watchOS 10 will be released tomorrow, and it will be the biggest update for all Apple Watch users, bringing all-new features that enhance the Apple Watch experience.
watchOS 10 will be compatible with the Apple Watch Series 4 or later and all generations of Apple Watch SE and Apple Watch Ultra. This software update will require an iPhone running iOS 17, which Apple will also release tomorrow. To install iOS 17 when it comes out, you’ll need an iPhone model with an A12 Bionic chip or later.
Here’s a rundown of the major features that watchOS 10 brings:
- New watch faces – watchOS 10 brings new watch faces that give your Apple Watch a wholly refreshed style, including Snoopy, Palette, Solar Analog, Nike Globe, Modular Ultra (exclusive to Ultra models), and Hermès Radial (exclusive to Hermès models).
- Redesigned user interface and a new way to navigate – All built-in apps in watchOS 10 have been redesigned to further make use of the larger displays to display more information at a glance. watchOS 10 also introduces Smart Stack that allows instant access to proactive and relevant information right from your watch.
- Workouts – Working out with your Apple Watch just got even better. When performing a cycling workout, it will show up as a Live Activity on your paired iPhone, and it can even expand to full-screen to show Workout Views. When you use the Compass app to go out on a hike, the app can now generate two new waypoints – Last Cellular Connection Waypoint and Last Emergency Call Waypoint – to help you find the last point on the route where the watch was last connected to cellular, so you can stay connected and make calls in case of an emergency.
- Mental Health and Vision Health – watchOS 10 offers several ways to improve both your mental and vision health. In the Mindfulness app, users can log their momentary emotions and daily moods and can later view them on the iPhone or iPad’s Health app to review their overall mental health. watchOS 10 now uses the ambient light sensor to detect how much time is spent outdoors in daylight so users can view time spent in daylight in the Health app, and make adjustments to their habits to reduce the risk of myopia.
Other features include:
- NameDrop – A magical way to share contact information with other users by bringing an Apple Watch close to another user’s iPhone.
- Offline Maps on iPhone – Get access to turn-by-turn navigation, ETA, and places in Maps, even when you’re not connected to either Wi-Fi or cellular.
- FaceTime audio – watchOS 10 now supports Group FaceTime audio and playback of FaceTime video messages.
- Medications app – Users can now be notified by follow-up reminders if they haven’t logged their medications 30 minutes after the scheduled time.
- Custom Plans on Apple Fitness+ – Users can now set up a custom workout or meditation schedule. Users can also do several workouts or meditations back to back using Stacks. With Audio Focus, users can control the volume of either the music or the trainers’ voices.
What do you think about all of these great improvements to the Apple Watch experience? Let us know in the comments below, and follow us on X at @Appleosophy.
