The anticipation for Apple’s upcoming autumn announcements is growing rapidly, and early software previews are starting to reveal important insights into the next-generation wearable devices.
A thorough analysis of the code of watchOS 27 Beta 8 has revealed very significant details concerning the upcoming Apple Watch Series 12 and Apple Watch Ultra 4, suggesting progress on both hardware and sports-tracking fronts.
Among the most notable rumors are the introduction of a new application dedicated to physical recovery, a revised optical sensor, and a potential doubling of internal storage.
Apple Watch 12 and Ultra 4, the updates revealed by the beta software
A crucial detail unveiled by the new firmware concerns the memory capacity of the new models. The system code explicitly references a Samsung-branded storage profile labeled as “1024gb“. Based on the standard naming conventions for NAND flash memory, this value corresponds to 1024 gigabits, i.e., well 128 GB of real storage available to the user.
This profile is directly associated with the T8320 processor, long identified by experts as the chip that will power the Apple Watch Series 12 and Apple Watch Ultra 4.
One notably curious aspect is that previous operating system versions included profiles for both 64 GB and 128 GB, while the current betas maintain exclusively the higher-capacity configuration, hinting at an increase in base storage.
A new approach to training and recovery
On the software side, the California-based company is developing a completely new application, internally identified with code names “Readiness” or “Cobalt“.
Distinct from the current Vital Parameters app, this novelty is strategically positioned right after the Workout app within the default Home screen layout. Although the UI is not yet visible in public beta versions, its placement and name suggest a greater focus on post-workout physical recovery.
Parallelly, the operating system enriches its infrastructure dedicated to weight lifting and strength exercises. Developers have implemented the ability to record extremely precise and granular data, including counting individual repetitions, loads used, specific machines, the side of the body involved, and the exact duration of each set.
Currently, these features are embedded as a baseline in the code of iOS 27 and watchOS 27, ready to offer athletes much more structured training sessions.
Improved accuracy with the new sensor
The hardware innovations are not limited to memory. The software explicitly references a new family of optical sensors said to be named “Sunstone4p0“, which measures heart rate by emitting light through the skin of the wrist.
This update dramatically changes the mathematical models for managing signal noise, reducing interference coefficients by between 10% and 20% compared to the previous generation.
Moreover, the system introduces a dynamic mechanism for selecting optical channels. Instead of using a fixed measurement path as before, the new sensor can select the most suitable channel pairs based on the specific wrist where the device is worn and the precise orientation of the Digital Crown.
This software modification indicates likely changes to the wiring and physical layout of internal components, designed to ensure a heart rate reading free from uncertainties.
