Apple Watch Series 12 Will Get Whoop- and Oura-Style Health Dashboards With All-Day Continuous Heart Rate Monitoring

Apple is revamping its Health and Fitness apps for the Apple Watch Series 12 to compete directly with Whoop and Oura, according to a MacRumors report published August 30. The overhaul will bring readiness-style dashboards and recovery insights to Apple's wearable platform for the first time.

What's Changing

• Whoop/Oura-style dashboards: Apple is redesigning its Health and Fitness apps to show wellness metrics — sleep quality, recovery, and daily readiness — in a unified view similar to what Whoop and Oura offer
• Continuous heart rate monitoring: Apple is testing the ability to collect heart rate data continuously throughout the day, replacing the current periodic sampling. This would give users a constant, detailed picture of cardiovascular health trends
• New chip: Both the Series 12 and Ultra 4 will receive a "long-awaited bump in chips and speed" — the first major silicon upgrade in several generations

Why Apple Is Pivoting

Screenless trackers like the Whoop 5 ($239) and Oura Ring 4 ($349) have carved out a significant niche by focusing entirely on recovery, sleep, and readiness metrics. Apple's current Health app, while data-rich, requires users to interpret separate measurements on their own. The revamp aims to synthesize that data into actionable daily guidance.

Timeline

The Apple Watch Series 12 and Ultra 4 are expected to be unveiled on September 9 at Apple's "Surprise and Shine" event, with pre-orders likely opening September 12 and shipping by September 19.

What This Means for Buyers

If you've been debating between an Apple Watch and a dedicated health tracker like Whoop or Oura, September 9 may settle the question. The Apple Watch Series 11 is currently $299 on Amazon — a great deal if you don't need the latest hardware, since the health app update will likely come to older models via watchOS. For those who want the new continuous HR sensor, wait for the Series 12 announcement. Compare all smartwatch options in our smartwatch guide.