Apple’s next Apple Watch Ultra may include Touch ID, according to references found in recent software code tied to upcoming Watch models.
If implemented, it would mark the first time Apple has added biometric authentication to the Apple Watch.
The change would reshape how users unlock the device and approve actions, such as Apple Pay transactions.
Today, the watch relies on a passcode entered after it is removed from the wrist. Touch ID would shift that step to a fingerprint-based system, potentially removing the need to enter a passcode in many everyday situations.
It is not yet clear where Apple would place the sensor. One possibility is to place it under the display, while another is to integrate it into the side button.
Both approaches are already used across other Apple devices in different forms, but applying them to a compact wearable introduces new engineering constraints.
The Apple Watch Ultra line is also expected to receive a broader redesign with the next generation, according to industry reporting.
The current model cycle has been uneven, with the Ultra 2 and Ultra 3 introducing incremental updates rather than major changes. A full redesign would mark a return to more substantial year-over-year upgrades.
Alongside hardware changes, Apple is expected to expand sensing capabilities in the next Ultra model.
Specific features have not been confirmed, but earlier reports have pointed to areas such as blood pressure monitoring.
Noninvasive blood glucose tracking remains under development and is not expected in the near term.
The Ultra 4 is also arriving at a moment of scrutiny around software support. The original Apple Watch Ultra, launched in 2022, is no longer supported by the latest watchOS release, raising questions among some users about the long-term update cycle for premium models.
Apple is expected to announce the next Apple Watch lineup in September alongside new iPhone models, making it one of the company’s most significant product cycles in years.
