I’ve worn the Apple Watch Series 12 for a week — the biggest changes are underneath

After a week of testing the new Apple Watch Series 12, it is clear that Apple has focused on internal upgrades rather than aesthetic changes. While the design remains consistent with the Series 11, the Series 12 introduces a redesigned rear health-sensing system and the new S11 chip. These hardware improvements enable more efficient heart rate monitoring, improved HRV tracking, and faster step counting. The device also integrates new AI features, including enhanced Sound Recognition and Shazam, with upcoming additions like Live Rewind and Siri Recap expected later this year. The watch maintains its familiar slim profile and compatibility with existing bands, while the new Readiness Score feature aims to provide users with deeper insights into their health data. Despite the increased processing power and continuous data sampling, battery life remains consistent with previous models, offering a full day of usage for the average user.