Apple has confirmed that its global conference for developers (WWDC) will take place from June 9 to 13.
Apple has provided annual updates to its portable software alongside iOS and macOS since the inaugural beginnings of the Apple Watch in 2015. Many Apple Watch features that we have for acquired in 2025 were only added after the first models launched, including small features such as activities sharing and even the App Store.
With WWDC 2025 on the horizon, Watchos 12 is almost very close. Rumors are rare as to Apple could add to the software this year, with the big titles of Apple Watch for 2025 currently encompassing hardware upgrades to the Apple Watch Series 11 and Ultra 3 rather than software settings to the entire range.
But that does not mean that we cannot make informed assumptions and start to reconstruct what we know so far. Inevitably, Watchos 12 leaks will probably emerge closer to the time, and we will have more rumors by the launch. Here is what we know so far.
Watchos 12: Cut in pursuit
- What is this? Apple’s next portable software for Apple Watch
- When did it come out? Expect June beta, with an official release in September 2025
- Who will get it? Likely Apple Watch Series 7 users and later, as well as ultra users, and perhaps the owners of Apple Watch SE 2 and 6
Watchos 12: Date of release and potential disclosure
Unless Apple breaks 10 years of Watchos outing schemes, the company should unveil Watchos 12 at Keynote WWDC 2025 on June 9. Apple always Presentation of its most recent and larger software at the opening address on the morning of the first day, we should therefore see Watchos 12 alongside iOS 19, MacOS 16 and iPados 19.
So we have a good idea when the new software will be revealed. But what about the release date?
The Apple Watchos 12 Beta should go through a series of staggered outings, if Apple continues to form with its software deployments.
Usually he will publish a beta developer immediately after WWDC 2025, often the same day as the opening announcement. This means that we could see it in nature from June 9. In the past two years, Apple has made the developer beta available to all its customers, so you will not need to be a paid account member to register.
Then, a public beta version will follow, usually a month later. As its name suggests, this beta version is also available for everyone. It follows about a month behind the developer’s beta, so it does not have quite many new features but tends to be more stable accordingly.
Finally, after months of testing during the summer, Apple will launch the software publicly so that everyone can download. In 2024, this occurred on September 16 in parallel with the launch of iOS 18, just between the pre -order date for the iPhone 16 and the Apple Watch 10 series on September 13 and the official launch on September 20. As such, I expected that the full version of Watchos 12 coincides with the launch of the new Apple Watch 11 series, Apple Watch Ultra 3, and Apple Watch SE 3, as well as the iPhone 17.
Apple must push the software live before launching the new Apple Watch models, and it also needs iOS 19 to be put online at the same time, because you cannot have an Apple watch without iPhone. Generally, you can therefore expect Watchos 12 to make its debut in mid-September.
Watchos 12 Expected compatibility: which Apple Watch models will get the new software?
Although we do not know compatibility with certainty as long as Apple unveils Watchos 12, we can make a very educated supposition on the Apple Watch models will obtain the new software.
Indeed, the progression of Apple chips and the features generally move in locking. Let me explain: Each year, Apple adds more features to its Watchos software. The more advanced features require more energy and put more pressure on the life of the battery, which means that, inevitably, Apple decreases the management of a model or two each year. Last year, Apple Watchos 11 ended the support of series 4, series 5 and the first generation SE.
You can expect a guaranteed support for Watchos 12 on the Apple Watch Ultra 2 and Original Ultra, as well as the series 10, 9 Series, existing 8 Series and probably Series 7. The 6 Series could be on the blocking, due to its oldest S6 chip.
The SE 2 has a S8 chip and is currently on sale, so I expect it to persist for a year or two more.
Finally, and more obviously, we can expect Watchos 12 to be compatible with the three new Apple Watch models expected for 2025. Namely the Ultra 3, Series 11 and SE 3.
If Apple removes the support for a model this year with Watchos 12, the 6 series seems to be the most obvious candidate because of his age.
Watchos 12: Rumor design, new features and what we want to see
Although we have heard that iOS 19 had to inaugurate a major overhaul and that there are also major plans for macOS and iPad OS, rumors on new features or design modifications for Watchos 12 are rare so far.
If Apple provides a major overhaul for its other software platforms, this could indicate one of the two things. Either, Apple will revise Watchos 12 to reflect the revised aspect and design of its other software, or Watchos 12 will be a very deaf update because it spends so much time on its other software.
Obviously, we would prefer if the first was the case, but there are a few other songs that we would like to see, as well as potential updates that we can guess.
Blood pressure
Apple should add high monitoring of hypertension to Apple Watch Series 11 and Ultra 3 in September. There is no clear information to confirm whether it is a hardware change or a software adjustment. If it is the latter, blood pressure monitoring could appear at WWDC before its launch in September, also paving support on other models.
If it is exclusive to new models, a mention is unlikely to WWDC, because Apple will reserve instead the announcement of the September iPhone event.
Apple Ai Health Coach
Apple would have worked on an Apple AI Health Coach application for at least two years. Mark Gurman de Bloomberg previously reported that the company will reorganize its health application, including a new AI coaching service. Gurman reported in January that Apple “increases his ambitions in the health field” and that work continues on the application.
Any upgrade in this department is likely to include an important Apple Watch component, so a revelation of this progress at WWDC 2025 for Watchos 12 is not out of the question.
Apple Intelligence
Apple Intelligence remains a blatant absence in Watchos. For better or for worse, Apple has intentionally left its IA features from its portable range, reserving them for iPhone, iPad and Mac.
There is a certain meaning to that. Apple Intelligence is generally eager for power and would have an impact on the life of the Apple Watch battery and possibly performance. However, I think there are some obvious integrations that we could see in the next Watchos iteration:
- Genmoji – Genmoji allows you to create personalized emojis on iPhone that you can send to your friends and family, and this could be a fun way to improve communication on Apple Watch.
- Notification summaries – An Apple Watch that could give you summaries powered by AI important notifications could be an excellent upgrade, especially on a device with a small screen designed to be looked at quickly throughout the day.
- Priority notifications – Apple Watch notifications can be overwhelming; The use of Apple priority notifications could considerably improve the number of notifications pushed to your Apple Watch.
- Intelligent response – Apple Intelligence can write answers to messages. With the tiny screen and the violin keyboard of the Apple Watch, it could be a life buoy.
- Siri upgrade – either via Chatgpt or the proper improvements of Apple AI, Siri needs a desperate upgrade, and it would be great to obtain the integration of chatgpt in Siri on Apple Watch while we are waiting for the 2026 upgrade.
Watchos: the most important updates of 2024
There is a good chance that Watchos 12 will understand some adjustments and iterations of existing functionalities, as well as news. Last year’s features include the new vital application, which gives you healthy health measures during your sleep.
There was also the new training charge feature, the personalization of activity rings and the application of fitness, the new smart battery, improved pregnancy support and new safety tools, including recording. All these more recent features are main candidates for upgrades and additional changes, and my prediction is that we will obtain an upgrade of the Vitals application.
