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2h ago

Leaked Apple Code Points to Touch ID Testing and New Chip for 2026 Apple Watch

Internal references to a new Watch8 lineup and T8320 silicon suggest active prototyping rather than confirmed shipping plans.

Apple Watch tracking golden hour progression | Image: Clément Lauwaert/Unsplash
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Overview

  • Macworld spotted internal Apple code, later confirmed by MacRumors, referencing “AppleMesa,” the company’s codename for Touch ID on prototype 2026 watches.
  • The leak ties the work to model identifiers N237, N238, and N240, thought to correspond to Apple Watch Series 12 variants and an Ultra 4, with no Touch ID code present for current or 2025 models.
  • The same code points to a new T8320 processor for the Watch8 family, a departure from the T8310-based S9, S10, and expected S11 chips, indicating a larger silicon upgrade.
  • How fingerprint authentication would be implemented remains unclear, with reporting noting possibilities such as an under-display sensor or integration into a side button cited in Apple patents.
  • Separate supply-chain reporting from DigiTimes claims a 2026 redesign with more sensors, but all such details remain unconfirmed and could change before production.