AirPods 5, Apple Watch Series 12, and Apple Watch Ultra 4 Pre-Orders Open on Amazon Ahead of September 18 Launch

Apple’s newly announced AirPods 5, Apple Watch Series 12, and Apple Watch Ultra 4 are now available to pre-order through Amazon, with a shared September 18 launch date. For shoppers who prefer to make their tech purchases alongside the rest of their household, gaming, and entertainment gear, the listings establish the initial price ladder for Apple’s newest audio and wearable hardware.

There is one small wrinkle in the launch-day pricing: Amazon is listing the 42mm cellular Apple Watch Series 12 for $489.99, rather than its stated $499 price. That $9.01 difference is not exactly the sort of discount that makes a budget spreadsheet stand up and applaud, but it is an early reduction on a just-announced device. The standard GPS watches, new AirPods 5 models, and Apple Watch Ultra 4 are listed at their regular starting prices.

The newly revealed products were introduced at Apple’s “Surprise and Shine” event. While the available information here focuses on ordering and pricing rather than a full feature rundown, the pre-order page makes the basic decision tree fairly clear: choose an AirPods configuration, select a Series 12 case size and connectivity option, or go for the Ultra 4’s single $799 tier in one of two titanium finishes.

AirPods 5 starts at $129

Amazon’s pre-order listings put the standard AirPods 5 at $129. A version of AirPods 5 with a Wireless Charging Case is listed at $149. Neither has an advertised pre-order discount at this point, and both are set to arrive with the broader September 18 launch.

That leaves a straightforward $20 gap between the two new configurations. Buyers who already know that wireless charging is a priority can treat the choice as a clean accessory-and-convenience decision rather than waiting around for an introductory deal that has not materialized. Conversely, anyone mostly interested in the lowest entry price can land at $129 without having to interpret a complicated matrix of storage, finish, or connectivity variants.

There are also older Apple headphone deals on the same storefront for shoppers who care more about the price than owning the newest model. AirPods 4 are listed at $99, a $30 reduction from $129. This prior-generation option is specifically positioned for those who do not need Active Noise Cancellation. AirPods Max 2, meanwhile, are listed at $449, down from $549, for a $100 savings.

The generational decision is therefore less mysterious than the annual hardware cycle can make it seem. AirPods 5 cost $30 more than the discounted AirPods 4 before accounting for the $20 premium associated with the AirPods 5 Wireless Charging Case configuration. The $99 AirPods 4 price is the notable value option in this particular group, while the $449 AirPods Max 2 deal represents the largest dollar markdown named in the current listings.

What the audio pricing means for buyers

None of those price points establish that the new AirPods 5 are a better match for every listener; pricing alone cannot answer that. But the offers do define the choices available on day one. The new in-ear lineup begins at $129, with no current promotional cut. The older AirPods 4 provide a lower-cost route at $99 if Active Noise Cancellation is not on the must-have list. And the over-ear AirPods Max 2 sit in a distinctly different bracket, albeit with a much steeper $100 discount.

For players who use earbuds during handheld sessions, chats, travel, or everyday listening between games, the most practical move may simply be matching the purchase to the features they actually need rather than treating the word “new” as an automatic victory screen. Pre-orders reserve a place for the September 18 release, but they do not turn a non-discount into a bargain.

Apple Watch Series 12: sizes, cellular, titanium, and ceramic

The Apple Watch Series 12 has the widest range of prices among the products now available for pre-order. The entry-level GPS configurations begin at $399 for the 42mm model and $449 for the 46mm model. Those models are also scheduled to launch on September 18.

For buyers who want cellular connectivity, the 42mm Apple Watch Series 12 is listed at $489.99, compared with a stated $499 price. It is a small reduction, but it matters because it is the only early Series 12 discount identified in the available Amazon listings. The saving is $9.01, so nobody should mistake it for a major sale; it is best understood as a modest launch-week price nudge.

Apple is also offering higher-priced materials in the Series 12 family. Titanium Apple Watch Series 12 models start at $699, while the Ceramic model begins at $949. That puts the Ceramic version $550 above the 42mm GPS entry point, and the Titanium range starts $300 above that same $399 baseline. Material choice, then, is not a cosmetic footnote in this release—it is a major part of the purchasing decision.

• Apple Watch Series 12, 42mm GPS: starts at $399
• Apple Watch Series 12, 46mm GPS: starts at $449
• Apple Watch Series 12, 42mm Cellular: $489.99, reduced from $499
• Titanium Apple Watch Series 12: starts at $699
• Ceramic Apple Watch Series 12: starts at $949

The range means shoppers should avoid talking about “the Series 12 price” as though there is only one. At the low end sits a $399 42mm GPS watch; at the high end, the Ceramic version begins at $949. Connectivity, case size, and material all shift the bill. Anyone comparing this release with other consumer electronics purchases should be particularly careful to compare like for like.

Protection costs may also be part of the wider ownership calculation for households purchasing more than one Apple device. Apple’s broader coverage offerings have recently expanded, including a family option for multiple devices; our coverage of AppleCare One Family’s $50 monthly tier for up to six people has the relevant details. That is separate from these pre-order prices, but it may be relevant to a buyer pairing a new watch with new earbuds or managing devices for several people.

Apple Watch Ultra 4 holds at $799

The Apple Watch Ultra 4 is available to pre-order for $799. Amazon lists two finish choices: Black Titanium and Natural Titanium. Like AirPods 5 and the Series 12 watches, Ultra 4 is scheduled for release on September 18.

Unlike Series 12, the current Ultra 4 listing does not present a broad spread of stated starting prices across case materials or sizes. The choice described here is finish-based, with both Black Titanium and Natural Titanium at the same $799 price. There is no early discount mentioned for the Ultra 4.

That makes the headline comparison simple. The Ultra 4 costs $400 more than the $399 42mm GPS Series 12 entry model, $100 more than the $699 starting point for a Titanium Series 12, and $150 less than the $949 Ceramic Series 12 starting price. Those comparisons are useful only as price positioning, not as declarations that one watch is categorically preferable; the available listings do not supply enough product-detail context to make that call responsibly.

A practical pre-order snapshot

Amazon’s listings offer early access to the complete trio of newly announced Apple products, but only one of them comes with even a minor launch discount. The AirPods 5 choices remain at $129 and $149. Series 12 begins at $399 for 42mm GPS and $449 for 46mm GPS, with the 42mm cellular version at $489.99 rather than $499. Ultra 4 is $799 in either of its two titanium finishes.

For deal hunters, the better immediate reductions are attached to older or existing hardware: $99 AirPods 4, marked down from $129, and $449 AirPods Max 2, reduced from $549. Shoppers who specifically want Apple’s newest announcements can pre-order now for the September 18 launch. Shoppers focused on maximum savings have clearer discounts elsewhere in the current lineup.

As always with brand-new hardware, it is worth checking the exact configuration in the cart before ordering. A difference in charging case, case size, GPS versus cellular connectivity, or material can change the price dramatically. In this batch of listings, the distance from a $129 AirPods 5 order to a $949 Ceramic Series 12 is a reminder that “new Apple gear” is less a single purchase category than a whole character-select screen.