Apple is reportedly testing its September 2026 Apple Watch lineup, but the new models are expected to be minor updates while more substantial changes are much further off.
Most recent rumors have claimed that the forthcoming Apple Watch Series 12 will not feature any hardware improvements over its predecessor. Now backing up those reports, Bloomberg says that neither the Apple Watch Series 12 nor the expected Apple Watch Ultra 4 will get visible upgrades to their design.
Instead, the updates will be concentrated on giving the new Apple Watches a significant performance boost through a new processor. There may also be health and fitness tracking improvements, though previous reports have claimed that there won't be new sensors, so this may be a software update.
The new lineup has the codenames N237 and N238 for the Wi-Fi and cellular versions of the Apple Watch Series 12 while the Apple Watch Ultra 4 is codenamed N240. All three models are said to now be in late-stage testing.
It's claimed that these are the only three models due to be launched in September 2026, and specifically that there will not be a new Apple Watch SE released at this time.
There's no indication of when an upgraded Apple Watch SE may come, but the report says that work is being done on a significant redesign for the regular Apple Watch. That's not expected to result in a new device for at least a couple of years, however.
Separately, a recurring rumor has claimed again that the 2026 Apple Watch models will feature a new system for attaching bands. It remains as possible yet unlikely, though, as it has for the last several years that the rumor has circulated.
Also, while this new report predicts no noticeable changes to the Apple Watch Ultra, a rumor in May 2026 suggested that there may well be a significant update. Supply chain sources claimed that the Apple Watch Ultra 4 could double its number of sensors over the previous models.
