features) are the main reasons to upgrade.by Cameron FaulknerSep 10, 2026, 3:00 PM UTCShareIf you buy something from a Verge link, Vox Media may earn a commission. See our ethics statement.Photo: Antonio G. Di Benedetto / The VergePart OfAll the news from Apple’s ‘Surprise and shine’ eventsee all updates Cameron Faulkner is an editor covering deals and gaming hardware. He joined in 2018, and after a two-year stint at Polygon, he rejoined The Verge in May 2025.The iPhone Duo was the unequivocal star of Apple’s “Surprise and shine” event, but not for people who were mostly paying attention for news on wearables.
Thankfully, Apple had a lot to share about its new Apple Watch Series 12 and Ultra 4. There’s no update to the SE model for 2026, which isn’t necessarily a bad thing (the SE 3 rules). Also, no price changes either, which can’t be said for the entire iPhone lineup.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.Apple Watch Series 12$399$399$399 at Amazon (42mm, GPS)$399 at Best Buy (42mm)$489 at Amazon (42mm, 5G + GPS)Apple Watch Ultra 4$799$799$799 at Amazon$799 at Best BuyFollow topics and authors from this story to see more like this in your personalized homepage feed and to receive email updates.Cameron FaulknerAppleApple Event 2026GadgetsSmartwatchTechVerge ShoppingWearableThe iPhone Duo’s hardware doesn’t look special, but its software might beDominic Preston47 minutes agoHow the iPhone Duo compares to other folding phonesBrad BourqueAn hour agoThe variable aperture isn’t the cool part of the iPhone 18 Pro’s cameraAntonio G. Di Benedetto10:00 AM UTCMost PopularThe iPhone Duo is Apple’s first foldableHands-on with the foldable iPhone DuoApple’s iPhone 18 Pro has a dynamic aperture main cameraiPhone 18 live blog: On the ground at Apple’s biggest eventiPhone 18 Pro and Pro Max: Our first hands-on impressionsVideoAdvertiser Content FromThis is the title for the native ad
