The Apple Watch has received some incremental updates over the past few years, with significant updates becoming less and less frequent as the device has progressed. Since the improvements made to the Apple Watch from generation to generation are relatively small, it’s even more important to consider when an upgrade is warranted and whether an older model might be sufficient for your needs.
The Apple Watch Series 12 brings a more substantial set of changes than the Series 11, which was one of the smallest updates in the device’s history. Although Apple has discontinued the previous series models, older watches may still be available at lower prices from third-party or second-hand retailers.
Read on to see the breakdown below for every new feature, change, and improvement added to each Apple Watch model over its direct predecessor. Viewing each generation’s changes in this way helps you evaluate the cumulative updates you receive by skipping multiple generations when purchasing a new device, as well as getting an idea of which generations offered the biggest overall updates.
Apple Watch Series 12 (2026)
- S11 chip (based on A20 Pro)
- 4 GB of RAM
- New health tracking system
- Second generation electric heart sensor
- Fourth generation optical heart sensor always active
- Background heart rate measurements every five seconds throughout the day
- Heart rate variability measured up to 24 times more often
- Recovery HRV metric
- Preparation app
- Daytime view in the Vitals app
- More accurate step tracking
- Live heart rate dial steps and complications
- Audio intelligence with sound recognition and automatic Shazam detection
- Live rewind and summary by Siri
- Ceramic Shield 2 front glass, 60% stronger than Series 11 Ion-X glass (aluminum models only)
- The aluminum or titanium and zirconium case back replaces the metal and sapphire glass case back
- Up to 10 hours of outdoor workout tracking (25% more than Series 11)
- 15 minutes of charging provides up to 12 hours of normal use (up to eight hours)
- Five minutes of charging provides up to 10 hours of sleep tracking (up from eight hours)
- The aluminum and titanium cases are 1mm wider and around two grams heavier
- Slightly larger bezels and approximately 2% smaller viewing area despite unchanged screen resolutions
- Ceramic case option introduced in Pearl White and Night Blue colors, with slightly larger dimensions than the aluminum and titanium models
- Dark Bronze, Light Gold and Black aluminum finishes replace Silver, Rose Gold and Jet Black; Gray Space remains available
- Radiant Gold titanium replaces Gold and Slate; Natural titanium remains available
Apple Watch Series 11 (2025)
- Ion-X glass 2x more scratch-resistant (aluminum models only)
- 5G connectivity (cellular models only)
- 7–10% larger battery.
- Space Gray aluminum option reintroduced
Apple Watch Series 10 (2024)
- Refined design with a thinner casing, display with rounder edges and wider aspect ratio, and front glass that extends further to the sides for a higher screen-to-body ratio
- Case size 42mm and 46mm
- Larger displays
- LTPO3 display for faster refresh rate in always-on mode, enabling a real-time ticking second hand on selected dials
- Wide-angle OLED (up to 40% brighter when viewed from an angle)
- S10 chip (same CPU as S9, but more compact)
- Water temperature sensor
- Depth app and depth gauge up to 6 m
- Microphone with voice isolation
- Redesigned speaker with multimedia playback
- Metal back with larger charging coil and integrated antenna
- Faster charging (0–80% in about 30 minutes)
- The titanium case replaces the stainless steel option, now in Silver (matches previous stainless steel case, Apple Watch Hermès only), Gold, Slate and Natural
- Starlight, Midnight, Pink and (PRODUCT)RED finishes have been discontinued and replaced with Silver, Rose Gold and Gloss Jet Black finishes
Apple Watch Series 9 (2023)
- Retina display with up to 2,000 nits brightness
- Display can dim in dark rooms and at night (up to 1 nit brightness)
- Double tap gesture
- Wrist movement gesture
- Sleep apnea detection
- Detection of hypertension
- S9 chip (based on A15 Bionic)
- 2 GB of RAM
- 4-core Neural Engine (2x faster than Series 8)
- Siri processed on your device for requests that do not require information from the Internet
- Siri can access your health and fitness data
- 25% more accurate dictation.
- Second generation ultra-wideband chip
- Precision search for iPhone 15 models
- HomePod proximity integration
- 64 GB memory
- Introduction of the pink aluminum frame
Apple Watch Series 8 (2022)
- S8 chip (same CPU as S6)
- More powerful gyroscope and high dynamic range accelerometer
- Accident detection
- Body temperature sensor
- Wrist temperature detection during sleep
- Cycle tracking with retrospective ovulation estimates
- Blue and green aluminum casings were discontinued, silver aluminum reintroduced
- Apple Watch Edition discontinued
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Apple Watch Series 7 (2021)
- Case dimensions 41 mm and 45 mm
- 1.7mm display edges for nearly 20% more screen area than the Series 6
- QWERTY keyboard
- Up to 70% brighter display than indoor Series 6 when wrist is down
- S7 chip (same CPU as S6)
- Crack-resistant front glass (50% thicker)
- IP6X dust resistance
- Fast charging up to 80% charge in approximately 45 minutes (33% faster than Series 6)
- Silver and space gray aluminum casings discontinued, Midnight, Starlight and Green introduced
Apple Watch Series 6 (2020)
- Always-on display up to 2.5 times brighter
- Access Notification Center, Control Center, and Complications when your display is in sleep mode
- S6 chip (based on A13 Bionic, 20% faster than S5)
- 1.5 GB of RAM
- Altimeter always active
- First generation ultra-wideband chip
- 2.4 GHz and 5 GHz Wi-Fi
- Blood oxygen sensor
- Faster charging for a full charge in less than 1.5 hours
- Improved battery life for tracking certain workouts, such as indoor and outdoor runs
- Introduced Blue and (PRODUCT)RED Aluminum trim options
- Space Black stainless steel case available only with Apple Watch Hermès, Graphite option introduced
- Ceramic edition of discontinued Apple Watch
Apple Watch Series 5 (2019)
- Always-on Retina display
- Forced touch removed
- S5 chip
- Compass
- 32 GB memory
- Apple Watch Edition reintroduced with White Ceramic, Natural Titanium, and Space Black Titanium case options
Apple Watch Series 4 (2018)
- Case size 40mm and 44mm
- Over 30% larger display with curved corners
- 3.0mm display edges
- S4 chip (2x faster than S3)
- Gyroscope and accelerometer
- Barometric altimeter
- Fall detection
- 2.4 GHz Wi-Fi
- Optical heart sensor and electric heart sensor for ECG
- 16 GB memory
- Digital crown with haptic feedback
- 50% louder speaker.
- Repositioned microphone to reduce echo and improve sound quality
- Faster charging for a full charge in 1.5 hours
- Introducing the gold stainless steel case
- Apple Watch Edition discontinued
Apple Watch Series 3 (2017)
- S3 chip (70% faster than S2)
- Barometric altimeter
- Bluetooth4.2
- Siri can speak through the built-in speaker
- LTE cellular model available with red Digital Crown
- Discontinued rose gold aluminum case
- The Apple Watch Edition model in gray ceramic presented
Apple Watch Series 2 (2016)
- Retina display with up to 1,000 nits of brightness (2x brighter than the previous generation)
- S2 chip (dual-core)
- 1 GB of RAM
- GPS and GLONASS receiver
- Water resistant up to 50 meters
- Added gold and rose gold aluminum casing options
- Discontinued 18k gold and rose gold Apple Watch edition, ceramic model introduced in white
- The Apple Watch Nike+ variant presented
The Series 12 has a sturdier case than the Series 11 as an overall upgrade, but most Series 11 owners still have little reason to buy a new device. Its new heart sensors, more frequent HRV measurements, Readiness app, and longer battery life for training are more important if you rely on your Apple Watch for detailed training and recovery information. The sound recognition may also appeal to users who are deaf or hard of hearing, while the ceramic case offers a finish not available with the Series 11.
Upgrading from a Series 10 brings these changes along with the Series 11’s 5G connectivity on cellular models and improved everyday battery life. From a Series 9, you would also get the slimmer design of the Series 10, a larger display, a depth gauge, and a water temperature sensor.
Cumulative updates become more attractive to users of Series 8 and older, particularly if battery wear affects daily use. Series 7 owners get shock detection and temperature sensing, as well as the newer design and health features of the Series 12. The biggest differences will be felt by those who own a Series 6 or earlier, though the condition of your current watch and the cost of replacing it still matter.
watchOS 27 supports Series 9 and later, leaving Series 8 and earlier without the latest major software release. This doesn’t mean they will immediately stop working or receive any security updates, but they are now considered old devices. If you’re buying a replacement, a discounted or second-hand Series 11 may offer better value if you don’t need the healthcare features of the Series 12, provided you can find it cheaply enough. watchOS 26 is not supported on Series 5 or earlier, so anyone with one of these devices should definitely consider upgrading ASAP.
Looking ahead, it looks like next year’s Apple Watch Series 13 could offer some major upgrades including a redesign and new sensors. This could make it a great upgrade for those who own a Series 11 or earlier.
