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Ars Technica·

💪Apple Unveils Watch Series 12 and Ultra 4 with Enhanced Health Sensing

Your heart rate, now 24x more detailed

TL;DR

Apple's new Watch models come with a revamped Health Sensing System, offering 24x more frequent heart rate variability measurements. Preorders open today, shipping September 18.

Apple just dropped the Watch Series 12 and Ultra 4, packing a new Health Sensing System with a redesigned optical heart sensor. The big deal? HRV measurements up to 24 times more frequent. If you're into fitness tracking, this is a game-changer. The S11 chip and larger electrode surface area make heart rate readings more accurate than ever. Preorders start today, shipping September 18.

Apple Unveils Watch Series 12 and Ultra 4 with Enhanced Health Sensing — Ars Technica

Key Points

1

Watch Series 12 starts at $399, Ultra 4 at $799, available for preorder today, ships September 18.

2

New 'Health Sensing System' includes redesigned photodiodes and a larger electrode surface area for better heart rate accuracy.

3

HRV measurements up to 24 times more frequent than previous models, providing deeper insights into health and fitness.

4

New 'readiness' scores analyze recent activity, training load, vitals, and sleep to offer daily capacity insights.

5

iOS Health app updates later this year with 'Health Age' score, movement evaluations using vision-based AI models.

Why It Matters

If you're a fitness enthusiast tracking HRV, the new Apple Watch Series 12 and Ultra 4 offer unprecedented detail. HRV measurements up to 24 times more frequent provide deeper insights into stress and recovery. The 'readiness' score updates throughout the day, offering personalized insights into your daily capacity. However, the premium pricing might make it a hard sell for casual users.

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Frequently Asked Questions

Why does this matter?

If you're a fitness enthusiast tracking HRV, the new Apple Watch Series 12 and Ultra 4 offer unprecedented detail. HRV measurements up to 24 times more frequent provide deeper insights into stress and recovery. The 'readiness' score updates throughout the day, offering personalized insights into your daily capacity. However, the premium pricing might make it a hard sell for casual users.

What happened?

Apple's new Watch models come with a revamped Health Sensing System, offering 24x more frequent heart rate variability measurements. Preorders open today, shipping September 18.

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