MacRumors

With the Apple Watch Series 12 now just two months away, we have created a recap of rumored new features, with some more likely than others.

Below, we have outlined everything rumored so far for the Apple Watch Series 12.

More Likely

New Chip After One-Year Hiatus

While the Apple Watch Series 11, Apple Watch Ultra 3, and Apple Watch SE 3 all contain the same S10 chip as the previous year's models, leaked Apple code showed the Apple Watch Series 12 will get a new chip. It is unclear if the chip will have S11 or S12 branding, but performance improvements are expected either way after a one-year hiatus.

Longer Battery Life

With the Apple Watch Series 12, Apple is focused on longer battery life, according to a known leaker on the Chinese social media platform Weibo. Apple says the Series 11 lasts up to 24 hours on a single charge, or up to 38 hours in Low Power Mode.

Less Likely

Touch ID

Touch ID may be coming to the Apple Watch Series 12, according to leaked Apple code.

Touch ID would likely be built into the Apple Watch's side button, enabling users to unlock the device with their fingerprint instead of a passcode.

Even though new Touch ID references were discovered in the code, there is no guarantee that Apple will move forward with this plan. One leaker has denied the rumor, and credible sources such as Bloomberg's Mark Gurman and Apple supply chain analyst Ming-Chi Kuo have yet to mention Touch ID coming to the Apple Watch this year.

Band Sensors

Another sketchy rumor from a leaker known as Kosutami claimed that the Apple Watch Series 12 will have a band with at least one health sensor in it, which would be a first. Health sensors are built into the Apple Watch directly on all existing models.

Apple today provided developers with the fourth beta of an upcoming visionOS 27 update for testing purposes, with the beta coming two weeks after Apple released the third beta.

visionOS 27 can be installed by opening the Settings app, going to Software Updates, and opting into Beta Updates.

visionOS 27 introduces Siri AI, the smarter and more capable version of ‌Siri‌ that's similar in capability to chatbots like ChatGPT and Claude. On the Vision Pro, ‌Siri‌ can answer questions about anything the wearer is looking at, and there's a new ‌Siri‌ orb that can be placed anywhere in wearer's virtual space.

Panorama photos can be turned into spatial environments, and there's a new Icelandic Thórsmörk environment that features dramatic mountains, valleys, and glaciers, along with the northern lights. Web Environment support allows developers to create 360-degree environments in Safari for a more native Vision Pro browsing experience.

App windows are now curved to provide a more immersive workspace, and Control Center has been reorganized to make system controls easier to find. Apple added a smaller widget size, and notifications automatically expand when the wearer looks at them.

More on what's new in visionOS 27 is listed in our Vision Pro roundup.

The fourth developer beta of iOS 27 has references to an iPhone with two batteries, according to Macworld. New Battery Health strings include mentions of multiple internal batteries, instead of a single battery. MacRumors confirmed the mentions are in the beta.

• "The batteries in this iPhone are performing as expected."
• "The health of the batteries in this iPhone has significantly degraded. An Apple Authorized Service Provider can replace the batteries to restore full performance and capacity."
• "The health of the batteries in this iPhone has significantly degraded, and one of the batteries could not be verified as a genuine Apple battery. An Apple Authorized Service Provider can replace the batteries to restore full performance and capacity."

All of the wording in the Settings app on current iPhone models references a single battery, so the plural phrasing is curious.

Macworld speculates the wording references the foldable "iPhone Ultra" Apple is working on. Prior rumors suggest the ‌iPhone Ultra‌ will use two battery cells with 1,921mAh and 2,962mAh capacities for a total of 4,883mAh. Foldable smartphones typically have two batteries, with one located in each half of the device. Apple is likely to use the same design.

The ‌iOS 27‌ strings suggest the batteries in the ‌iPhone Ultra‌ could be serviceable separately, so a single failing cell could be swapped on its own. An option to replace a single degraded cell could lower repair costs.

Apple's ‌iPhone Ultra‌ is expected to debut this September alongside the iPhone 18 Pro models.

Apple today seeded the fourth beta of watchOS 27 to developers, with the update coming two weeks after the launch of the third beta.

The beta can be downloaded through the Watch app on the iPhone with a free developer account. The Apple Watch will need to be on the charger, connected to Wi-Fi, and have a battery level of 50 percent or above for new software to be installed. The beta is available for all Apple Watch models compatible with ‌watchOS 27‌ except for the Apple Watch Ultra 3.

‌watchOS 27‌ gains Siri AI, the smarter, more capable version of ‌Siri‌. ‌Siri‌ can hold back-and-forth conversations, plus it has access to general world knowledge and your personal data to answer questions and find information. ‌Siri‌ AI on Apple Watch requires an iPhone that supports Apple Intelligence, including the iPhone 15 Pro and later.

There's a new Dynamic app grid that highlights ‌Siri‌ suggested apps, and more intuitive Smart Stack Suggestions. You can find your parked car, see pinned messages, get noise alerts, and view identity and transit cards.

Liquid Glass has been updated to improve legibility, and Workout Buddy works on the Apple Watch even when an iPhone isn't nearby. Workout Buddy also gains new metrics like progressive increases to distance, pace, or duration. Apple added a new all-in-one Find My app with support for Precision Finding, and there are performance optimizations that improve battery life.

More on what's new in ‌watchOS 27‌ is available in our watchOS 27 roundup.

Apple today provided developers with the fourth beta of macOS Golden Gate, with the update coming two weeks after Apple seeded the third beta.

Developers can download ‌macOS Golden Gate‌ by going to System Settings > General > Software Update. Beta Updates will need to be enabled, and a free developer account is required.

‌macOS Golden Gate‌ includes multiple design improvements. Liquid Glass opacity has been improved to increase readability, there's a slider for controlling the level of transparency, and changes to shadowing make it easier to tell when a window is active. Apps now have uniform toolbars, edge-to-edge sidebars, and less rounded corners, plus there are fewer icons in menu bars.

Siri has been transformed into ‌Siri‌ AI, a chatbot-style assistant that combines general world knowledge, your personal data, and onscreen awareness to answer questions about anything and find information for you. ‌Siri‌ lives in Spotlight, and you can ask questions with the new Search or Ask interface.

There's also a ‌Siri‌ app where you can chat with ‌Siri‌ and view past conversations, and on newer Macs, you can set a custom voice for ‌Siri‌ with personalized pace and expressivity. Visual Intelligence is now on the Mac so ‌Siri‌ can answer questions about what's on your screen, and a Write with ‌Siri‌ feature lets ‌Siri‌ generate text or give feedback on your writing.

There are AI photo editing tools in the Photos app, AI tab organization in Safari, an option to use AI to automatically update weak passwords in the Passwords app, and a revamped Image Playground app that can generate photorealistic images.

More on all of the new features in ‌macOS Golden Gate‌ can be found in our macOS Golden Gate roundup.

Apple today seeded the fourth betas of iOS 27 and iPadOS 27 to developers for testing purposes, with the update coming two weeks after Apple released the third betas.

Registered developers can download the betas from the Settings app on the iPhone or iPad by going to the General section and selecting Software Update.

‌iOS 27‌ introduces Apple's smarter version of Siri, ‌Siri‌ AI. ‌Siri‌ AI is a chatbot similar to ChatGPT, incorporating general world knowledge, personal data from apps like Messages and Mail, and onscreen awareness to answer questions and find information for you.

There are new Apple Intelligence features in apps like Photos, Safari, Shortcuts, Wallet, and Passwords, plus Apple added a standalone ‌Siri‌ app that houses ‌Siri‌ conversations. Write with ‌Siri‌ is available systemwide for generating text or offering feedback on your writing, and Visual Intelligence has been relocated to the Camera app with a new ‌Siri‌ mode.

Apple improved the look of Liquid Glass and added a slider for customizing transparency. There are multiple performance improvements to speed up iOS, so everything feels faster, even on older iPhones. Apps launch quicker, AirDrop transfers are faster, the keyboard pops up more quickly, and devices are better at transitioning between Wi-Fi and Cellular to keep you connected.

For more on what's new in ‌iOS 27‌, we have a dedicated iOS 27 roundup.

Apple today seeded the release candidate versions of upcoming iOS 26.6 and iPadOS 26.6 updates to developers for testing purposes, with the software coming a week after Apple seeded the fifth betas. The RCs represent the final version of the software that will be released soon should no additional bugs be found.

Registered developers can download the betas from the Settings app on the iPhone or iPad by going to the General section and selecting Software Update.

With iOS 27 set to launch in September, Apple is wrapping up work on iOS 26. According to Apple's release notes, the update includes security fixes and optimized the Spotlight index to prepare for ‌iOS 27‌.

Apple today provided the release candidate version of an upcoming macOS Tahoe 26.6 update to developers for testing purposes, with the update coming a week after Apple seeded the fifth beta. The release candidate marks the final version of ‌macOS Tahoe‌ 26.6 that will be released to the public if no major bugs are found.

Developers can download the ‌macOS Tahoe‌ 26.6 update by opening up the System Settings app, selecting the General category, and then choosing Software Update. Beta Updates will need to be enabled, and a free developer account is required.

With macOS Golden Gate launching in just a couple months, Apple is likely focusing most of its attention on the new software. We are not expecting any major new features in ‌macOS Tahoe‌ 26.6.

Apple today seeded the fourth beta of tvOS 27 to developers for testing purposes, with the update coming two weeks after Apple released the third beta.

The beta can be downloaded and installed through the Settings app on the Apple TV. A free developer account is required.

tvOS 27 has few new features compared to the other 27 software updates, but it does add a redesigned Podcasts app, options for larger text, and a more responsive Control Center.

AirPlaying to an ‌Apple TV‌ from another Apple device is faster, and apps and animations are smoother. You can also now see AppleCare coverage details in the Settings app.

More on the features in tvOS 27 can be found in our Apple TV roundup.

Apple today provided developers with the release candidate versions of upcoming watchOS 26.6, tvOS 26.6, and visionOS 26.6 betas for testing purposes. The software comes a week after Apple seeded the fifth betas. The RCs are the final version of the software that will be released to the public as long as no bugs are found during this final testing period.

The software updates are available through the Settings app on each device, and because these are developer betas, a free developer account is required.

There's no word on what's in the software as of yet. watchOS, tvOS, and visionOS often get few features in each new beta, with updates primarily focusing on bug fixes and performance improvements.

Four of Apple's retail stores in the U.S. are moving this month, although all of them will only be a short distance from their existing locations.

Apple Queens Center in Elmhurst, New York already moved to a temporary location in the shopping mall on Friday, July 17 while the existing store is remodeled. Apple did not indicate when the existing store will reopen.

Apple Renaissance at Colony Park in Ridgeland, Mississippi is moving to a new spot within the same shopping center on Friday, July 24 at 10 a.m. local time. Apple's new storefront will be located right in front of the Show Fountain.

Apple Briarwood in Ann Arbor, Michigan will be relocating to a new space at the mall on Friday, July 31 at 10 a.m. local time. The entrance to the new, larger store will be in front of The Lawn, a new outdoor space at the mall.

Also on July 31 at 10 a.m. local time, Apple The Promenade Shops at Briargate in Colorado Springs, Colorado is moving six doors down to the left.

Apple Sports was updated today with support for additional soccer leagues in Asia and Europe, plus the ability to see formations across most soccer leagues. The update arrives just one day after the 2026 FIFA World Cup final between Argentina and Spain.

The new leagues available in the app:

• Belgian Pro League (Belgium)
• Superliga (Denmark)
• Eredivisie (Netherlands)
• J1 League (Japan)
• Ekstraklasa (Poland)
• Scottish Premiership (Scotland)
• Swiss Super League (Switzerland)

In the latest version of the app, you can now view formations across most soccer leagues, making it easier to see the starting lineup for each match.

Apple Sports remains available on the iPhone only, with version 4.2 rolling out now.

Bloomberg's Mark Gurman says Apple's decision not to name its former design chief Jony Ive in its trade-secret lawsuit against OpenAI was likely a deliberate one, shaped in part by the company's relationship with Laurene Powell Jobs.

Apple's roughly 40-page complaint refers only to unnamed "former Apple leaders" rather than calling out Ive, even though he leads design on OpenAI's hardware lineup through his firm LoveFrom, built on the back of OpenAI's $6.5 billion acquisition of his startup io Products. The allegations instead center on former iPhone executive Tang Tan, now OpenAI's chief hardware officer, whom Apple accuses of coaching recruits to bypass security measures and bring Apple hardware into interviews for "show-and-tell" sessions.

In the latest "Power On" newsletter, Gurman notes that Apple's decision likely reflects, at least in part, a genuine absence of evidence against Ive, who is reportedly not closely involved in OpenAI's day-to-day recruiting or engineering. He argues, however, that the relationship between Powell Jobs and Ive was also a significant factor. The two are described as close friends, with Ive having delivered a tribute at Steve Jobs' memorial service in 2011. Powell Jobs was an investor in io Products and remains a supporter of LoveFrom. According to Gurman, naming Ive in the complaint risked straining Apple's relationship with a figure who continues to carry considerable influence within the company.

Gurman cites Apple's June Worldwide Developers Conference as an illustration of that influence, noting that Powell Jobs sat in the front row alongside CEO Tim Cook and his successor John Ternus. He characterizes her placement as a visible show of support for Apple's leadership transition.

Gurman further suggests that the optics of naming Ive directly would have worked against Apple. Tan, he notes, is not widely known outside the industry, whereas Ive spent decades as one of Apple's most recognizable figures. Naming him could have generated public sympathy for Ive and invited criticism that Apple's lawsuit was motivated as much by past grievances as by trade-secret concerns. The lawsuit comes as more than 400 former Apple employees are now reported to work at OpenAI, whose first hardware product is expected to be a portable smart speaker aimed at competing with the iPhone in the long term.

Apple's AirPods Max 2 have hit $449.00 on Amazon today, down from $549.00. This sale is available in four colors and it's the best price we've seen on the headphones since Prime Day.

Note: MacRumors is an affiliate partner with some of these vendors. When you click a link and make a purchase, we may receive a small payment, which helps us keep the site running.

Free delivery has the AirPods Max 2 arriving around July 25, but Prime members should see same-day delivery options in many locations. We haven't seen the AirPods Max 2 hit their all-time low price since June, so if you've been waiting for a solid deal, today's your chance to save on the headphones.

If you're on the hunt for more discounts, be sure to visit our Apple Deals roundup where we recap the best Apple-related bargains of the past week.

Apple's AirTag 2 is available for the all-time low price of $89.00 this week, down from $99.00. This sale is on the 4-Pack of the AirTag 2, and it's a match of the record low price we last tracked during Prime Day.

Note: MacRumors is an affiliate partner with Amazon. When you click a link and make a purchase, we may receive a small payment, which helps us keep the site running.

The new AirTag is equipped with a second-generation Ultra Wideband chip, enabling the Precision Finding feature to work up to 50% farther away from an item compared to the previous-generation model.

If you're on the hunt for more discounts, be sure to visit our Apple Deals roundup where we recap the best Apple-related bargains of the past week.

Apple developed two Mac Pro models in recent years that never made it to market, according to Bloomberg's Mark Gurman.

In his latest "Power On" newsletter, Gurman revealed that Apple internally developed two unreleased Mac Pro projects codenamed J170 and J190 before ultimately discontinuing the machine altogether.

As for new Mac Pro hardware, there were two additional models developed by Apple that never saw the light of day: J170 and J190. The former was a new Intel Corp. Mac Pro (yes, even when Apple was making its own silicon) to address certain uses. The latter was an M3 Ultra version that was supposed to launch alongside the M3 Ultra Mac Studio in early 2025.

J170 was apparently a new Intel-based Mac Pro, which is notable because Apple had already completed its transition to Apple silicon by the time the project was in active development. Gurman did not specify what "certain uses" the Intel model was meant to address, but its existence suggests Apple explored keeping an x86 option alive for specific professional workflows even years into the Apple silicon era.

J190, meanwhile, was said to be an M3 Ultra-equipped Mac Pro that was supposed to launch alongside the M3 Ultra Mac Studio in early 2025, but Apple shelved it before release. It would have paired the same chip found in that ‌Mac Studio‌ with the Mac Pro's unique-to-the-lineup PCIe expansion slots.

Neither model shipped, and Apple discontinued the Mac Pro entirely this year, ending its 20-year run. The Mac Pro had been left on the aging M2 Ultra chip from 2023 while the ‌Mac Studio‌ continued to receive refreshes, and it was priced roughly double that of a similarly configured ‌Mac Studio‌ despite offering essentially the same performance.

The J170 and J190 cancellations add to a growing list of shelved Mac Pro plans. Apple had also developed "Extreme" chip variants, processors with twice the CPU and GPU cores of Apple's Ultra chips, for a future Mac Pro before winding down those projects over cost and demand concerns.

Gurman said he does not expect Apple to bring back the Mac Pro "anytime soon — if ever." Apple is instead expected to refresh the ‌Mac Studio‌ with M5 Ultra chips as early as this fall.

Security firm Group-IB has identified a new piece of macOS malware in the wild that pressures users into surrendering their passwords via a barrage of fake system prompts.

Dubbed "ClickLock Stealer," the malware needs no exploits and no elevated privileges to work. Instead, the attack depends on the victim pasting a command into Terminal and running it. The command then executes a script, and everything else follows.

Group-IB did not directly observe how victims are lured into pasting the command, but based on the script's behavior, the firm believes it's served through a fake "ClickFix" page posing as a Cloudflare check or browser verification step. Such pages instruct visitors to copy a command and run it in Terminal as a supposed "verification requirement."

Once it's up and running, the script discreetly downloads several modules and shows a terminal-based loading animation mimicking a Cloudflare progress bar with browser verification. If a user declines the initial password dialog that appears, the malware starts locking system usage.

Specifically, the malware kills every visible app every 210 milliseconds while the password prompt remains on screen, and the rest of the desktop stays unusable until the victim gives in. Meanwhile, another loop suppresses macOS security notifications for roughly six hours.

If the user gives up and enters their password, a second, genuine macOS prompt is subsequently forced to the front, asking them to allow access to a Keychain item. Granting it hands over Chrome's "Safe Storage" AES key, which is what the browser uses to encrypt saved passwords and cookies.

With the login password and Chrome's encryption obtained, ClickLock then harvests browser credentials, Keychain data, password manager vaults, and any cryptocurrency wallets, and then sends it all to a Telegram bot. It also installs a hidden backdoor disguised as an iCloud process to give it continual access.

Group-IB says the campaign has been active since May 2026 and has targeted at least 100 victims across 33 countries. More than half of the victims were in Europe.

Apple has already updated macOS to try to defend against this class of attack before it can get underway. In macOS Tahoe 26.4, it added a warning that appears when the user attempts to paste a command into Terminal from a website, chat, or message, and blocks the paste until the user reviews it. (Opera browser also recently added a similar feature.)

In cases where macOS detects known malware, the paste is blocked outright with no override. Still, it should go without saying that no legitimate website will ever ask a user to paste a command into Terminal.

A new iPad mini coming by October will deliver a "major processor leap," according to Bloomberg's Mark Gurman.

Previous rumors have indicated that the next iPad mini will be equipped with an A19 Pro chip or an A20 Pro chip, up from the A17 Pro in the current 2024 model. Other rumored features include an OLED display, a vibration-based speaker system, and increased water resistance.