{"rewrite":{"id":"r_cc489151e3c2d0f136f18b7d","clusterId":"c_8bf2fb7065db088fe157d37a","slug":"apple-watch-series-12-goes-on-sale-in-japan-with-reworked-rear-sensor-array","model":"deepseek-v4-1-flash","headline":"Apple Watch Series 12 Goes On Sale In Japan With Reworked Rear Sensor Array","summary":"The Apple Watch Series 12 launched on Friday, September 18, 2026, after being announced at the September 10 event. A 42mm Dark Bronze Aluminum GPS model with a Burgundy Sport Band ships in a box marked Product of Vietnam, model number A3581, carrying a wireless charging cable. Its back sensors are new: electrodes, photodiodes, and green LEDs are all renewed, with the electrodes set radially and the center photodiode and LEDs made smaller.","whyItMatters":"The health-tracking hardware on the back of the watch is the part Apple actually changed this cycle, while the case, thickness, and pixel count carry over, so the Series 12 stands or falls on sensor accuracy rather than on design.","webCardHtml":"\u003cp\u003eThe band mounts sit on the top and bottom surfaces, the speaker on the left, and the side button, microphone, and Digital Crown on the right. Width comes in at 37mm, 1mm wider than the 42mm Series 11, while the 9.7mm thickness is unchanged. The 42mm aluminum display measures 970mm2 at 374x446 pixels, a slightly smaller area than the Series 11\u0026#39;s 989mm2 at the same pixel count, which leaves the bezel looking a touch wider. With the band fitted, the watch weighs 56g.\u003c/p\u003e","blueskyPost":"Apple Watch Series 12 is out in Japan as of September 18. The 42mm Dark Bronze GPS model ships from Vietnam, model A3581, 37mm wide and 9.7mm thick. The actual change is on the back: new electrodes, photodiodes, and green LEDs, arranged radially for more frequent heart rate monitoring.","twitterPost":"Apple Watch Series 12 launched September 18 in Japan. New rear sensor array: electrodes set radially, smaller photodiode and green LEDs. Case is 1mm wider at 37mm, thickness unchanged at 9.7mm, display 970mm2 against the Series 11's 989mm2.","threadsPost":null,"newsletterBlurb":"The Apple Watch Series 12 is on sale in Japan from September 18, following the September 10 announcement. A 42mm Dark Bronze Aluminum GPS unit with a Burgundy Sport Band comes in at 56g with the band on. The back is where the work went: renewed electrodes, photodiodes, and green LEDs, with the electrodes arranged radially and the center components shrunk.","attributionJson":"[{\"source\":\"GIGAZINE\",\"url\":\"https://gigazine.net/news/20260918-apple-watch-series-12-appearances/\",\"title\":\"Apple Watch Series 12 Unboxing Ceremony \\u0026 Photo Review: The New Health Sensing System Evolves It as a Health Tracker\"}]","lintFlagsJson":null,"lintHits":0,"costUsd":0,"inputTokens":4712,"outputTokens":651,"status":"published","repairAttempts":0,"nextRepairAt":null,"factsAttemptedAt":1789717464,"createdAt":"2026-09-18T07:39:54.000Z","publishedAt":"2026-09-18T07:43:23.000Z","updatedAt":"2026-09-18T07:43:23.000Z"},"cluster":{"id":"c_8bf2fb7065db088fe157d37a","canonicalTitle":"Apple Watch Series 12開封の儀＆フォトレビュー、ヘルスセンシングシステムが新しくなって健康トラッカーとして進化","representativeArticleId":"a_17cac3f6d8c3f0a3d53af6f6","sourceCount":1,"writtenSourceCount":1,"writeAttempts":0,"isSolo":true,"entitiesJson":"{\"anime_titles\":[],\"manga_titles\":[],\"work_titles\":[\"Apple Watch Series 12\",\"Apple Watch Ultra 4\"],\"studios\":[\"Apple\"],\"people\":[],\"type\":\"review\",\"domain\":\"other\",\"is_roundup\":false}","contentType":"news","status":"published","firstSeenAt":"2026-09-18T06:48:00.000Z","lastSeenAt":"2026-09-18T06:48:00.000Z","updatedAt":"2026-09-18T07:43:20.000Z"},"attribution":[{"source":"GIGAZINE","url":"https://gigazine.net/news/20260918-apple-watch-series-12-appearances/","title":"Apple Watch Series 12開封の儀＆フォトレビュー、ヘルスセンシングシステムが新しくなって健康トラッカーとして進化"}],"entities":{"anime_titles":[],"manga_titles":[],"work_titles":["Apple Watch Series 12","Apple Watch Ultra 4"],"studios":["Apple"],"people":[],"type":"review","domain":"other","is_roundup":false},"keyFacts":null}