watchOS 12: With WWDC now just around the corner—less than two weeks away—there’s a palpable buzz among Apple fans and tech watchers alike. It’s that time of year when Apple unveils what it’s been quietly working on, and this year looks set to be no different.
We’re expecting a full slate of software updates across the board: iOS 19, macOS 16, iPadOS 19, and the rest. But there’s also something quietly exciting happening for Apple Watch users. The upcoming watchOS 12 might not grab headlines like its iPhone or Mac counterparts, but early hints suggest it could bring some genuinely worthwhile upgrades in terms of performance, design, and accessibility.
A Subtle Yet Smart AI Shift: Apple Intelligence Comes to the Wrist
One of the more intriguing developments with watchOS 12 is the subtle integration of features powered by what Apple is branding as “Apple Intelligence.” Now, to be clear, the Apple Watch itself doesn’t yet have the processing power to run advanced on-device AI models. But Apple seems to have found a workaround of sorts. The watch will tap into the AI capabilities of a paired iPhone—essentially offloading the heavy lifting to the phone, then sharing the results back to the watch.
Journalist Mark Gurman mentioned that Apple will still market these features as being powered by Apple Intelligence, even though the processing is happening elsewhere. It’s a clever approach, and it opens the door to features that are smarter and more responsive, without overburdening the hardware on your wrist.
According to early reporting from The Verifier, we might see at least three AI-driven features in watchOS 12:
- A revamped Siri interface that feels more responsive and capable
- Genmoji creation—right from the watch, which sounds fun if a bit quirky
- Smart notification summaries that make use of interactive widgets
It all seems to point toward a larger ambition: slowly weaving AI into the entire Apple ecosystem in a way that feels unified, even if the devices themselves aren’t all equally powerful yet.
Design Refresh: A More Consistent Visual Language
Apple’s known for sweating the details, and this year’s software updates look set to reinforce that reputation. Alongside big changes in iOS 19 and macOS 16, watchOS 12 is expected to adopt several visual refinements of its own.
That might include a redesigned honeycomb app picker—which, let’s be honest, has always been a bit of a love-it-or-hate-it feature—as well as a freshened-up list view. More broadly, Apple appears to be aligning buttons, menus, and icons across platforms. So whether you’re using an iPhone, iPad, or Apple Watch, the whole experience should feel more visually coherent. It’s the kind of change that might not shout for attention but quietly improves daily usability.
Accessibility Gains: Live Listen and Captions Come to Apple Watch
Accessibility has long been a priority for Apple, and watchOS 12 seems to continue that tradition in meaningful ways. Two features stand out here: Live Listen and Live Captions.
Live Listen isn’t new to Apple users—it’s been around on the iPhone for a while, acting as a directional mic that streams audio directly to compatible earbuds or hearing aids. With watchOS 12, this expands to the Apple Watch. When enabled via a paired iPhone, users will also be able to view Live Captions directly on their watch.
Imagine sitting across the room and using your Apple Watch to start or stop a listening session, or even rewind audio to catch something you missed. It turns your wrist into a remote control for sound—similar to how the watch already works with the iPhone camera or Apple TV. It’s a thoughtful touch, especially for those who rely on these features daily.
A Quietly Ambitious Update
So no, watchOS 12 probably won’t be the star of WWDC. But that doesn’t mean it won’t matter. If anything, the updates it brings seem to underscore a more mature vision for the Apple Watch—one where it’s not just a companion device, but something a bit smarter, more helpful, and frankly, more independent than ever before.
From meaningful accessibility enhancements to AI-assisted features and a refined design language, watchOS 12 is shaping up to be a well-rounded release. As we head into WWDC, it’ll be interesting to see just how far Apple pushes its ecosystem toward a seamless, intelligent future—one where your watch quietly does a lot more than just tell the time.
