People upgrading from the Apple Watch Series 11 to the new Apple Watch Series 12 are reporting a few subtle changes to the design. Among the differences being noticed are slightly thicker bezels around the display and a Digital Crown that appears to sit farther out from the case.
The Apple Watch Series 12 introduces a redesigned Health Sensing system, which replaces the previous rear sensor arrangement with a larger sensor surface. Initially, this appeared to be the most obvious physical change to the new Apple Watch.
However, owners who have received the Series 12 are now pointing out some smaller differences.
Several Reddit users have shared comparisons between the Apple Watch Series 11 and Series 12. When viewed directly from the front against a lighter or non-black watch face, the bezels on the newer model appear slightly larger than those on its predecessor.
The Digital Crown also seems to protrude a little more from the side of the case. However, the difference may partly be the result of the way the redesigned case curves around the crown rather than a significant change to the component itself.
Why Are the Bezels Larger?
The change to the display borders may initially seem unusual, but it could be connected to the additional internal hardware required for the Series 12's new health-monitoring capabilities.
The overall case dimensions have increased by approximately 1mm in one direction, regardless of whether the watch is equipped with an aluminum or ceramic case.
Because the active display area hasn't increased along with the case size, the additional space around the screen becomes more noticeable as slightly larger bezels.
In everyday use, the difference is unlikely to stand out. Most owners would probably only notice it when placing an Apple Watch Series 11 and Series 12 next to each other for a direct comparison.
Some users on social media have already speculated that the larger case could eventually provide Apple with room to introduce a bigger display in a future Apple Watch model, potentially the Apple Watch Series 13 in 2028. For now, however, there is no confirmation that Apple has such a change planned.
Apple Gives Developers New Xcode Tools to Prepare Apps for iPhone Duo
Apple has officially given developers the tools needed to begin preparing their apps for the iPhone Duo, but they have only a limited amount of time to make sure everything works correctly on the company's new foldable device.
On Friday, Apple released the first Xcode 27.1 beta, introducing development tools designed specifically for testing apps on the iPhone Duo. Developers now have roughly a month to evaluate their apps across the foldable iPhone's different screen configurations before the device reaches customers.
Xcode 27.1 includes Swift 6.4, along with SDKs for iOS 27.1, iPadOS 27.1, and Apple's other operating systems. The update also introduces features that allow developers to examine how their apps respond to the iPhone Duo's unusual display configurations.
One of the key additions is a new Display group in Xcode's canvas. It allows developers to preview content on the device's alternate display, which is particularly important because the iPhone Duo can provide significantly different screen sizes and orientations depending on how it is being used.
Apple has also added an iPhone Duo Simulator runtime to the beta. However, the simulator currently comes with several restrictions.
For example, Apple's release notes state that StandBy isn't supported, while running and debugging most app extensions is also unavailable at this stage.
There are performance limitations as well. Apple says the simulator can take several minutes to launch the first time, adding another potential hurdle for developers working against a relatively short preparation window.
Developers Have About a Month to Prepare
Existing apps built according to Apple's current development guidelines may already adapt reasonably well to the iPhone Duo. However, developers will still need to test their software carefully to ensure interfaces, layouts, and content behave properly across the foldable device's various display configurations.
With the iPhone Duo approaching its consumer launch, developers now have Xcode 27.1 as their primary tool for identifying and fixing compatibility issues before users get their hands on Apple's new foldable iPhone.
Apple Watch Series 12 Has Slightly Thicker Bezels and a More Prominent Digital Crown
