watchOS 12could see some visionOS-inspired design changes according to a new rumor, but the unreliable source also shares the unlikely possibility that Apple Intelligence will also come to the platform.For well over a year, we’ve heardall sortsofrumorssaying theiPhoneoperating system would take stylistic cues fromvisionOS. Though multiple less-than-credible sources believed this would happen withiOS 18, it never did. Recently, however, otherleakershave saida visionOS-styleredesignwould instead debut withiOS 19andmacOS 16.Now, areportpublicationThe Verifier,spottedbyMacRumors, claims thatwatchOS 12will receive the same visual treatment. TheApple Watchwill reportedly contain user interface elements heavily inspired by theApple Vision Prooperating system, with semi-transparent and revamped menus, icons, and more.Supposedly, “several ideas” for the operating system interface are in development, but the publication offers no details as to when the described changes will debut, if at all. Though this claim may seem unusual, Applecan sometimes changeits operating systems’ UI elements mid-development, asAppleInsidersaw withDistraction Controland other features.Subscribe to AppleInsider on YouTubeSubscribe to AppleInsider on YouTubeThis portion of the report gets the “Likely” rumor score because it is in line with what we’ve heard from other rumors and more accurate sources. If Apple is bringing visionOS elements across the operating systems to further unify design aesthetics, that includes watchOS 12.There are ultimately no guarantees that these alleged design changes will ship atWWDCin June, but the report details another change that seems even more unlikely.Unlikely on-device Apple Intelligence rumorIf the publication stopped with the design changes, the report would be stronger. Rather unrealistically, they suggest thatApple Intelligencefeatures will make their way to theApple Watch Ultra, with other models following within "a year."It is unlikely that the current form of Apple Intelligence will run on Apple Watch locallySpecifically, Apple’snotification summarizationandGenmojifeatures are said to be in the works for the Apple Watch. There’s even a claim of Apple’s revampedSirimaking its way to the smartwatch thanks to a new chip, even though the featurehas faced delays. The idea that the Apple Watch could gain Apple Intelligence is unrealistic at best, given the current requirements for the generative AI tools.In its current state, Apple Intelligence requires anApple Siliconchip with at least 8GB of RAM, which is significantly more than the 1GB that comes with every Apple Watch. It is highly unlikely that Apple Intelligence will run on-device on Apple Watch anytime soon in its current state.However,AppleInsiderbelieves there is likely a truth somewhere in this rumor. Rather than run on-device, Apple Watch could show Genmoji originally generated on iPhone, show summarized and priority notifications already parsed on iPhone, or pass more complex queries to Siri to iPhone.Apple would likely want to minimize the back and forth between devices during actual use to minimize the time it takes to get things done. Regardless, the report’s suggestion that Apple Intelligence would come to Apple Watch in its current form seems highly optimistic.To add to the questionable nature of this rumor, the publication behind it doesn’t have a good or long track record. It previously claimed there would be a visionOS-styleredesign for iOS 18, which was allegedly delayed to iOS 19 to focus on Apple Intelligence.The base rumor about visionOS elements making it to watchOS 12 is what earned the “Likely” rating. We can’t apply two ratings to one piece, but note that this Apple Intelligence on Apple Watch rumor would have gotten an “Unlikely” or lower score on its own.
For well over a year, we’ve heardall sortsofrumorssaying theiPhoneoperating system would take stylistic cues fromvisionOS. Though multiple less-than-credible sources believed this would happen withiOS 18, it never did. Recently, however, otherleakershave saida visionOS-styleredesignwould instead debut withiOS 19andmacOS 16.
Now, areportpublicationThe Verifier,spottedbyMacRumors, claims thatwatchOS 12will receive the same visual treatment. TheApple Watchwill reportedly contain user interface elements heavily inspired by theApple Vision Prooperating system, with semi-transparent and revamped menus, icons, and more.
Supposedly, “several ideas” for the operating system interface are in development, but the publication offers no details as to when the described changes will debut, if at all. Though this claim may seem unusual, Applecan sometimes changeits operating systems’ UI elements mid-development, asAppleInsidersaw withDistraction Controland other features.
This portion of the report gets the “Likely” rumor score because it is in line with what we’ve heard from other rumors and more accurate sources. If Apple is bringing visionOS elements across the operating systems to further unify design aesthetics, that includes watchOS 12.
There are ultimately no guarantees that these alleged design changes will ship atWWDCin June, but the report details another change that seems even more unlikely.
Unlikely on-device Apple Intelligence rumor
If the publication stopped with the design changes, the report would be stronger. Rather unrealistically, they suggest thatApple Intelligencefeatures will make their way to theApple Watch Ultra, with other models following within “a year.”
Specifically, Apple’snotification summarizationandGenmojifeatures are said to be in the works for the Apple Watch. There’s even a claim of Apple’s revampedSirimaking its way to the smartwatch thanks to a new chip, even though the featurehas faced delays. The idea that the Apple Watch could gain Apple Intelligence is unrealistic at best, given the current requirements for the generative AI tools.
In its current state, Apple Intelligence requires anApple Siliconchip with at least 8GB of RAM, which is significantly more than the 1GB that comes with every Apple Watch. It is highly unlikely that Apple Intelligence will run on-device on Apple Watch anytime soon in its current state.
However,AppleInsiderbelieves there is likely a truth somewhere in this rumor. Rather than run on-device, Apple Watch could show Genmoji originally generated on iPhone, show summarized and priority notifications already parsed on iPhone, or pass more complex queries to Siri to iPhone.
Apple would likely want to minimize the back and forth between devices during actual use to minimize the time it takes to get things done. Regardless, the report’s suggestion that Apple Intelligence would come to Apple Watch in its current form seems highly optimistic.
To add to the questionable nature of this rumor, the publication behind it doesn’t have a good or long track record. It previously claimed there would be a visionOS-styleredesign for iOS 18, which was allegedly delayed to iOS 19 to focus on Apple Intelligence.
The base rumor about visionOS elements making it to watchOS 12 is what earned the “Likely” rating. We can’t apply two ratings to one piece, but note that this Apple Intelligence on Apple Watch rumor would have gotten an “Unlikely” or lower score on its own.