In just seven years, watchOS has transformed from a companion to the iPhone into a fully-fledged operating system, complete with its own app store. This young platform has received several major upgrades, each pushing the Apple Watch towards becoming a self-sufficient device.
Apple kept the Apple Watch under wraps for months before its official reveal. During their September 2014 keynote, they surprised audiences with a “one more thing” unveiling of the new device. Though announced early, the Apple Watch wouldn’t hit stores until spring of the following year. When it did launch, it relied heavily on the iPhone for functionality thanks to its iPhone-dependent operating system.
Apple Watch Gains Independence
While initially reliant on the iPhone, the Apple Watch has become progressively more self-sufficient thanks to advancements in hardware and software. Nowadays, an iPhone is only needed for the initial setup. Once configured, the Watch can operate independently, handling many tasks without needing a nearby smartphone.
Family Setup Expands Horizons
Apple introduced “Family Setup,” allowing cellular models of the Apple Watch SE or other cellular Apple Watches to be set up for family members who don’t have iPhones. While the initial setup requires the family organizer’s iPhone, the Watch itself won’t be paired with an iPhone and can function independently – a great option for kids or older family members who don’t own an iPhone.
Blood Oxygen Feature Faces Hurdles
A patent dispute with Masimo has resulted in a temporary ban on Apple Watch imports to the US due to the blood oxygen detection system. To navigate this situation, Apple has disabled blood oxygen detection on newly imported Watches, while existing devices remain unaffected. This is likely a temporary measure until appeals are processed or a new device is released.
watchOS: An Extension with a Twist
Apple designed watchOS as an extension of iOS, mirroring its look and feel. Interactions primarily rely on taps and swipes, with the Digital Crown adding a physical way to scroll.
Iconography and interface elements take on rounded shapes for better presentation and readability on the tiny display. Apple has increased information density over time to take advantage of increasing display sizes.
Widgets can be accessed by scrolling the Digital Crown up while on a watch face. Control Center can be reached by pressing the Side Button.
Apple Watch has matured into a sophisticated device, with fitness, health, and convenience driving the device’s use case.
Fitness
First and foremost, Apple Watch is a fitness device. The Apple Watch tracks users’ active calories burned, exercise time, and stand hours.
Automatic Activity Tracking:
The Apple Watch isn’t just a pretty face; it’s a fitness companion! Built-in sensors like accelerometers, heart rate trackers, and even a barometer work together to automatically detect your activities. Whether you’re walking, running, or swimming, the Watch keeps track.
Workout App:
Feeling more ambitious? The Workout app lets you initiate specific workouts with personalized goals.
Motivational Activity App:
The Activity app goes beyond tracking. It visualizes your progress with a three-ring system, rewarding you with virtual medals for reaching goals. You can even challenge your friends to friendly fitness competitions!
Expanding Fitness Options:
Third-party apps take advantage of the Watch’s sensors, offering specialized programs for yoga, quick workouts, or whatever your fitness fancy is.
Apple Fitness+ - Your Home Gym:
In late 2020, Apple took things a step further with Fitness+. This subscription service provides on-demand workout videos led by Apple’s expert instructors. It seamlessly integrates with your Apple Watch, displaying your workout metrics right on the screen. Fitness+ requires watchOS 7 and costs $9.99 per month, though it’s also bundled in some Apple One subscription plans.
Focus on Health:
While not the initial focus, health features have become a major strength of the Apple Watch. With its built-in sensors, watchOS tracks various health metrics, potentially alerting you to potential health concerns.
Heart Rate Monitoring:
The Apple Watch keeps a close eye on your heart rate, checking it every five minutes during regular wear and every minute during workouts. If it detects a potentially dangerous rhythm or abnormal heart rate, it’ll nudge you to seek medical attention.
Automatic Fall Detection:
Taking a tumble? No worries! Apple Watch uses clever algorithms to detect falls followed by a lack of movement. If enabled and you become unresponsive, the Watch will automatically call emergency services like 911 (US).
ECG App (Apple Watch Series 4 and later):
The Apple Watch Series 4 and later models come with a built-in ECG app. This app allows you to measure your heart’s electrical activity using the Digital Crown. If it detects a potential sign of atrial fibrillation (AFib), it’ll advise you to consult a doctor for further evaluation.
Life-Saving Potential:
The combination of alerts and features within watchOS has demonstrably saved lives in various situations.
Customization with a Twist:
While Apple doesn’t allow complete freedom with watch faces, you can still personalize them! Built-in features let you modify small data points called “complications” to display the information that matters most to you.
Complication Creation by Developers:
App developers can create “complications,” which are basically mini app previews that populate the watch face. Since watchOS 7, you can even include multiple complications from the same app on a single watch face.
Sharing the Look:
Sharing is caring! Starting with iOS 14 and watchOS 7, you can share your customized watch faces with friends via iMessage. The iMessage recipient will even be prompted to install any missing apps needed to use the watch face. Apple is even planning to introduce curated watch face recommendations within the App Store, making it easier to discover new and interesting layouts.
Always-On Display (Apple Watch Series 5 and later):
Never miss a beat with the always-on display! This feature, available on Apple Watch Series 5 and later, dims slightly when inactive but continues to show a simplified version of your chosen watch face with up-to-date information.
watchOS - A Constant Evolution:
watchOS has undergone significant transformations over the years. Since its 2015 debut, Apple has incorporated user feedback to continually improve the watch experience. New features and design changes with each release have made watchOS a powerful and versatile platform.
watchOS 10: A Fresh Look
WWDC 2023 saw the unveiling of watchOS 10, bringing a complete redesign to the platform. Widgets were introduced, allowing for increased information density on larger watch faces.
Get ready to personalize your fitness experience even further with watchOS 10! New APIs allow developers to create customizable workouts, giving you more control over your training. Cyclists will rejoice with a new cycling feature offering Live Activities on your iPhone for a more connected experience.
Hikers, here’s something for you too! Explore trails with confidence thanks to integrated trail information and topographic views on your Apple Watch. Plus, Bluetooth workout accessories can now automatically pair and seamlessly log your data.
Sharing Made Simple with NameDrop:
Introducing NameDrop, a new feature accessible via a complication. Simply bring your Apple Watches face-to-face and share contact information in a flash!
Widgets at Your Fingertips:
Scrolling the Digital Crown now presents a widget interface, displaying data from your installed apps. Need to access Control Center? No problem! Press the Side Button from anywhere on your Watch for instant control.
watchOS 9: Refinement, User Control, and Enhanced Health Tracking
With watchOS 9, Apple prioritized user experience with UI refinements and increased user control. Existing watch faces, originally designed for smaller models, received long-awaited updates to accommodate new complication types, ensuring a wider range of information at a glance. Focus also shifted towards health tracking, with new features likely to be revealed.
While the Apple Watch has become a well-established platform, watchOS 8 doesn’t disappoint. Here’s a look at the key improvements:
Fresh Faces:
Two brand new watch faces join the collection, along with a revamped Astronomy face optimized for larger displays. Plus, Focus Modes set on your iPhone can now automatically switch the watch face on your Apple Watch, ensuring a streamlined experience.
Medication Management Made Easy:
The new Medications app empowers you to stay on top of your prescriptions. Receive timely notifications for each medication and get alerted to potential interactions that could impact their effectiveness.
Enhanced Workouts:
Workout views provide more relevant data at a glance, while customizable options allow you to tailor workouts to your intensity and time preferences.
Deeper Sleep Insights:
Sleep tracking gets a boost with additional data points on sleep cycles. Now you can see how your heart rate and respiratory rate influence your sleep quality.
A More Mature Platform:
watchOS 8 builds upon the foundation of a mature platform. Developers have greater control over complication design, users can manage notifications more effectively, and content sharing from your wrist is now a breeze
watchOS 7 brought exciting improvements to personalization, fitness tracking, and communication on your Apple Watch.
Focus on What Matters:
Focus Modes allow you to create custom Do Not Disturb profiles based on activity or location. Imagine arriving at work and your “Work Focus” automatically blocking notifications from social media apps, helping you stay concentrated. These Focus Modes can even trigger watch face changes through automations in Shortcuts, keeping your wrist display relevant to your current activity.
Never Lose Your iPhone Again:
A frequently requested feature finally arrived - Find My on Apple Watch! Now, you’ll receive alerts if you leave your iPhone behind and the Watch loses its Bluetooth connection.
Improved Communication on the Go:
Sending messages takes a leap forward with the introduction of a swipe keyboard. Similar to the keyboard on your iPhone, it also includes an emoji keyboard, making text input a breeze - especially on the larger display of the Apple Watch Series 7.
Expand Your Fitness Horizons:
Apple added new workout types to track popular activities like Pilates and Tai Chi. To complement this, new workouts were also introduced in Apple Fitness+, providing guided exercise routines to match your preferences.
Mindfulness Enhancements:
The Breathe app found a new home within the Mindfulness app. Here, you can also explore the Reflect function, featuring a special swirling color animation designed to enhance your meditation experience.
These are just some of the many improvements introduced in watchOS 7, released in September 2020 by Apple.
watchOS 7, released in September 2019, brought a wave of exciting features to the Apple Watch, enhancing personalization, fitness tracking, and communication. Here’s a breakdown of the key improvements:
More Customization with Complications:
For the first time, watchOS 7 lets you include multiple complications (mini app previews) from the same app on a single watch face. Plus, you can share your customized creations with friends through iMessage, although third-party watch faces are still not supported.
Improved Sleep Tracking:
Apple Watch sleep tracking gets a significant upgrade. When worn at night, it now monitors essential sleep metrics like sleep duration, heart rate, resting heart rate, and heart rate variability, providing a more comprehensive picture of your sleep quality.
Expanded Fitness Options:
New workout types cater to a wider range of fitness enthusiasts. You can now track popular activities like dance, Functional Strength Training, Core Training, and even post-workout cooldowns. Cyclists will also appreciate new cycling directions in Apple Maps, with alerts for upcoming obstacles like stairs.
Stay Healthy During a Pandemic:
In response to the COVID-19 pandemic, watchOS 7 introduced a handwashing timer. With this feature enabled, your Watch will remind you to wash your hands upon returning home and even start a timer automatically when it detects handwashing motions.
Enhanced Communication Features:
Communication on the go gets a boost with Siri translation support mirroring the functionality available in the iOS 14 Translate app. Siri Shortcuts also take a leap forward, working natively on the Watch through the dedicated Shortcuts app and even as complications on your watch face.
Family Setup for Cellular Models:
Family Setup allows parents to set up an Apple Watch for their children who don’t have iPhones - perfect for staying connected when they’re out and about. However, this feature is limited to cellular Apple Watch models, as Wi-Fi only models wouldn’t have a way to connect without an iPhone nearby.
Memoji Fun on Your Wrist:
Apple’s Memoji avatars get their own dedicated app on the Watch! Create or customize your Memoji directly on the Watch or your paired iPhone, and use it as an option when sending messages. You can even personalize your watch face with a fun Memoji design.
watchOS 6
Released in September 2019, watchOS 6 added new features and made the Apple Watch more independent.
Released in 2019, watchOS 6 marked a significant step towards independence for the Apple Watch. Here are some of the key highlights:
- Built-in App Store: For the first time, users could discover and install apps directly on their Apple Watch, removing the need for a paired iPhone. This opened up a world of possibilities for on-wrist functionality.
- Health App with Activity Trends: The Health app received an upgrade with Activity Trends. This feature went beyond just displaying health data; it provided insights and explanations to help users understand their progress and make informed decisions about their well-being.
- Menstrual Cycle Tracking: Recognizing the needs of female users, watchOS 6 introduced menstrual cycle tracking. The Apple Watch app and complication allowed women to conveniently monitor their periods, with data also syncing to the iPhone Health app.
- Prioritizing Hearing Health: Apple placed a strong emphasis on hearing health with the introduction of the Noise app. This app leveraged the Watch’s microphone to monitor environmental noise levels and alert users of potentially damaging sounds. It also displayed headphone audio level data within the iPhone Health app.
Overall, watchOS 6 focused on empowering users with greater control over their Apple Watch experience and introduced valuable features to promote overall wellness.
watchOS 5
Apple’s 2018 watchOS update added new health and audio features.
watchOS 5: Boosting Fitness, Communication, and Convenience
The 2018 update, watchOS 5, brought exciting features that enhanced the Apple Watch’s capabilities in fitness, communication, and everyday use. Let’s delve into the key improvements:
Friendly Fitness Competitions:
A fun addition was workout competitions. This feature allowed multiple Apple Watch users to challenge each other to personalized fitness goals over a set timeframe, adding a social element to exercise routines.
Smarter Workout Tracking:
Automatic workout detection received a revamp. The Watch would now automatically initiate a workout when it recognized compatible activities like running or walking. Additionally, yoga and hiking workouts were formally added to the tracking options.
Raise to Speak for Siri:
Convenience took a leap forward with Raise to Speak. This feature, compatible with Apple Watch Series 3 and later, allowed users to activate Siri simply by raising their wrist to their mouth, eliminating the need to say “Hey Siri” or fiddle with the Digital Crown. While it wasn’t perfect at launch, later updates improved its reliability.
Podcasts on Your Wrist:
The introduction of the Podcasts app offered greater control over audio entertainment. Users could store podcasts directly on their Apple Watch, enabling offline listening without relying on a paired iPhone.
Walkie-Talkie for Instant Connection:
Communication received a boost with the Walkie-Talkie app. Leveraging FaceTime Audio, it allowed users with paired Watches to instantly connect for voice conversations, similar to a two-way radio, without the need to accept a call.
Siri Watch Face Gets a Boost:
Third-party app support was introduced for the Siri watch face. This allowed for greater customization and easier access to information from your favorite apps directly on your wrist.
watchOS 4
Apple’s 2017 update, watchOS 4, added the Siri watch face and several new fitness features.
watchOS 4: Intelligence, Fitness, and Entertainment Enhancements
watchOS 4, released in 2017, brought a wave of improvements that made the Apple Watch more intelligent, fitness-focused, and entertaining. Here’s a look at the key features:
- Smarter Watch Face with Siri: The Siri watch face leveraged Apple’s AI to learn your routines and display relevant information throughout the day. This could include upcoming appointments, weather forecasts, traffic updates, HomeKit controls, or even sunrise and sunset times. A simple tap provided more details, while turning the Digital Crown let you browse daily reminders and alerts.
- Enhanced Fitness Features: Fitness enthusiasts received a treat with new workout additions like high-intensity interval training (HIIT). The Workout app also got a redesign, and Monthly Activity Challenges motivated users with in-app medals for reaching goals. For a more comprehensive picture of heart health, watchOS 4 introduced new heart rate measurements, including heart rate variability (HRV). The ability to chain multiple workouts into one session further enhanced workout tracking capabilities.
- Interface and Entertainment Options: Personalization got a boost with the option to view the app layout as a list instead of the usual radial grid. Entertainment options expanded with a redesigned Apple Music app, offering more convenient music control on your wrist. The introduction of Apple News and Radio apps provided access to news articles and radio stations directly on your Apple Watch.
watchOS 3
The third iteration of watchOS began to mimic some of the interaction paradigms found on iPhone, like Control Center swipe-up and app switching. This was the final full redesign of the operating system before Apple focused on refinements and feature sets.
- Released in September 2016
- Dock has a favorite apps section
- Dock now contains up to 10 apps
- Switch watch faces with a swipe
- Control Center toggled with swipe up
- New faces include Minnie Mouse, Activity, and Numerals
- Apple Watch app on iPhone gains watch face gallery
- Share activity rings with friends
- Quick start workouts with previous settings
- Auto-pause workouts from lack of activity
- Wheelchair workouts and tracking added
- Breathe app added and alerts users regularly to breathe and meditate for a moment
- Scribble keyboard lets users draw letters rather than type them on the small display
- Emergency SOS will call emergency services and alert emergency contacts when the Side Button is held down
- Home, Reminders, and Find My apps added
watchOS 2
The second generation of watchOS worked out some of the odd decisions made in the original. While still not quite the final product, it was closer to Apple’s eventual vision for the device UI.
- Released in September 2015
- Overhauled experience with speed in mind
- New watch faces include Time-lapse and Photo
- Time Travel function (later removed) let users scroll the Digital Crown to view complications as they would appear over time
- Nightstand mode shows the time and date when Apple Watch is charging vertically
- Siri can control HomeKit devices, make FaceTime audio calls, and start a workout
- Friends can have more than 12 friends with support for groups (Friends functionality was later removed)
- Beats 1 Radio support
- Reply to email using dictation
watchOS 1
The first iteration of Apple’s watch operating system focused on fashion and putting social features up front. It wasn’t long before Apple iterated on it and upended most of the original UI.
- Released with Apple Watch in Spring 2015
- Nine watch faces included at launch
- Twenty stock apps
- Circular app icons on the home screen placed in a grid
- Digital Crown navigation features
- Digital Touch, heartbeat sharing, and app dock central to the experience
Apple continues to advance watchOS with each new release. Apple Watch still relies on iPhone for some data but can operate independently and has options for cellular connectivity.