Apple announces the latest watchOS 9

Apple never stops with their announcement by unveiling their newest watchOS 9, their wearable operating system for their Apple Watch. Here are the latest features of the watchOS 9.

Watch Face

The watchOS 9 now features four (4) new faces, Lunar, Playtime, Metropolitan and Astronomy. A New Portrait face is also added to display the depth effect on more images. Focus has been expanded to the watchOS 9 so users select a specific Apple Watch Face and tie it up to a specific Focus on your iPhone.

Workout App

To rotate around easy-to-read workout views, the workout app’s familiar in-session display now uses the Digital Crown. The Heart Rate Zones now can be used to check the intensity of a user’s workout. Workout App also has now Custom Workout, in which users can create their own workout with work and rest intervals. For triathletes, the new Multisport workout is added so it’ll automatically switch between swimming, biking, and running workouts, using motion sensors to recognize movement patterns.

For Runners

The Apple Watch now has new running form metrics which are Stride Length, Ground Contact Time, and Vertical Oscillation. All of these can be added as metrics on the Workout Views.A new pacer experience is also present to let users choose the distance and goal for the duration that the person completes the run, then calculate the pace required to achieve the set goal.

Swimming

A new stroke type called Kickboard detection has been added for the Pool Swim workout. Swimmers can also track now their SWOLF score efficiently.

Apple Fitness+ Workouts

Apple Fitness+ is a fitness and wellness service built for Apple Watch. It uses real-time workout metrics from Apple Watch right on the screen with iPhone, iPad, or Apple TV so users will be motivated from start to finish. Those with no Apple TV can use AirPlay to stream workouts and meditations.

Sleep Insights

Sleep Insights now features Sleep Stages. Apple Watch can now sense if users are in REM, Core, or Deep sleep. Users can also help in the Science of Sleep by contributing their Sleep Stage Data in the Apple Heart and Movement Study through the Research app

AFib History

Users with Atrial Fibrillation (AFib) can use the FDA-cleared AFib History feature and access crucial information like the user’s heart rhythm. The Apple Watch will also notify the user weekly to better understand the frequency and view a detailed history in the Health app, including factors that can influence AFib.

Medication

iPhone and Apple Watch now have Medications. It helps its users track and manage their medications, vitamins, and supplements, create a medications list, set up schedules and reminders, and view information on their medications in the Health app. Custom schedules can also be created for each medication.

Privacy

Any Health data are encrypted when backed up to iCloud whether going in or out of the Apple Servers.

Other watchOS 9 Updates

• Notifications have been revamped
• Family Setup now supports Home app
• Apple Watch now also has Quick Actions including answering or ending a phone call, taking photo and many more
• People with disabilities can now control Apple remotely using their paired iPhone through Apple Watch Mirroring.
• The QWERTY keyboard on Apple Watch Series 7 adds support for French, German, Italian, Japanese, Portuguese (Brazil), and Spanish (Mexico, Spain, Latin America).
• A remodeled Dock
• Users can now add or edit important details in the Reminders App.
• Users can create new events directly through the Apple Watch
• Cardio Recovery fitness metric is now used in watchOS 9. Users can now see the estimated Cardio Recover after strenuous activity.

watchOS 9 requires iPhone 8 or later with iOS 16 or later and one of the following Apple Watch models:

• Apple Watch Series 4
• Apple Watch Series 5
• Apple Watch SE
• Apple Watch Series 6
• Apple Watch Series 7

Not all features are available on all devices, regions, or languages.