watchOS 12 May Come with Limited Apple Intelligence and Minor Changes, But Is That Enough?

Apple is set to unveil watchOS 12 at its Worldwide Developers Conference (WWDC) 2025 on June 9. Leading to the release, there are two major questions in the orbit for anyone keeping up with Apple updates. First, will watchOS 12 get Apple Intelligence? Second, will it be a part of the visionOS-inspired design overhaul coming to iOS, iPadOS, and macOS? Now, we have some insights, and they are somewhat underwhelming.

No Standalone Apple Intelligence on watchOS 12

Apple Watch won’t be getting full-scale Apple Intelligence, as per Bloomberg’s Mark Gurman. Instead, it would be getting some features “powered by Apple Intelligence”. This would mean that Apple Intelligence features on Apple Watch would likely run on iPhone. When Apple Watch was first released, it followed this model. It was heavily dependent on iPhone for most features and functionalities. However, over the years, the wearable bloomed into its own. But it looks like it would be taking a trip back in time now.

For users who want Apple Watch to be able to run AI features without any dependencies, the outlook doesn’t look particularly great. The only Apple Intelligence features currently available on the Apple Watch are Notification summaries and the Reduce Interruptions focus. But these features aren’t really on the Apple Watch so much as accessible through it, and only if you own a compatible iPhone. If your iPhone can’t run Apple Intelligence, it won’t matter if your Apple Watch is the latest model; you won’t have access to these features.

That said, for those with a supported iPhone, the limited Apple Intelligence integrations on watchOS 12 could still offer a more refined and useful experience than what’s available today.

watchOS 12 Will Focus on Refinements Over Revolution

As for design, Apple is reportedly working on a major interface overhaul. Codenamed Solarium, iOS, iPadOS, and macOS are getting this more extensive redesign inspired by visionOS. But watchOS 12 will see only modest UI changes. Gurman notes that Apple Watch users can expect a few new interface elements sprinkled throughout. But don’t expect the dramatic refresh you may have been hoping for.

As for design changes, the Apple Watch is destined to get some of the new interface elements here and there, but without a major overhaul.

If Gurman reports turn out to be true, watchOS 12 might turn out to be more of a maintenance update. Subtle visual tweaks and minor AI-powered enhancements may still improve the overall experience. But for now, it seems Apple is saving the big moves for its other platforms.

Apple’s Calculated Approach: Playing it Safe, again?

With watchOS 12, Apple appears to be taking a cautious step into the AI era for its wearable. Rather than bringing Apple Intelligence natively to the Watch, the company is opting for a tethered experience – dependent on a supported iPhone. On the surface, this may feel like a regression for a device that has spent years evolving toward greater independence. But it also reflects Apple’s typical strategy: polish and control before expansion.

That said, the timing feels off. Wearables are increasingly becoming standalone AI companions—from Meta’s Ray-Ban glasses with real-time visual recognition to Oura and Whoop’s deeply personalized health feedback driven by machine learning. In this context, Apple Watch’s limited integration risks making it look like a peripheral, rather than a core part of Apple’s AI future.

After Apple’s initial stance on AI and playing it safe for long, one would have thought that the company was done with that. Yet, this could be a calculated move. Apple may be choosing to focus its AI efforts where they can shine most – on devices with the hardware and battery life to support them natively. The Apple Watch, for all its strengths, is still constrained by its size and power envelope. And ever since the whole fiasco with Apple Intelligence and Siri, releasing half-baked on-device AI could further jeopardize the company’s reputation.

In the long run, however, users will expect more. If wearables are to serve as intelligent, context-aware companions – something Apple is uniquely positioned to deliver – the Apple Watch will eventually need to do more than mirror intelligence from another device. The future of wearables is leaning toward autonomy, and Apple can’t afford to watch from the sidelines for too long.