This year Watchos 12 is coming to the Apple Watch and it seems to be a major update. Apple introduces these functions with Watchos 12 on the Apple Watch!
Watchos 12
In 2025 Watchos 12 is the most important update for the Apple Watch. It is expected that Apple will adjust the design of the software, because there will be many elements from Visionos to the operating system for the Apple Watch. The symbols of the apps are adjusted and Apple will work more with transparent frameworks. Similar changes come to iOS 19 and iPados 19.
Little was known about the new functions that come to your Apple Watch with Watchos 12. That has now changed, because the generally reliable Apple connoisseur Mark Gurman predicts that Apple Intelligence is coming to the smartwatch this year. At present, Apple Intelligence is already available on the iPhone, iPad and Mac (book), but the Apple Watch still has to do without the technology. From Watchos 12 that is probably no longer the case.
Apple Intelligence
The Apple Watch receives 12 support for Apple Intelligence with Watchos. It is still unclear which functions from Apple Intelligence will come to Watchos 12. You may soon be able to use features such as Genmoji, summaries of notifications and the improved version of Siri on the smartwatch. According to Gurman, these AI functions are not fully running on the Apple Watch, but are loaded from the iPhone.
That is a logical step for Apple, because a lot of computing power is needed to process all Apple Intelligence tasks. A requirement for Apple Intelligence is therefore at least 8 GB of memory, while the current Apple Watches have only 1 GB of RAM. Apple solves this problem by running the functions of Apple Intelligence in Watchos 12 on the iPhone. For example, the computing power of the iPhone is used, because the processor in the Apple Watch is not powerful enough. The new functions in Watchos 12 are therefore not really on your Apple Watch.
Release of Watchos 12
With the introduction of Apple Intelligence, Watchos 12 will have many more functions. It is not yet clear which generations of the Apple Watch the new AI functions are coming. Possibly only the new smartwatches from 2025 will receive support for advanced technology. In that case, Apple Intelligence is only available on the Apple Watch Series 11 and the Apple Watch Ultra 3.
We will know for sure which functions will come to Watchos 12 in a few months. Apple presents the new software version in June, during the annual WWDC. On Monday 9 June 2025 At 7 p.m. (Dutch time), Apple reveals the most important software updates of the year, including Watchos 12 and iOS 19. Do you not want to miss an announcement from Apple? Then register for our newsletter, so that you are always informed!
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