Apple Watch Series 12

This week on the Cult of Mac podcast: That didn’t take long! The iPhone 18 Pro faces more than one problem right out of the gate. First there’s a controversial storage choice that seems to hamper performance of the highest-end models (at least in extreme testing). And then there’s a weird Face ID problem.

So far, no names have stuck for these “-gates” — and maybe there’s not that much to them. The storage problem might be mostly theoretical, and a software fix is on the way for the Face ID glitch. Still, there’s plenty to talk about!

Also on the Cult of Mac podcast:

• Apple Watch Series 12 and Apple Watch Ultra 4 face their own reboot problem.
• Apple reportedly built prototypes of a screenless fitness tracker that would compete with Whoop’s fitness tracker and the Oura Ring. We discuss the pros and cons of the approach as well as Apple’s tweaks to its Health app, which is now available in the iOS 27.2 beta.
• The latest Mac mini design makes it harder to upgrade internal storage, and we try to coax a repairability rant out of Charlie.
• And finally, Graham describes the painstaking process of upgrading his strength-training app to get it ready for the iPhone Duo‘s folding screen.

Listen to this week’s episode of the Cult of Mac podcast in the Podcasts app or your favorite podcast app. Or watch the video version, embedded below. (Be sure to subscribe and leave us a review if you like it!)

Apple on Wednesday released watchOS 27.0.1, an important update for owners of its newest Apple Watch models. It fixes a bug that caused these wearables to repeatedly restart.

Anyone with an Apple Watch Series 12 or Apple Watch Ultra 4 should install it immediately.

A new Apple Watch reboot problem is affecting Series 12 and Ultra 4 owners just days after launch. These watches are restarting without any warning, and currently there’s no way to fix it.

Update: There’s a fix! watchOS 27.0.1 is out to deal with this specific problem. Read more about it: Apple Watch Series 12 and Ultra 4 get emergency fix for reboot problem

The reports span multiple online forums and communities, with several users posting matching crash logs. The consistency suggests it could be a hardware or software issue rather than just a handful of unlucky units.

So if your Apple Watch keeps rebooting, it’s not just you.

The wait for Apple’s latest gear is over. The iPhone 18 Pro and iPhone 18 Pro Max hit retail stores Friday alongside the Apple Watch Series 12, Apple Watch Ultra 4 and AirPods 5.

Crowds lined up outside Apple Stores around the world, even as a highly unusual launch cycle took place for the latest iPhones.

Apple quietly killed one of the Apple Watch’s oldest tricks. The Digital Crown double-click action no longer switches between apps in watchOS 27, and longtime users already miss it.

The change lands in watchOS 27, and is related to a new feature in the brand-new Apple Watch Series 12 and Ultra 4, but it is not limited to those models. So the gesture disappears for all those who update, and the feature meant to replace it won’t even work on most people’s devices.

UPDATE: There’s a fix coming in watchOS 27.2… sort of. Learn more about it:

• watchOS 27.2 will restore a useful Apple Watch feature, but there’s a catch

This week on the Cult of Mac podcast: Apple’s Surprise and Shine event is in the books! The iPhone Duo is real, and it definitely folds. New Apple CEO John Ternus didn’t, though. He acquitted himself admirably as he briefly uncapped Apple’s magic product pipeline.

We discuss how things went down and our reactions to iPhone Duo, iPhone 18 Pro, Apple Watch Series 12, Apple Watch Ultra 4 and AirPods 5.

Also on the Cult of Mac podcast:

• How does iPhone 18 Pro stack up against iPhone 17 Pro? The new variable-aperture camera sounds impressive, but seriously … how much better do your iPhone pix need to be? And how much are you willing to spend for slightly better snapshots?
• The new Apple Watch models come with a powerful new chip that enables a pair of controversial features: Live Rewind and Siri Recap. Both involve the Apple Watch Series 12 or Ultra 4 quietly listening in the background at all times. And that stirs real privacy concerns.
• Another pair of Apple Watch 12 and Ultra 4 features — your readiness score and Health Age — raise a different kind of question. Namely, just how scientific and useful are they?
• We wrap up the show with a show of hands: Who’s getting what new Apple products? The subject proves dicier than usual.

Listen to this week’s episode of the Cult of Mac podcast in the Podcasts app or your favorite podcast app. (Be sure to subscribe and leave us a review if you like it!) Or watch the video version, embedded below.

Apple began accepting preorders for the iPhone 18 Pro and iPhone 18 Pro Max this morning. Both phones arrive in stores on Friday, September 18, when the first preorder deliveries also reach customers.

The Apple Watch Series 12, Apple Watch Ultra 4 and new AirPods 5 were already available for preorder, with all three launching the same day. However, if you want the folding iPhone Duo, you’ll need to wait until October to place your preorder.

Apple Watch Series 12 and Ultra 4 will bring two surprisingly futuristic new tricks: Live Rewind and Siri Recap, a pair of Audio Intelligence features that turn the smartwatch into an always-listening AI device.

Apple markets Live Rewind as a way to rewind the world around you. Actually, it can only turn the previous 15 seconds of a conversation into a text snippet. Still, it potentially could help people remember something that’s just been said.

Siri Recap, on the other hand, quietly takes notes during your conversations, then uses Apple Intelligence to create concise summaries you can refer to later. The goal is to help people stay focused on the moment.

The new Audio Intelligence features seem quite useful, but they make privacy advocates nervous. Fortunately, Apple really locked them down, hoping to prevent the Apple Watch features from being abused.

 The Apple Watch Series 12 looks like the same watch as Series 11. But it’s the first real upgrade that Apple’s smartwatch has received in a while.

It packs upgraded health sensors, new recovery insights and Audio Intelligence. But are these improvements worth upgrading from the Apple Watch Series 11? Find out in this comparison. 

Apple introduced a new fitness feature for Apple Watch called “readiness” during its Surprise and Shine event today. Readiness gives you a score from zero to 10, along with recommendations like “recover,” “pace yourself,” “ready” or “go for it.”

But what exactly is it telling us we’re ready for? According to Apple, your readiness score “tells you when to rest or put yourself to the test.” But can a smartwatch really know that?

What happens when your Apple Watch tells you to “go for it,” but your body tells you otherwise? Most personal trainers will tell you that learning to listen to your body is an important part of training. So what should you do when your body and your Apple Watch disagree?

Apple Watch Series 12 finally gets the upgrade long-time owners have been waiting for. The new model pairs the new, faster chip with a redesigned health sensing system. It also brings Apple Intelligence to your wrist for the first time.

Apple unveiled the Apple Watch Series 12 and the beefier Apple Watch Ultra 4 on Wednesday during its Surprise and Shine event. Both watches arrive alongside a new watchOS 27 update. They share the same faster Apple silicon processor and advanced health sensors, and together mark one of the most notable hardware refreshes the Apple Watch has seen in years.

Apple kicked off its Surprise and Shine event Wednesday with a cinematic passing of the torch as former CEO Tim Cook introduced his successor, John Ternus.

Ternus then praised the company’s crown jewel — the iPhone, which he called an “intelligent personal hub” superpowered by artificial intelligence — before unveiling a slew of new products, including the first folding iPhone, known as the iPhone Duo.

Other new and upgraded products included the iPhone 18 Pro and iPhone 18 Pro Max, Apple Watch Series 12, Apple Watch Ultra 4 and AirPods 5. Plus, various Apple execs also showcased new software features coming soon in iOS 27 and the company’s other software platforms.

“iPhone sits at the center of an amazing ecosystem of intelligent features and experiences that work seamlessly across the products you use every day,” Ternus said, before name-checking the new AI-powered Siri and advanced features in the new Apple Watch and AirPods.

“Simply put, iPhone brings powerful AI capabilities together with your personal context on the device you have with you all the time,” Ternus continued. “So today, we’re going to take these experiences even further with the next generation of iPhone.”

• See also: This is when iOS 27, iPadOS 27, watchOS 27 and macOS Golden Gate arrive