Apple Watch Series 12 / Apple Watch Ultra 3

Apple Watch Series 12: 42 / 46 mm · Case material options

Apple Watch Ultra 3: 49 mm titanium case, GPS + Cellular (A3281); natural or black finish. Ultra 2 and Ultra 4 are separate models.

SpecificationApple Watch Series 12Apple Watch Ultra 3
Release year20262025
ProcessorS11; 64-bit dual-core; 4-core Neural Engine Apple—
Storage64 GB Apple—
DisplayAlways-On Retina LTPO3 OLED; 326 ppi; 2000 nits peak, 1 nit minimum; 46 mm: 416 × 496; 42 mm: 374 × 446

LTPO3 drops to 1 Hz in Always-On mode to save power.

Apple		Always-On Retina with wide-angle OLED and LTPO3; 422 × 514 pixels, 326 ppi; 1245 mm² active area; up to 3000 nits, minimum 1 nit

Apple says the wide-angle OLED pixels emit light at wider angles, so the screen stays readable without fully turning the wrist. LTPO3 allows thinner borders and lets the always-on mode refresh once per second, so a seconds hand is visible without raising the wrist. The 1-nit minimum reduces glare in the dark.

Apple
Cover glassAluminium: Ceramic Shield 2; titanium/ceramic: sapphire Apple—
Case and material42 / 46 mm; aluminium, titanium or ceramic

Ceramic cases are slightly larger and thicker (9.85 mm); aluminium and titanium are 9.7 mm.

Apple		—
Rated battery lifeUp to 24 hours normal use; up to 38 hours Low Power Mode; up to 10 hours workout tracking

Apple's test profile; actual use varies.

Apple		—
Rated charging timeAbout 80% in 30 minutes; 15 minutes gives up to 12 hours of normal use

Apple measured these with a 20 W adapter that is not included; a USB-C fast-charging cable is in the box.

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SensorsSecond-generation electrical and always-on optical heart sensors; blood oxygen; temperature; compass; always-on altimeter; high-g accelerometer; depth gauge to 6 m; water temperature AppleElectrical heart sensor; third-generation optical heart sensor; blood oxygen; temperature; depth gauge and water temperature; compass; always-on altimeter; high-g accelerometer; high dynamic range gyroscope

The electrical heart sensor powers the ECG app; the optical sensor drives heart rate and Apple’s hypertension notifications. Hypertension notifications passively analyse 30-day periods and are not intended for people under 22, during pregnancy or for those already diagnosed. The temperature sensor is not for medical use; the Blood Oxygen app is for wellness use.

Apple
Health featuresECG; irregular rhythm and high/low heart rate notifications; hypertension and sleep apnoea notifications; sleep score; Vitals; Readiness

Some health features are limited by country and age; blood oxygen and temperature are not for medical use.

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Weight46 mm aluminium GPS 39.5 g; titanium 44.9 g; 42 mm aluminium GPS 32.2 g; titanium 36.5 g Apple—
Durability50 m water resistance (ISO 22810:2010); IP6X dust

For swimming and snorkelling to 6 m, not scuba diving. Resistance can diminish over time.

Apple		100 m water resistance under ISO 22810:2010; recreational scuba diving to 40 m under EN13319; IP6X dust; tested to MIL-STD 810H

Diving needs a compatible third-party app; the depth gauge is accurate to ±1 m. MIL-STD 810H covers altitude, high/low temperature, temperature shock, immersion, freeze/thaw, ice and freezing rain, shock and vibration. Passing these tests does not mean the watch cannot be damaged.

Apple
ConnectivityWi-Fi 4 (2.4 and 5 GHz); Bluetooth 5.3; second-generation UWB; multi-constellation GPS; RedCap 5G on cellular models Apple—
CompatibilitywatchOS 27; iPhone 11 or later (including iPhone SE 2nd generation or later) running iOS 27 Apple—
Case—49 mm Grade 5 titanium; natural or black finish; flat sapphire front crystal

Ultra 3 is sold only as a 49 mm GPS + Cellular watch; bands fit 130–210 mm wrists.

Apple
Chip and storage—S10 SiP with 64-bit dual-core processor; 4-core Neural Engine; 64 GB storage Apple
Cellular and satellite—5G RedCap and LTE (A3281); international roaming; satellite connectivity for Emergency SOS, Messages and Find My

RedCap is a reduced form of 5G for low-data devices such as watches. Satellite connectivity lets you call for emergency help and send short messages outside cellular coverage; Apple says Find My shares location via satellite every 15 minutes. Satellite services are free for two years from activation; Find My and Messages need a carrier plan, and availability varies by region.

Apple
Wireless and location—Wi-Fi 4 (802.11n) 2.4 and 5 GHz; Bluetooth 5.3; second-generation Ultra Wideband; L1 and L5 dual-frequency GPS (GPS, GLONASS, Galileo, QZSS, BeiDou)

Using L1 and L5 together helps reduce reflected-signal errors near tall buildings and under tree cover. Ultra Wideband availability varies by region.

Apple
Battery and charging—Built-in rechargeable lithium-ion battery; up to 42 hours normal use, up to 72 hours in Low Power Mode; about 80% in 45 minutes; Magnetic Fast Charger to USB-C cable (1 m)

Apple says 15 minutes of charging gives 12 hours of normal use and 5 minutes gives 8 hours of sleep tracking. Apple’s 80% in 45 minutes figure is based on its 20 W USB-C power adapter. Low Power Mode is rated at 20 hours of continuous outdoor workout with full GPS and heart rate.

Apple
Audio—Three-mic array with beamforming and wind noise mitigation; dual speakers; siren

The siren helps people nearby locate a user who is lost or needs help.

Apple
Size and weight—49 × 44 × 12 mm; 61.6 g (natural), 61.8 g (black) Apple
Software and compatibility—watchOS 26; requires iPhone 11 or later (iPhone SE 2nd generation or later) running iOS 26 or later

The watch does not pair with Android phones; setup and most features require an iPhone.

Apple
Operating conditions—On wrist −20 to 55 °C; operating 0–35 °C; diving 0–40 °C; altitude −500 to 9000 m Apple