Apple Watch Series 12 adds audio memory features in Cupertino launch

Apple unveiled the Apple Watch Series 12 on Wednesday at its annual "Surprise and shine" event in Cupertino, California, introducing new Audio Intelligence features that help users remember conversations. The watch uses a built-in microphone, S11 chip, and Apple Intelligence for features like Siri Recap, which creates searchable conversation summaries, and Live Rewind, which displays the last 15 seconds of audio as text when the digital crown is double-pressed. Apple confirmed no audio recordings are stored, as the S11 chip processes sound in an isolated secure zone and deletes it immediately. The Series 12 starts at $399, with sales beginning September 18, while the new features arrive later in 2026.