Apple Watch glucose sensor rollout delayed until 2028, next models focus on performance

Apple is set to launch the Apple Watch Series 12 and Ultra 4 in September alongside the iPhone 18, featuring a new System‑in‑Package processor that boosts internal performance but retains the existing design. The primary hardware upgrade is the chip, while the promised non‑invasive glucose sensor will not appear in these models.

Apple continues to work on a blood‑sugar monitoring system that uses light sensors to analyze skin tissue, but developers say a reliable, market‑ready version is unlikely before 2028 and could be delayed to 2029. Prototype watches with the technology have been seen internally, but Apple is keeping the feature out of the Series 12 and likely the Series 13 as it refines accuracy and safety.

The company’s longer‑term plan is to introduce the glucose sensor in a future Apple Watch generation, potentially after 2029, while focusing now on performance improvements and battery life for its current lineup.