Apple Watch Series 12 Rumored to Pack Sensors Into the Strap

Last week, a 2023-era rumor resurfaced, suggesting that Apple is still working on a new band attachment system for the Apple Watch. While that report was scant on details, another leaker is hinting that Apple may have more in store for its watch bands than merely changing how they attach to the wearable.

Leaker and Apple prototype collector Kosutami, who has a reasonable track record for predictions, trotted out a variation on another rumor we’ve heard off and on for years: a sensor built into the Apple Watch band.

If Kosutami’s information is correct, we may not even have to wait long to see this one, as they suggest it’s coming to this year’s Apple Watch Series 12.

As with most of this leaker’s tweets, there are no details beyond what you see in the tweet above, nor has this been corroborated by anyone else. Most specifically, there’s not even a hint as to what these sensors would be used for.

Regardless of the specifics, rumors of Apple’s work on a so-called “smart band” for the Apple Watch go even further back than new watch band mounts. While the notion of putting some technology into the band seems like a pretty obvious idea when you think about it, these rumors aren’t entirely based on speculation; we’ve seen ample evidence over the years that Apple has explored this, from patents in 2015 and 2018 to an Apple Watch Series 3 prototype unearthed in 2021 that showed a possible ‘Smart Band’ connector.

These past reports also provide some clues as to what such a sensor-laden band could be used for. In 2021, Giulio Zompetti, the collector who shared the Series 3 prototype, told 9to5Mac that he believed Apple was looking at putting special sensors into the “smart band” to handle blood pressure monitoring. That lined up with another patent from 2017 that outlined a related method for taking blood pressure measurements.

Blood pressure monitoring is a nut that Apple has been working to crack for years, but despite rumors it once came close, the best it’s been able to do is the Hypertension Notification feature that debuted with last year’s Apple Watch Series 11 (although it’s also available on the Series 9, Ultra 2, and newer models — but not the Apple Watch SE 3).

Rather than using specific sensors, these alerts leverage machine learning algorithms powered by the Neural Engine that Apple introduced in the S9 chip in 2023 to analyze data from the more advanced third-generation optical heart sensor used in these latest models. Still, this only provides alerts of possible high blood pressure; you still need to go find a cuff to get an actual measurement.

It’s unlikely Apple has given up on providing actual blood pressure measurements, but finding a way to do this accurately is challenging — especially since it would have to pass muster with government health regulators like the FDA. However, a “smart band” could be a step toward providing enough sensors around the entire wrist to let Apple pull this off.

One interesting wrinkle in Kosutami’s information is that Apple hasn’t figured out how to put whatever sensors it has planned into anything other than a silicone band. Those are essentially the same materials used in the basic fluoroelastomer Sport Band that comes in the box with every Apple Watch by default, although it’s unclear if Apple plans to add these sensors as a standard feature or provide a sensor-less silicone band in the box with the more advanced band available as an “upgrade” purchase.

While the timing of the two band-related rumors is interesting, there’s no indication that they’re directly related. While Apple might very well be considering a new band attachment system for more stable communication with electronic sensors, the prototypes we’ve seen over the years suggest that’s hardly necessary. Prior reports about the new band attachment system pointed to Apple’s desire to free up more space inside the Apple Watch casing.

However, since a new lineup of “smart bands” would naturally be limited to models equipped with the necessary connection, we can see how Apple might use the opportunity to transition to a new attachment system at the same time, as this would provide a much clearer demarcation between Apple Watch models that support the newer smart bands and those that don’t.

By all accounts, the physical design of this year’s Apple Watch Series 12 is already locked down, and expected to remain unchanged from the Series 11.

So, if both of these rumors are accurate (which is still a big “if”), and if Apple is looking to line up the smart bands and the new attachment system, then it’s possible we may not see the bands until the Apple Watch Series 13 arrives next year.

[The information provided in this article has NOT been confirmed by Apple and may be speculation. Provided details may not be factual. Take all rumors, tech or otherwise, with a grain of salt.]