Updated
Updated · CNET · Aug 20
Apple Revives Ceramic Apple Watch for Series 12 After 6-Year Absence
Updated
Updated · CNET · Aug 20

Apple Revives Ceramic Apple Watch for Series 12 After 6-Year Absence

3 articles · Updated · CNET · Aug 20

Summary

  • Series 12 is now tipped to bring back a ceramic Apple Watch case this year, with leaker Kosutami saying the finish will return after disappearing from the lineup in 2020.
  • Six years without ceramic had turned the material into a sought-after collector finish, and the new claim lines up with Mark Gurman's earlier report that Apple was targeting a return in 2026 or 2027.
  • Apple first shifted the Edition line to ceramic with Series 2 in 2016 at $1,249, added a gray version for Series 3, dropped the option for Series 4, then briefly restored white ceramic for Series 5.
  • Next month's expected launch could pair the Series 12's ceramic revival with a new chip and other modest upgrades, alongside the Apple Watch Ultra 4, iPhone 18 Pro models and Apple's first foldable iPhone.

Insights

Will Apple's rumored ceramic Watch Series 12 command a massive price premium to mask its otherwise incremental hardware upgrades?
Could the return of the glossy ceramic Apple Watch Series 12 be a strategic distraction from the rise of cheaper smart rings?