Apple’s own internal software code may have revealed what’s coming for the Apple Watch in 2026, including the introduction of biometric authentication for the first time. The revelation may have come about by accident.
The secrets are revealed in lines of internal code seen by Macworld, and the code has been published by Apple, so the evidence is coming from an unimpeachably good source — though that doesn’t mean it’s definitely going to happen.
Recently, internal developer code from Apple has leaked mentions of other unannounced products, but this new code indicates that the company is experimenting with biometric authentication for Apple Watch.
As any Apple Watch user knows, right now, you put the watch on your wrist and either type in a four-digit passcode or unlock your paired iPhone to be able to use the watch. The paired iPhone mechanic is excellent, but it does require pitch-perfect timing to get it to work every time. A different way to unlock the watch could be very useful.
“Code for what clearly refers to the 2026 models of the Apple Watch mentions support for “AppleMesa,” which has long been Apple’s internal codename for Touch ID,” Filipe Esposito at Macworld reported.
The code is for internal use only, which certainly suggests its public release wasn’t intentional. It also means that there’s no certainty it will reach production, as the idea is likely only at prototype stage.
There’s no mention of anything similar for the 2025 crop of Apple Watches expected this fall, thought to be Apple Watch Series 11, Apple Watch Ultra 3 and a third-generation Apple Watch SE. The new Apple Watches will be unveiled at a keynote alongside this year’s iPhones, likely on Tuesday, Sept. 9 — read a full analysis of every date in the schedule here.
What’s not clear is how Touch ID would be implemented. It could be an under-display sensor, as is common in high-end smartphones. Much more likely, I believe, is that it would be in the Digital Crown, similar to the way it’s in the power button on the iPad Air, for instance.
