Apple's Series 12 smartwatch targets WHOOP users with health upgrades

Apple unveiled its Series 12 smartwatch on September 12, 2024, and early reviewers say the new model could convince longtime Apple Watch fans who tried competitor WHOOP to return to Apple’s ecosystem. The author of a recent 9to5Mac post, a veteran Apple Watch user, said the Series 12’s health features finally outweigh the appeal of WHOOP’s subscription‑based tracking, prompting a planned switch back to Apple’s device.

The debate matters because wearable health tech has become a crowded market. WHOOP, which launched its first strap in 2020, built a niche on deep sleep analysis, strain scoring and a monthly subscription that covers hardware and software. Apple, meanwhile, has traditionally bundled most functions into the watch’s purchase price, adding new sensors each generation. Earlier this year the author tried WHOOP to see if it could deliver a cleaner interface for metrics like heart‑rate variability and recovery, areas where the Apple Watch’s older models were seen as clunky. At the same time, Apple announced that Series 12 would add a dedicated skin‑temperature sensor, a next‑generation optical heart‑rate engine, and an on‑device AI that processes sleep and fitness data without sending it to the cloud. Those upgrades address the very gaps that drove the author to WHOOP.

The Series 12 also brings practical improvements that tip the scales. Battery life is now 30 percent longer, lasting up to 30 hours with continuous health monitoring. The new “Health Hub” UI groups metrics into a single scrollable view, cutting the number of taps needed to see sleep stages, VO₂ max, and menstrual cycle trends. Pricing starts at $399, comparable to WHOOP’s $30‑per‑month fee after the first year. Analysts at Counterpoint note that Apple’s integrated approach could reclaim users who balked at subscription fatigue. Early adopters report more accurate strain scores and faster ECG readings, bolstering confidence in the data.

Apple will begin shipping Series 12 in early March 2025, with pre‑orders already open. If the device lives up to the hype, it could shift market share back toward Apple, forcing WHOOP to rethink its pricing or add new hardware features. For consumers, the choice may soon hinge on whether they prefer Apple’s one‑time purchase model with on‑device analytics or WHOOP’s subscription‑driven deep‑dive ecosystem. The coming months will reveal which path dominates the health‑focused wearable space.