Apple Watch Series 12 Features Wider Bezels, Smaller Screen Area
The new Apple Watch Series 12, launched in September, exhibits noticeably wider bezels compared to its predecessor, resulting in a reduced screen surface area.
Apple officially introduced the Apple Watch Series 12 at its fall product event in September. However, user feedback indicates a significant observation: the new model features substantially wider bezels than the previous generation.
Data shows that the screen area on the 46mm version has decreased from 1220mm² to 1196mm², and on the 42mm version, from 989mm² to 979mm². Screen resolutions remain unchanged, with the 46mm model still at 416x496 pixels and the 42mm model at 374x446 pixels.
Concurrently, the width of both Apple Watch Series 12 models has increased by 1 millimeter. The 46mm Series 12 measures 46x40x9.7 mm, compared to 46x39x9.7 mm for the Series 11. The 42mm Series 12 is now 42x37x9.7 mm, up from 42x36x9.7 mm. The redesigned screen glass extends closer to the case edge, which accentuates the appearance of wider bezels.
These design changes have elicited mixed reactions from users. Some have expressed disappointment with the reduced screen real estate. Others speculate that Apple may address this in a future iteration, potentially the Apple Watch Series 13, by increasing the screen-to-body ratio.