Latest news with #SmartStack
Time of India
34 minutes ago
- Time of India
WatchOS 26 compatible with these Apple Watch models
Apple showcased the latest version of watchOS at its annual developer conference WWDC 2025. The watchOS 26 will be coming later this year to all Apple Watch smartwatches that are running on watchOS 10. However, all the Apple Watch models are not compatible with the upcoming watchOS 26 version. The company has confirmed that the update is compatible with the Apple Watch Series 6 and later. A major update coming with watchOS 26 is the new interface using Liquid Glass , which changes the look of Smart Stack, Control Center, notifications, and in-app navigation. The Photos watch face now includes numbers made of Liquid Glass, giving more visibility to images. Apple Watch models compatible with WatchOS 26 Apple has also shared a complete list of Apple Watch models that are compatible with WatchOS 26 Apple Watch Series 6 Apple Watch Series 7 Apple Watch Series 8 Apple Watch Series 9 Apple Watch Series 10 Apple Watch SE (2nd generation) Apple Watch Ultra Apple Watch Ultra 2 To install watchOS 26, the compatible Apple Watch models must be paired with an iPhone 11 or later, running iOS 26. This means that older iPhone models (iPhone X and earlier) will not be able to update to watchOS 26, even if their Apple Watch hardware is technically capable. The first developer beta of watchOS 26 is available now, with a public beta launching next month. The final release is expected later this year. Apple watchOS 26: Key features Key Features in watchOS 26 include Liquid Glass UI – A translucent, dynamic interface that enhances Smart Stack, Control Center, and app navigation. Workout Buddy – AI-driven real-time coaching, offering personalized motivation based on fitness history. Smart Stack Hints – Context-aware prompts that suggest actions based on routine and sensor data. Live Translation in Messages – Real-time language translation for text conversations on Apple Watch. Wrist Flick Gesture – A one-handed motion to dismiss notifications, silence alarms, and manage calls. Music & Podcast Auto-Start – Automatically plays recommended playlists when workouts begin. Notes App on Apple Watch – Users can now pin, unlock, and create notes directly from their wrist.
Techday NZ
2 hours ago
- Techday NZ
Apple unveils watchOS 26 with new design & smart features
Apple has previewed watchOS 26, highlighting a new design and enhanced features intended to offer a more personalised user experience for Apple Watch owners. Among the most notable updates is the introduction of a redesigned interface featuring Liquid Glass, which Apple says aims to make navigation and controls more expressive while maintaining the watch's familiar usability. Features benefiting from this design include the Smart Stack, Control Centre, the Photos watch face, and in-app navigation elements. Another key addition is Workout Buddy, which utilises Apple Intelligence to deliver personalised, spoken motivation during exercise sessions. By analysing users' workout data and fitness history privately and securely, Workout Buddy provides real-time motivational insights through a generative voice influenced by Fitness+ trainer recordings. The new experience also includes music recommendations aligned with individual preferences and workout types. "Apple Watch is an indispensable companion for millions of people around the world, and watchOS 26 uses intelligence to offer an even more personalised experience," said David Clark, Apple's Senior Director of watchOS Engineering. "From a gorgeous new design, to Workout Buddy with Apple Intelligence, personalised music suggestions in the Workout app, and more intelligence in the Smart Stack and Messages, we're excited about the many ways watchOS 26 will support each user in staying active, healthy, connected, and safe throughout their day." Workout Buddy offers features such as kilometre split updates, personal milestone announcements, and post-workout summaries with statistics and encouragement. An example message might include: "Way to get out for your run this Wednesday morning. You're 18 minutes away from closing your Exercise ring. So far this week, you've run 6 kilometres. You're going to add to that today." The system also delivers milestone notifications, such as "Your total running distance for the year just crossed the 200-kilometre mark! That's a lot of running!" Upon completing a workout, users receive a recap: "Way to get your workout in! You went 6.9 kilometres in just over 38 minutes. Your average pace was 5 minutes and 34 seconds, and your average heart rate was 128. That was your longest run of the last 28 days. What will you do next?" Workout Buddy requires an Apple Intelligence-supported iPhone nearby and will initially be available in English for selected workout types, including running, walking, cycling, HIIT, and strength training, when using Apple Watch with Bluetooth headphones. Redesigned fitness app The Workout app itself has received its most significant update since its launch, introducing a new layout and navigation. Four new corner buttons aim to simplify access to custom workout features such as Workout Views, Custom Workout, Pacer, and Race Route. Users can now configure music and podcasts to play automatically when a workout is started, with Apple Music selecting playlists based on workout type and taste, or suggesting recent favourites. Smarter Smart Stack The Smart Stack now incorporates improved prediction algorithms and contextual data, delivering proactive 'hints' that appear as visual prompts on the display. Examples include suggesting Backtrack functionality in remote areas or prompting a Pilates workout when users arrive at a familiar location and time. Updates to Messages Live Translation is now available in Messages for supported Apple Watch models when paired with a compatible iPhone, translating both incoming and outgoing texts in real time into the user's preferred language. English language users will see more relevant action suggestions within Messages; for example, initiating a 'Check In' when asked about arrival time or using Apple Cash when prompted to contribute to group gifts. Customisable conversation backgrounds and the ability to respond to polls directly from the watch are also included. Smart Replies are enhanced with improved language models for more precise responses. New gestures and notifications watchOS 26 introduces a wrist flick gesture allowing users to dismiss notifications, calls, timers, alarms, or return to the watch face with a single hand. The gesture complements the existing double tap function and is intended for situations when the other hand is occupied. The system leverages the watch's sensors and machine learning to detect the movement. Additionally, Apple Watch now adjusts speaker volume automatically based on ambient noise for notifications, timers, calls, and Siri. Additional updates The Notes app comes to Apple Watch, enabling access to, creation of, and management of notes directly on the wrist. New features in the Phone app, such as Hold Assist and Call Screening, require a nearby iPhone and support selected languages. Live Listen controls for users who are deaf or hard of hearing now include live captions of iPhone audio on the watch and remote management of Live Listen sessions. The Photos watch face now shuffles images based on featured content, displaying personal moments on the wrist. The watch face gallery has been redesigned for easier exploration, offering grouped collections. Developer tools Developers have access to new APIs supporting the updated design and features in watchOS 26, including the ability to add custom controls to the Control Centre and Smart Stack, and introduce third-party widgets with new relevance signals such as Points of Interest. watchOS 26 will be available as a free software update for Apple Watch Series 6 or later, the second-generation Apple Watch SE, and all Apple Watch Ultra models when paired with iPhone 11 or higher. Apple Intelligence features require compatible devices and selected languages.
Yahoo
11 hours ago
- Yahoo
watchOS 26 delivers more personalized ways to stay active, healthy, and connected
A new software design makes using Apple Watch even more delightful, Workout Buddy brings a first-of-its-kind workout experience with Apple Intelligence, and the Smart Stack and Messages are more intelligent CUPERTINO, Calif., June 09, 2025--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Apple® today previewed watchOS® 26, offering a beautiful new look and even more intelligence for a more personalized experience, to support users in staying active, healthy, and connected. A new design with Liquid Glass makes features like the Smart Stack, Control Center, the Photos watch face, and in-app navigation and controls more expressive, while maintaining the instant familiarity of watchOS. Apple Intelligence™ enhances the fitness experience with Workout Buddy, which provides personalized, spoken motivation. The Workout app features a new layout, and offers music to listen to based on a user's tastes and the workout type. watchOS 26 makes everyday interactions even more convenient with Smart Stack hints and updates to Messages, and introduces a new one-handed wrist flick gesture to easily dismiss notifications. "Apple Watch is an indispensable companion for millions of people around the world, and watchOS 26 uses intelligence to offer an even more personalized experience," said David Clark, Apple's senior director of watchOS Engineering. "From a gorgeous new design, to Workout Buddy with Apple Intelligence, personalized music suggestions in the Workout app, and more intelligence in the Smart Stack and Messages, we're excited about the many ways watchOS 26 will support each user in staying active, healthy, connected, and safe throughout their day." A Beautiful New Design A gorgeous new software design with Liquid Glass brings a fresh look to watchOS 26. Across apps, this new design enables a vibrant and expressive experience that reflects and refracts content using real-time rendering, which brings even more focus to content and makes using Apple Watch® even more delightful. Smart Stack widgets, Smart Stack hints, notifications, Control Center, and in-app controls and navigation will adopt the new design. The popular Photos watch face is enhanced with numerals made of Liquid Glass, allowing users to see even more of their photo. Apple Intelligence Comes to Fitness with Workout Buddy Workout Buddy is a first-of-its-kind fitness experience with Apple Intelligence that incorporates a user's workout data and their fitness history to generate personalized, motivational insights during their session, based on data like heart rate, pace, distance, Activity rings, personal fitness milestones, and more. For example, as a user starts a run, Workout Buddy will give a personalized pep talk that may remind them of their running mileage for the week so far, or share how they are doing against their Activity ring goals: "Way to get out for your run this Wednesday morning. You're 18 minutes away from closing your Exercise ring. So far this week, you've run 6 miles. You're going to add to that today." During the workout, Workout Buddy can mark key moments like their mile splits, or tell them if they hit a new milestone based on their fitness history: "Mile four. You picked up the pace and ran that last one in 8 minutes and 28 seconds." "Hey, check this out. Your total running distance for the year just crossed the 200-mile mark! That's a lot of running!" When a user ends a workout, Workout Buddy will recap their workout stats and congratulate them on their achievements: "Way to get your workout in! You went 4.3 miles in just over 38 minutes. Your average pace was 8 minutes and 58 seconds, and your average heart rate was 128. That was your longest run of the last 28 days. What will you do next?" To offer meaningful inspiration in real time, Workout Buddy analyzes data privately and securely, with Apple Intelligence. A new text-to-speech model then translates insights into a dynamic generative voice built using voice data from Fitness+ trainers, so it has the right energy, style, and tone for a workout. Workout Buddy will be available on Apple Watch with Bluetooth headphones, and requires an Apple Intelligence-supported iPhone® nearby. It will be available starting in English, across some of the most popular workout types: Outdoor and Indoor Run, Outdoor and Indoor Walk, Outdoor Cycle, HIIT, and Functional and Traditional Strength Training. Additional Updates to the Workout Experience The Workout app is one of the most popular apps on Apple Watch, and in watchOS 26, it debuts the biggest update to its layout and navigation since its introduction. Four new buttons in the corners of the app make it easier for users to access their favorite features to customize workouts, like Workout Views, Custom Workout, Pacer, Race Route, and more. To add inspiration, users can set up music and podcasts right in the Workout app to automatically play when they start a workout. For users' convenience, Apple Music® can now select the best playlist for a user's workout based on the workout type and their personal tastes.1 Alternatively, users can see suggestions for playlists or podcasts based on what they've recently listened to during that particular workout type. The Smart Stack Becomes Even More Proactive The Smart Stack is designed to help users quickly access important information from any watch face. In watchOS 26, the Smart Stack improves its prediction algorithms by incorporating more contextual data, sensor data, and data from a user's routine to provide Smart Stack hints, a proactive prompt for actionable suggestions that are immediately useful. Made of Liquid Glass, Smart Stack hints will appear on the display as a gentle visual prompt. For example, a hint for Backtrack may appear when a user is in a remote location with no connectivity, or a hint for a Pilates workout may show up when a user arrives at a studio location at their usual time. Added Convenience in Messages Apple Watch now supports Live Translation in Messages with Apple Intelligence, allowing incoming texts to be automatically translated into a user's preferred language, right on their wrist.2 And when the user responds, their texts can be instantly translated for the person they're having a conversation with. Live Translation will be available on Apple Watch Series 9, Apple Watch Series 10, and Apple Watch Ultra® 2, with an Apple Intelligence-supported iPhone. Additionally, for users whose device language is set to English, Apple Watch will intelligently suggest relevant actions in Messages using the context of a conversation, like starting a Check In when a friend asks a user to share when they arrive home, or using Apple Cash® when a user is asked to contribute to a group gift. Customizable Backgrounds set on iPhone will also appear on Apple Watch to make conversations feel more personal and distinct, and users can respond to polls right on their wrist. Smart Replies get even more precise for users whose device language is set to English, with an improved on-device language model that can generate relevant responses based on the content of a conversation.3 Notifications Are Easier to Manage Notifications are even easier to manage with a simple wrist flick gesture on Apple Watch Series 9, Apple Watch Series 10, and Apple Watch Ultra 2. When a user raises their wrist to check a notification but isn't ready to respond, they can quickly turn their wrist over and back to dismiss the notification. The wrist flick gesture can be used to dismiss notifications and incoming calls, silence timers and alarms, and return to the watch face. It uses the accelerometer and the gyroscope — along with a machine learning model — to analyze a user's wrist movement. Wrist flick joins the double tap gesture to allow users to do even more on Apple Watch with only one hand, for times when the user's other hand is occupied, such as when walking the dog, cooking, or holding a cup of coffee. Apple Watch can also now automatically adjust the speaker volume based on the ambient noise in a user's surroundings for notifications, timers, alarms, incoming calls, and Siri®, allowing them to stay connected without worrying about disturbing those around them. Additional updates in watchOS 26: The Notes app comes to Apple Watch, allowing users to access their notes right on their wrist. Users can also pin and unlock notes, complete checklist items, and create new notes with Siri, dictation, and the keyboard. Hold Assist and Call Screening come to the Phone app, when an iPhone is nearby. When a user is waiting for a live agent, Hold Assist recognizes once a live agent is available and notifies the user to return to the call.4 Call Screening helps users manage incoming phone calls from unknown numbers more efficiently by collecting a name and reason for the call before their phone rings, so they can make an informed decision on whether to pick up, decline the call, or ask for more information.5 For users who are deaf or hard of hearing, Live Listen® controls come to Apple Watch with a new set of features, including real-time Live Captions of what their iPhone hears on a paired Apple Watch while listening to the audio.6 Apple Watch serves as a remote control to start or stop Live Listen sessions on a paired iPhone, or jump back into a session to capture something that may have been missed. The Photos face will now shuffle images based on Featured content from Photos, so users can see images of their most meaningful moments every time they raise their wrist or tap the display. Users can now explore and discover watch faces more easily with the redesigned watch face gallery on Apple Watch and in the Watch app on iPhone, with faces grouped into collections. New Tools for Developers Developers are able to take advantage of new APIs in watchOS 26 across design, the Smart Stack, and more. Developers can use new SwiftUI® APIs to adopt the beautiful new design materials of watchOS 26. With the Control Widget API, developers can create custom controls to be added to the Control Center, Action Button, or Smart Stack widget, and the Smart Stack Relevance API allows third-party widgets to be added to the Smart Stack with new signals like Points of Interest, with user permission to incorporate location data. For example, the Smart Stack can intelligently show a widget for Slopes when users arrive at a ski resort with improved location APIs, and now Dark Noise can add a custom control to Control Center so users can easily turn on a sleep soundscape without picking up their iPhone. Availability All of these features are available for testing starting today through the Apple Developer Program at and a public beta will be available through the Apple Beta Software Program next month at watchOS 26 will be available this fall as a free software update for Apple Watch Series 6 or later, Apple Watch SE® (2nd generation), and all Apple Watch Ultra models, paired with iPhone 11 or later, running iOS 26. The Apple Intelligence features detailed require supported devices, which include all iPhone 16 models, iPhone 15 Pro, and iPhone 15 Pro Max that have Apple Intelligence enabled and Siri and device language set to the same supported language. Features are subject to change. Some features may not be available in all languages or regions, and availability may vary due to local laws and regulations. For more information about availability, visit Apple revolutionized personal technology with the introduction of the Macintosh in 1984. Today, Apple leads the world in innovation with iPhone, iPad, Mac, AirPods, Apple Watch, and Apple Vision Pro. Apple's six software platforms — iOS, iPadOS, macOS, watchOS, visionOS, and tvOS — provide seamless experiences across all Apple devices and empower people with breakthrough services including the App Store, Apple Music, Apple Pay, iCloud, and Apple TV+. Apple's more than 150,000 employees are dedicated to making the best products on earth and to leaving the world better than we found it. Footnotes 1. Apple Music subscription is required for automatic music selection.2. Live Translation in Messages will be available on Apple Watch Series 9, Apple Watch Series 10, and Apple Watch Ultra 2 when paired with an Apple Intelligence-enabled iPhone. Live Translation in Messages supports English (U.S., UK), French (France), German, Italian, Japanese, Korean, Portuguese (Brazil), Spanish (Spain), and Chinese (simplified).3. Updates to Smart Replies will be available on Apple Watch Series 9, Apple Watch Series 10, and Apple Watch Ultra 2.4. Hold Assist requires iPhone nearby, and supports English (U.S., Australia, Canada, India, Singapore, UK), French (France), German (Germany), Japanese, Mandarin Chinese (China mainland), Portuguese (Brazil), and Spanish (U.S., Mexico, Spain).5. Call Screening requires iPhone nearby, and supports Cantonese (China mainland, Hong Kong, Macao), English (U.S., Australia, Canada, India, Ireland, New Zealand, Puerto Rico, Singapore, South Africa, UK), French (Canada, France), German (Germany), Japanese, Korean, Mandarin Chinese (China mainland, Macao, Taiwan), Portuguese (Brazil), and Spanish (U.S., Mexico, Puerto Rico, Spain).6. Live Captions support English (U.S., Australia, Canada, India, Singapore, UK), German (Germany), French (Canada, France), Spanish (U.S., Mexico, Spain), Japanese, Korean, Mandarin Chinese (China mainland), and Cantonese (China mainland, Hong Kong). NOTE TO EDITORS: For additional information visit Apple Newsroom ( or email Apple's Media Helpline at © 2025 Apple Inc. All rights reserved. Apple, the Apple logo, watchOS, Apple Intelligence, Apple Watch, iPhone, Apple Music, Apple Watch Ultra, Apple Cash, Siri, Live Listen, SwiftUI, and Apple Watch SE are trademarks of Apple. Other company and product names may be trademarks of their respective owners. View source version on Contacts Nikki RothbergApplenrothberg@ Clare VarellasApplecvarellas@ Sign in to access your portfolio
Yahoo
11 hours ago
- Yahoo
watchOS 26 delivers more personalized ways to stay active, healthy, and connected
A new software design makes using Apple Watch even more delightful, Workout Buddy brings a first-of-its-kind workout experience with Apple Intelligence, and the Smart Stack and Messages are more intelligent CUPERTINO, Calif., June 09, 2025--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Apple® today previewed watchOS® 26, offering a beautiful new look and even more intelligence for a more personalized experience, to support users in staying active, healthy, and connected. A new design with Liquid Glass makes features like the Smart Stack, Control Center, the Photos watch face, and in-app navigation and controls more expressive, while maintaining the instant familiarity of watchOS. Apple Intelligence™ enhances the fitness experience with Workout Buddy, which provides personalized, spoken motivation. The Workout app features a new layout, and offers music to listen to based on a user's tastes and the workout type. watchOS 26 makes everyday interactions even more convenient with Smart Stack hints and updates to Messages, and introduces a new one-handed wrist flick gesture to easily dismiss notifications. "Apple Watch is an indispensable companion for millions of people around the world, and watchOS 26 uses intelligence to offer an even more personalized experience," said David Clark, Apple's senior director of watchOS Engineering. "From a gorgeous new design, to Workout Buddy with Apple Intelligence, personalized music suggestions in the Workout app, and more intelligence in the Smart Stack and Messages, we're excited about the many ways watchOS 26 will support each user in staying active, healthy, connected, and safe throughout their day." A Beautiful New Design A gorgeous new software design with Liquid Glass brings a fresh look to watchOS 26. Across apps, this new design enables a vibrant and expressive experience that reflects and refracts content using real-time rendering, which brings even more focus to content and makes using Apple Watch® even more delightful. Smart Stack widgets, Smart Stack hints, notifications, Control Center, and in-app controls and navigation will adopt the new design. The popular Photos watch face is enhanced with numerals made of Liquid Glass, allowing users to see even more of their photo. Apple Intelligence Comes to Fitness with Workout Buddy Workout Buddy is a first-of-its-kind fitness experience with Apple Intelligence that incorporates a user's workout data and their fitness history to generate personalized, motivational insights during their session, based on data like heart rate, pace, distance, Activity rings, personal fitness milestones, and more. For example, as a user starts a run, Workout Buddy will give a personalized pep talk that may remind them of their running mileage for the week so far, or share how they are doing against their Activity ring goals: "Way to get out for your run this Wednesday morning. You're 18 minutes away from closing your Exercise ring. So far this week, you've run 6 miles. You're going to add to that today." During the workout, Workout Buddy can mark key moments like their mile splits, or tell them if they hit a new milestone based on their fitness history: "Mile four. You picked up the pace and ran that last one in 8 minutes and 28 seconds." "Hey, check this out. Your total running distance for the year just crossed the 200-mile mark! That's a lot of running!" When a user ends a workout, Workout Buddy will recap their workout stats and congratulate them on their achievements: "Way to get your workout in! You went 4.3 miles in just over 38 minutes. Your average pace was 8 minutes and 58 seconds, and your average heart rate was 128. That was your longest run of the last 28 days. What will you do next?" To offer meaningful inspiration in real time, Workout Buddy analyzes data privately and securely, with Apple Intelligence. A new text-to-speech model then translates insights into a dynamic generative voice built using voice data from Fitness+ trainers, so it has the right energy, style, and tone for a workout. Workout Buddy will be available on Apple Watch with Bluetooth headphones, and requires an Apple Intelligence-supported iPhone® nearby. It will be available starting in English, across some of the most popular workout types: Outdoor and Indoor Run, Outdoor and Indoor Walk, Outdoor Cycle, HIIT, and Functional and Traditional Strength Training. Additional Updates to the Workout Experience The Workout app is one of the most popular apps on Apple Watch, and in watchOS 26, it debuts the biggest update to its layout and navigation since its introduction. Four new buttons in the corners of the app make it easier for users to access their favorite features to customize workouts, like Workout Views, Custom Workout, Pacer, Race Route, and more. To add inspiration, users can set up music and podcasts right in the Workout app to automatically play when they start a workout. For users' convenience, Apple Music® can now select the best playlist for a user's workout based on the workout type and their personal tastes.1 Alternatively, users can see suggestions for playlists or podcasts based on what they've recently listened to during that particular workout type. The Smart Stack Becomes Even More Proactive The Smart Stack is designed to help users quickly access important information from any watch face. In watchOS 26, the Smart Stack improves its prediction algorithms by incorporating more contextual data, sensor data, and data from a user's routine to provide Smart Stack hints, a proactive prompt for actionable suggestions that are immediately useful. Made of Liquid Glass, Smart Stack hints will appear on the display as a gentle visual prompt. For example, a hint for Backtrack may appear when a user is in a remote location with no connectivity, or a hint for a Pilates workout may show up when a user arrives at a studio location at their usual time. Added Convenience in Messages Apple Watch now supports Live Translation in Messages with Apple Intelligence, allowing incoming texts to be automatically translated into a user's preferred language, right on their wrist.2 And when the user responds, their texts can be instantly translated for the person they're having a conversation with. Live Translation will be available on Apple Watch Series 9, Apple Watch Series 10, and Apple Watch Ultra® 2, with an Apple Intelligence-supported iPhone. Additionally, for users whose device language is set to English, Apple Watch will intelligently suggest relevant actions in Messages using the context of a conversation, like starting a Check In when a friend asks a user to share when they arrive home, or using Apple Cash® when a user is asked to contribute to a group gift. Customizable Backgrounds set on iPhone will also appear on Apple Watch to make conversations feel more personal and distinct, and users can respond to polls right on their wrist. Smart Replies get even more precise for users whose device language is set to English, with an improved on-device language model that can generate relevant responses based on the content of a conversation.3 Notifications Are Easier to Manage Notifications are even easier to manage with a simple wrist flick gesture on Apple Watch Series 9, Apple Watch Series 10, and Apple Watch Ultra 2. When a user raises their wrist to check a notification but isn't ready to respond, they can quickly turn their wrist over and back to dismiss the notification. The wrist flick gesture can be used to dismiss notifications and incoming calls, silence timers and alarms, and return to the watch face. It uses the accelerometer and the gyroscope — along with a machine learning model — to analyze a user's wrist movement. Wrist flick joins the double tap gesture to allow users to do even more on Apple Watch with only one hand, for times when the user's other hand is occupied, such as when walking the dog, cooking, or holding a cup of coffee. Apple Watch can also now automatically adjust the speaker volume based on the ambient noise in a user's surroundings for notifications, timers, alarms, incoming calls, and Siri®, allowing them to stay connected without worrying about disturbing those around them. Additional updates in watchOS 26: The Notes app comes to Apple Watch, allowing users to access their notes right on their wrist. Users can also pin and unlock notes, complete checklist items, and create new notes with Siri, dictation, and the keyboard. Hold Assist and Call Screening come to the Phone app, when an iPhone is nearby. When a user is waiting for a live agent, Hold Assist recognizes once a live agent is available and notifies the user to return to the call.4 Call Screening helps users manage incoming phone calls from unknown numbers more efficiently by collecting a name and reason for the call before their phone rings, so they can make an informed decision on whether to pick up, decline the call, or ask for more information.5 For users who are deaf or hard of hearing, Live Listen® controls come to Apple Watch with a new set of features, including real-time Live Captions of what their iPhone hears on a paired Apple Watch while listening to the audio.6 Apple Watch serves as a remote control to start or stop Live Listen sessions on a paired iPhone, or jump back into a session to capture something that may have been missed. The Photos face will now shuffle images based on Featured content from Photos, so users can see images of their most meaningful moments every time they raise their wrist or tap the display. Users can now explore and discover watch faces more easily with the redesigned watch face gallery on Apple Watch and in the Watch app on iPhone, with faces grouped into collections. New Tools for Developers Developers are able to take advantage of new APIs in watchOS 26 across design, the Smart Stack, and more. Developers can use new SwiftUI® APIs to adopt the beautiful new design materials of watchOS 26. With the Control Widget API, developers can create custom controls to be added to the Control Center, Action Button, or Smart Stack widget, and the Smart Stack Relevance API allows third-party widgets to be added to the Smart Stack with new signals like Points of Interest, with user permission to incorporate location data. For example, the Smart Stack can intelligently show a widget for Slopes when users arrive at a ski resort with improved location APIs, and now Dark Noise can add a custom control to Control Center so users can easily turn on a sleep soundscape without picking up their iPhone. Availability All of these features are available for testing starting today through the Apple Developer Program at and a public beta will be available through the Apple Beta Software Program next month at watchOS 26 will be available this fall as a free software update for Apple Watch Series 6 or later, Apple Watch SE® (2nd generation), and all Apple Watch Ultra models, paired with iPhone 11 or later, running iOS 26. The Apple Intelligence features detailed require supported devices, which include all iPhone 16 models, iPhone 15 Pro, and iPhone 15 Pro Max that have Apple Intelligence enabled and Siri and device language set to the same supported language. Features are subject to change. Some features may not be available in all languages or regions, and availability may vary due to local laws and regulations. For more information about availability, visit Apple revolutionized personal technology with the introduction of the Macintosh in 1984. Today, Apple leads the world in innovation with iPhone, iPad, Mac, AirPods, Apple Watch, and Apple Vision Pro. Apple's six software platforms — iOS, iPadOS, macOS, watchOS, visionOS, and tvOS — provide seamless experiences across all Apple devices and empower people with breakthrough services including the App Store, Apple Music, Apple Pay, iCloud, and Apple TV+. Apple's more than 150,000 employees are dedicated to making the best products on earth and to leaving the world better than we found it. Footnotes 1. Apple Music subscription is required for automatic music selection.2. Live Translation in Messages will be available on Apple Watch Series 9, Apple Watch Series 10, and Apple Watch Ultra 2 when paired with an Apple Intelligence-enabled iPhone. Live Translation in Messages supports English (U.S., UK), French (France), German, Italian, Japanese, Korean, Portuguese (Brazil), Spanish (Spain), and Chinese (simplified).3. Updates to Smart Replies will be available on Apple Watch Series 9, Apple Watch Series 10, and Apple Watch Ultra 2.4. Hold Assist requires iPhone nearby, and supports English (U.S., Australia, Canada, India, Singapore, UK), French (France), German (Germany), Japanese, Mandarin Chinese (China mainland), Portuguese (Brazil), and Spanish (U.S., Mexico, Spain).5. Call Screening requires iPhone nearby, and supports Cantonese (China mainland, Hong Kong, Macao), English (U.S., Australia, Canada, India, Ireland, New Zealand, Puerto Rico, Singapore, South Africa, UK), French (Canada, France), German (Germany), Japanese, Korean, Mandarin Chinese (China mainland, Macao, Taiwan), Portuguese (Brazil), and Spanish (U.S., Mexico, Puerto Rico, Spain).6. Live Captions support English (U.S., Australia, Canada, India, Singapore, UK), German (Germany), French (Canada, France), Spanish (U.S., Mexico, Spain), Japanese, Korean, Mandarin Chinese (China mainland), and Cantonese (China mainland, Hong Kong). NOTE TO EDITORS: For additional information visit Apple Newsroom ( or email Apple's Media Helpline at © 2025 Apple Inc. All rights reserved. Apple, the Apple logo, watchOS, Apple Intelligence, Apple Watch, iPhone, Apple Music, Apple Watch Ultra, Apple Cash, Siri, Live Listen, SwiftUI, and Apple Watch SE are trademarks of Apple. Other company and product names may be trademarks of their respective owners. View source version on Contacts Nikki RothbergApplenrothberg@ Clare VarellasApplecvarellas@ Error in retrieving data Sign in to access your portfolio Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data
Business Wire
11 hours ago
- Business Wire
watchOS 26 delivers more personalized ways to stay active, healthy, and connected
CUPERTINO, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Apple® today previewed watchOS® 26, offering a beautiful new look and even more intelligence for a more personalized experience, to support users in staying active, healthy, and connected. A new design with Liquid Glass makes features like the Smart Stack, Control Center, the Photos watch face, and in-app navigation and controls more expressive, while maintaining the instant familiarity of watchOS. Apple Intelligence™ enhances the fitness experience with Workout Buddy, which provides personalized, spoken motivation. The Workout app features a new layout, and offers music to listen to based on a user's tastes and the workout type. watchOS 26 makes everyday interactions even more convenient with Smart Stack hints and updates to Messages, and introduces a new one-handed wrist flick gesture to easily dismiss notifications. 'Apple Watch is an indispensable companion for millions of people around the world, and watchOS 26 uses intelligence to offer an even more personalized experience,' said David Clark, Apple's senior director of watchOS Engineering. 'From a gorgeous new design, to Workout Buddy with Apple Intelligence, personalized music suggestions in the Workout app, and more intelligence in the Smart Stack and Messages, we're excited about the many ways watchOS 26 will support each user in staying active, healthy, connected, and safe throughout their day.' A Beautiful New Design A gorgeous new software design with Liquid Glass brings a fresh look to watchOS 26. Across apps, this new design enables a vibrant and expressive experience that reflects and refracts content using real-time rendering, which brings even more focus to content and makes using Apple Watch® even more delightful. Smart Stack widgets, Smart Stack hints, notifications, Control Center, and in-app controls and navigation will adopt the new design. The popular Photos watch face is enhanced with numerals made of Liquid Glass, allowing users to see even more of their photo. Apple Intelligence Comes to Fitness with Workout Buddy Workout Buddy is a first-of-its-kind fitness experience with Apple Intelligence that incorporates a user's workout data and their fitness history to generate personalized, motivational insights during their session, based on data like heart rate, pace, distance, Activity rings, personal fitness milestones, and more. For example, as a user starts a run, Workout Buddy will give a personalized pep talk that may remind them of their running mileage for the week so far, or share how they are doing against their Activity ring goals: 'Way to get out for your run this Wednesday morning. You're 18 minutes away from closing your Exercise ring. So far this week, you've run 6 miles. You're going to add to that today.' During the workout, Workout Buddy can mark key moments like their mile splits, or tell them if they hit a new milestone based on their fitness history: 'Mile four. You picked up the pace and ran that last one in 8 minutes and 28 seconds.' 'Hey, check this out. Your total running distance for the year just crossed the 200-mile mark! That's a lot of running!' When a user ends a workout, Workout Buddy will recap their workout stats and congratulate them on their achievements: 'Way to get your workout in! You went 4.3 miles in just over 38 minutes. Your average pace was 8 minutes and 58 seconds, and your average heart rate was 128. That was your longest run of the last 28 days. What will you do next?' To offer meaningful inspiration in real time, Workout Buddy analyzes data privately and securely, with Apple Intelligence. A new text-to-speech model then translates insights into a dynamic generative voice built using voice data from Fitness+ trainers, so it has the right energy, style, and tone for a workout. Workout Buddy will be available on Apple Watch with Bluetooth headphones, and requires an Apple Intelligence-supported iPhone® nearby. It will be available starting in English, across some of the most popular workout types: Outdoor and Indoor Run, Outdoor and Indoor Walk, Outdoor Cycle, HIIT, and Functional and Traditional Strength Training. Additional Updates to the Workout Experience The Workout app is one of the most popular apps on Apple Watch, and in watchOS 26, it debuts the biggest update to its layout and navigation since its introduction. Four new buttons in the corners of the app make it easier for users to access their favorite features to customize workouts, like Workout Views, Custom Workout, Pacer, Race Route, and more. To add inspiration, users can set up music and podcasts right in the Workout app to automatically play when they start a workout. For users' convenience, Apple Music® can now select the best playlist for a user's workout based on the workout type and their personal tastes. 1 Alternatively, users can see suggestions for playlists or podcasts based on what they've recently listened to during that particular workout type. The Smart Stack Becomes Even More Proactive The Smart Stack is designed to help users quickly access important information from any watch face. In watchOS 26, the Smart Stack improves its prediction algorithms by incorporating more contextual data, sensor data, and data from a user's routine to provide Smart Stack hints, a proactive prompt for actionable suggestions that are immediately useful. Made of Liquid Glass, Smart Stack hints will appear on the display as a gentle visual prompt. For example, a hint for Backtrack may appear when a user is in a remote location with no connectivity, or a hint for a Pilates workout may show up when a user arrives at a studio location at their usual time. Added Convenience in Messages Apple Watch now supports Live Translation in Messages with Apple Intelligence, allowing incoming texts to be automatically translated into a user's preferred language, right on their wrist. 2 And when the user responds, their texts can be instantly translated for the person they're having a conversation with. Live Translation will be available on Apple Watch Series 9, Apple Watch Series 10, and Apple Watch Ultra® 2, with an Apple Intelligence-supported iPhone. Additionally, for users whose device language is set to English, Apple Watch will intelligently suggest relevant actions in Messages using the context of a conversation, like starting a Check In when a friend asks a user to share when they arrive home, or using Apple Cash® when a user is asked to contribute to a group gift. Customizable Backgrounds set on iPhone will also appear on Apple Watch to make conversations feel more personal and distinct, and users can respond to polls right on their wrist. Smart Replies get even more precise for users whose device language is set to English, with an improved on-device language model that can generate relevant responses based on the content of a conversation. 3 Notifications Are Easier to Manage Notifications are even easier to manage with a simple wrist flick gesture on Apple Watch Series 9, Apple Watch Series 10, and Apple Watch Ultra 2. When a user raises their wrist to check a notification but isn't ready to respond, they can quickly turn their wrist over and back to dismiss the notification. The wrist flick gesture can be used to dismiss notifications and incoming calls, silence timers and alarms, and return to the watch face. It uses the accelerometer and the gyroscope — along with a machine learning model — to analyze a user's wrist movement. Wrist flick joins the double tap gesture to allow users to do even more on Apple Watch with only one hand, for times when the user's other hand is occupied, such as when walking the dog, cooking, or holding a cup of coffee. Apple Watch can also now automatically adjust the speaker volume based on the ambient noise in a user's surroundings for notifications, timers, alarms, incoming calls, and Siri®, allowing them to stay connected without worrying about disturbing those around them. Additional updates in watchOS 26: The Notes app comes to Apple Watch, allowing users to access their notes right on their wrist. Users can also pin and unlock notes, complete checklist items, and create new notes with Siri, dictation, and the keyboard. Hold Assist and Call Screening come to the Phone app, when an iPhone is nearby. When a user is waiting for a live agent, Hold Assist recognizes once a live agent is available and notifies the user to return to the call. 4 Call Screening helps users manage incoming phone calls from unknown numbers more efficiently by collecting a name and reason for the call before their phone rings, so they can make an informed decision on whether to pick up, decline the call, or ask for more information. 5 For users who are deaf or hard of hearing, Live Listen® controls come to Apple Watch with a new set of features, including real-time Live Captions of what their iPhone hears on a paired Apple Watch while listening to the audio. 6 Apple Watch serves as a remote control to start or stop Live Listen sessions on a paired iPhone, or jump back into a session to capture something that may have been missed. The Photos face will now shuffle images based on Featured content from Photos, so users can see images of their most meaningful moments every time they raise their wrist or tap the display. Users can now explore and discover watch faces more easily with the redesigned watch face gallery on Apple Watch and in the Watch app on iPhone, with faces grouped into collections. New Tools for Developers Developers are able to take advantage of new APIs in watchOS 26 across design, the Smart Stack, and more. Developers can use new SwiftUI® APIs to adopt the beautiful new design materials of watchOS 26. With the Control Widget API, developers can create custom controls to be added to the Control Center, Action Button, or Smart Stack widget, and the Smart Stack Relevance API allows third-party widgets to be added to the Smart Stack with new signals like Points of Interest, with user permission to incorporate location data. For example, the Smart Stack can intelligently show a widget for Slopes when users arrive at a ski resort with improved location APIs, and now Dark Noise can add a custom control to Control Center so users can easily turn on a sleep soundscape without picking up their iPhone. Availability All of these features are available for testing starting today through the Apple Developer Program at and a public beta will be available through the Apple Beta Software Program next month at watchOS 26 will be available this fall as a free software update for Apple Watch Series 6 or later, Apple Watch SE® (2nd generation), and all Apple Watch Ultra models, paired with iPhone 11 or later, running iOS 26. The Apple Intelligence features detailed require supported devices, which include all iPhone 16 models, iPhone 15 Pro, and iPhone 15 Pro Max that have Apple Intelligence enabled and Siri and device language set to the same supported language. Features are subject to change. Some features may not be available in all languages or regions, and availability may vary due to local laws and regulations. For more information about availability, visit Apple revolutionized personal technology with the introduction of the Macintosh in 1984. Today, Apple leads the world in innovation with iPhone, iPad, Mac, AirPods, Apple Watch, and Apple Vision Pro. Apple's six software platforms — iOS, iPadOS, macOS, watchOS, visionOS, and tvOS — provide seamless experiences across all Apple devices and empower people with breakthrough services including the App Store, Apple Music, Apple Pay, iCloud, and Apple TV+. Apple's more than 150,000 employees are dedicated to making the best products on earth and to leaving the world better than we found it. Footnotes 1. Apple Music subscription is required for automatic music selection. 2. Live Translation in Messages will be available on Apple Watch Series 9, Apple Watch Series 10, and Apple Watch Ultra 2 when paired with an Apple Intelligence-enabled iPhone. Live Translation in Messages supports English (U.S., UK), French (France), German, Italian, Japanese, Korean, Portuguese (Brazil), Spanish (Spain), and Chinese (simplified). 3. Updates to Smart Replies will be available on Apple Watch Series 9, Apple Watch Series 10, and Apple Watch Ultra 2. 4. Hold Assist requires iPhone nearby, and supports English (U.S., Australia, Canada, India, Singapore, UK), French (France), German (Germany), Japanese, Mandarin Chinese (China mainland), Portuguese (Brazil), and Spanish (U.S., Mexico, Spain). 5. Call Screening requires iPhone nearby, and supports Cantonese (China mainland, Hong Kong, Macao), English (U.S., Australia, Canada, India, Ireland, New Zealand, Puerto Rico, Singapore, South Africa, UK), French (Canada, France), German (Germany), Japanese, Korean, Mandarin Chinese (China mainland, Macao, Taiwan), Portuguese (Brazil), and Spanish (U.S., Mexico, Puerto Rico, Spain). 6. Live Captions support English (U.S., Australia, Canada, India, Singapore, UK), German (Germany), French (Canada, France), Spanish (U.S., Mexico, Spain), Japanese, Korean, Mandarin Chinese (China mainland), and Cantonese (China mainland, Hong Kong). © 2025 Apple Inc. All rights reserved. Apple, the Apple logo, watchOS, Apple Intelligence, Apple Watch, iPhone, Apple Music, Apple Watch Ultra, Apple Cash, Siri, Live Listen, SwiftUI, and Apple Watch SE are trademarks of Apple. Other company and product names may be trademarks of their respective owners.
