The next Apple Watch will have a refreshed design and a new lifesaving feature

As tech enthusiasts’ attention converges on the imminent AI features of iOS 27 and the highly anticipated debut of the foldable iPhone, the Apple event in September promises news of great significance for the smartwatch sector as well.

Alongside the upcoming smartphones, in particular the variants iPhone 18 Pro and iPhone Ultra, the Cupertino company is preparing to unveil also a renewed line of smartwatches. This year’s wearables could mark a decisive break with the past, thanks to a deep aesthetic overhaul and an enhancement of medical monitoring capabilities.

Apple Watch Ultra 4 will have a new design?

According to a recent report prepared by analysts at Digitimes, the future Apple Watch Ultra 4 will be unveiled to the public with a radically modified appearance. The rumors describe a complete aesthetic update, moving clearly away from the bulky and sometimes cumbersome shapes that characterized the third generation of the product.

The leaked information indicates the adoption of a battery life characterized by superior energy efficiency and a completely new arrangement for the biometric sensors placed on the rear housing.

It is very likely that the designers have worked hard to trim thicknesses, offering a thinner chassis without compromising daily autonomy.

This visual and structural refresh could have a substantial commercial impact: current estimates suggest that design changes could push sales higher, generating a shipment increase of up to 30% compared with volumes recorded at the end of 2025.

Advanced hardware for cardiovascular health

Beyond aesthetic updates, the most interesting enhancements will concern the watches’ diagnostic capabilities. The California-based company is planning to introduce a sophisticated system for hypertension notifications.

Leveraging the optical heart-rate sensor’s ability to contact the skin, the device will be able to analyze the reaction of blood vessels at each heartbeat.

In the presence of persistent anomalies or irregular patterns, the system will send timely alerts to the user, offering a vitally important preventive tool.

Currently, this technology is undergoing the rigorous U.S. FDA validation process and will not be distributed before obtaining the necessary medical approvals.

It remains to be seen how this feature will clearly stand out from the hypertension notifications introduced at software level last year with watchOS 26, but it is evident that the new hardware will deliver far more precise measurements.

The rest of the lineup and the competition

If the Apple Watch Ultra 4 is ready to showcase a completely new look, the update for the standard line will be decidedly more conservative. Rumors about Apple Watch Series 12 describe a device visually unchanged, with improvements focused solely on sensor precision.

Looking ahead to long-term plans, the company continues to invest substantial resources in research for the non-invasive glucose monitoring, although there are currently no findings to justify an imminent launch.

Meanwhile, major rival brands are organizing their countermeasures: the industry is soon expected to debut the Samsung Galaxy Watch Ultra 2, a device that will likewise offer an aesthetic update and will be released in two variants to openly compete in the upper tier of the market.