WWDC 2023: watchOS 10 for Apple Watch officially unveiled
Apple Inc. has officially unveiled watchOS 10, a landmark update for Apple Watch, offering redesigned apps, a new Smart Stack, additional watch faces, new cycling and hiking features, and tools to support mental health. The latest iteration of the world’s most advanced wearable operating system, watchOS 10, redefines the user experience with a new design language and navigation that allows users to view information more quickly and intuitively.
Kevin Lynch, Apple’s vice president of Technology, emphasized the significance of the update, stating, “watchOS 10 is a major milestone and an energizing new approach for Apple Watch, introducing a fresh new design for quickly viewing information, delightful new watch faces, new features for cyclists and hikers, and important tools for health.”
The update offers redesigned apps that provide more information at a glance and introduces new ways to navigate and quickly access the content. Several Apple Watch apps, including Weather, Stocks, Home, Maps, Messages, World Clock, and others, now utilize more of the Apple Watch display for more glanceable information. The Activity app on Apple Watch and the Fitness app on iPhone has also been improved, making tracking daily movement even easier with more details, improvements to sharing, a redesigned trophy case, and Apple Fitness+ trainer tips.
A significant feature of watchOS 10 is the new Smart Stack, containing widgets that display timely information adapting to the user’s context. The Smart Stack can be revealed with a simple turn of the Digital Crown from any watch face. For instance, Weather will show the forecast at the start of the day, and when traveling, the Smart Stack will display boarding passes from Wallet. Calendar and Reminders reshuffle to the top to display upcoming meetings or tasks, and running apps such as Podcasts will also move up so they are readily available. The new feature allows users to enjoy an aesthetically pleasing watch face while still having quick access to vital information.
Developers also have the opportunity to utilize the new design language to update their apps. For instance, the Streaks app now uses the entire display to easily show progress and access tasks, the NBA app has been updated with team colors and new game details, and the Waterllama app allows users to quickly glance at their hydration from the past seven days with just a turn of the Digital Crown.
Apple has made watchOS 10 available as a developer beta as of today, and it will be available as a free software update this fall.
