Apple Watch Series 12 goes official with 'Audio Intelligence'
What's the story
Apple has revealed its latest smartwatch, the Apple Watch Series 12, at an event in Cupertino. While the new model does not bring any major hardware changes, it comes with some significant software upgrades. The most notable of these is Apple's new "Audio Intelligence" feature that lets users rewind moments and recall details from daily conversations. Apple Watch Series 12 starts at $399 in the US. Pre-orders are open and will go on sale starting September 18.
Features
'Live Rewind' and 'Siri Recap'
The new "Live Rewind" feature lets you go back up to 15 seconds in a conversation by double-pressing the Digital Crown.
This displays a text snippet of the last 15 seconds of conversation, which can be queried through Siri or saved for later reference.
The "Siri Recap" feature uses ambient listening to take high-level notes of conversations, automatically generating a title and key points in the new Siri app.
Accessibility upgrade
Sound recognition for people with hearing difficulties
The new "Sound Recognition" feature listens for sounds like sirens, alarms, and doorbells to assist people with hearing difficulties.
Apple has clarified that these audio intelligence features do not create or store audio recordings.
The company is also introducing a new health-sensing system for better skin contact during ECG readings and improved optical sensing.
Health advancements
New health-sensing system
The new health-sensing system in the Apple Watch Series 12 delivers higher-frequency continuous heart rate data, a key indicator of overall health.
Background heart rate readings are now taken every five seconds all day long, even while on the go.
The smartwatch comes with new readiness scores that analyze recent activity, vitals, and sleep each morning to indicate how prepared your body is for the day ahead.