WatchOS 10: Biggest Apple Watch Features Coming This Year
Tech
Speaker 1: Apple just announced watch OS 10, and it brings a ton of new features to the Apple Watch from redesigned apps and widgets to new cycling metrics. Apple previewed the software at WW d c and it'll arrive on the Apple Watch series four and later in the fall.
Speaker 1: There's a lot in watch o s 10, but there is one thing I'm especially excited about. Widgets. [00:00:30] If you watched Apple's keynote, you probably heard that word more times than you can count, but widgets seem like they could be especially useful on the Apple watch. Apple smartwatch has been around for almost a decade yet the way we navigate the operating system hasn't really changed that much. I often find myself using Siri to complete quick tasks like starting timers just to avoid tapping and swiping so much. The new widgets in watch o s 10 should address that, hopefully making [00:01:00] it easier to jump between tasks without launching so many apps. You can access widgets by scrolling with the digital crown from the watch base. Widgets will appear in a smart stack which shows relevant information throughout the day as needed. This is exactly what I was hoping for from the Apple Watch.
Speaker 1: Given how small our watches are, they should be better at surfacing information as you need it rather than making you go looking for it. You can even have a widget for holding complications, meaning [00:01:30] you can add more shortcuts in addition to the ones on your watch face. This makes a lot of sense for people who prefer a clean minimalist watch face, but still want easy access to apps. But perhaps one of the most useful things is that widgets for active apps like the timer if you have a timer set, will show up at the top of the widget stack. So all you have to do is scroll from the watch face to see how much time is left on your timer. I can't tell you how many times I've said Siri, how much time is left on my timer [00:02:00] because I didn't want to navigate back to the app when I'm in a rush. Apple is also updating the way apps look on the Apple Watch to make better use of its screen. It points to the activity app and the World Clock app as examples, but it also says developers will be able to make similar changes to their apps too.
Speaker 1: Otherwise, there are quite a few health and fitness updates coming in. Watch OS 10, especially for cyclists and hikers. Cyclists will be able to see cadence, [00:02:30] speed and power in their workout view when connecting the watch to Bluetooth bike sensors if you're using a power meter on your bike. The Apple Watch will also estimate your functional threshold power, which is the highest level of intensity you can maintain for an hour. It uses this data to inform a new metric called Power Zones. You might remember that Apple introduced similar new metrics for runners last year in Watch OS nine. If you love to hike with your Apple Watch, there are some new features [00:03:00] you'll probably want to know about. There's a new look in the Compass app that shows a three-dimensional view of where you've been, including an estimate of where you last had cell service. You can also view information about nearby hiking trails directly from the watch
Speaker 1: On the health side watch. OS 10 has some new features aimed at mental wellness and vision health. You can log your mood in the mindfulness app and then view trends later that show how your mood may correlate with things like [00:03:30] time spent in daylight sleep and exercise. And speaking of daylight, the Apple Watches ambient light sensor can now measure time spent in daylight, which Apple is positioning as a way to possibly help younger users prevent nearsightedness in the future. These features should make the Apple Watch a more comprehensive health and fitness tracker. However, there are a few things I was hoping to see that we did not get with Watch OS 10. I really wanted to see more sleep insights, especially those that tell you more [00:04:00] about your sleep patterns and whether you're a morning or night person. I also want more recovery metrics similar to Aura and Fitbit's readiness scores, which help you decide whether it's time for a hard workout or a rest day overall. Watch OS 10 seems like it could go a long way in making the Apple Watch easier to use while throwing in some useful new workout features. It doesn't have everything I wanted, but it seems like it'll push the Apple Watch experience forward in an important way. What [00:04:30] do you think of watch OS 10? Let me know in the comments and don't forget to keep following CNET for more Apple coverage. Thanks for watching and I'll see you next time.
