Apple WatchOS 7 adds Face Sharing, letting developers make their own... sort of
Apple doesn't have a Watch Face store, but Face Sharing looks like a middle step.
- Nearly 20 years writing about tech, and over a decade reviewing wearable tech, VR, and AR products and apps
WatchOS 7 is getting Apple Watch Face Sharing. It's not the same as a watch face store, but it's a step.
At this year's remote WWDC conference, Apple announced new software for the Apple Watch. One key eye-opening announcement was what looked like a flood of new watch faces enabled though a new feature called Face Sharing.
The Apple Watch has lacked a watch face store, despite smartwatch competitors offering third-party watch faces. Face Sharing isn't a way to create from-scratch faces, but instead looks like an instantaneous way to share or access other people's customized watch faces and complications. In a way, that's kind of like a new watch face, and Apple does have a ton of watch face customizations.
Apple promised that developers could create their own customized watch faces with a multiple complications and share a link that people could click on, adding that watch face instantly. Is it the same as a completely from-scratch watch face designed by a user? No. But it could at least offer some quick ways to grab a watch face for a sports event, or a concert, or some other experience where perhaps everyone would want a common set of features.
Will this feature be a stopgap until a true watch face store arrives, or will this be Apple's answer for good? Hard to tell yet.
This is a developing story.