WatchOS 9: What’s New and What’s Coming to Your Apple Watch in the Next Version
This year, Apple is slated to release the Apple Watch Series 8, which is expected to have a number of new capabilities. Every year, the corporation releases a new version of its software.
Apple’s WatchOS 8 update introduced a new app called “Mindfulness” and improved workout identification for cycling. If you have an older version of the Apple Watch Series 3, you can use the software. However, some functionalities may be unavailable.
Apple’s next Worldwide Developers Conference in June is expected to provide a sneak peak of the company’s next big Apple Watch software upgrade. From what we’ve heard, it appears that battery life will be improved, as well as other health and safety features.
A brand-new low-power setting
As far as battery life goes, Apple hasn’t made any substantial changes recently, but it could be about to. According to Bloomberg, Apple is aiming to offer a new low-power mode for WatchOS 9 that would allow the devices to run various apps and functionalities without consuming as much power. Apple Watch’s existing power reserve mode simply lets you view the clock and disables other functions to conserve battery life, so it sounds like this would be a departure from that.
Bloomberg suggests that a new function like the one it describes could make up for the Apple Watch’s low battery life, which lasts roughly a day and a half on average. This, along with the Series 7’s faster charging, might greatly extend the battery life of the Apple Watch, which could be vital if you want to use it to track your sleep.
A system for detecting car accidents before they happen.
As of now, the Apple Watch is able to tell you whether you’ve experienced a hard fall while you’re walking. It may also be able to detect car accidents in the future. According to The Wall Street Journal, Apple plans to employ sensors in iPhones and Apple Watches to detect car crashes in real time. This year could be the year for the new feature. A similar feature is currently available on Google’s Pixel phones, which immediately contacts emergency services and reveals your location if it detects that you’ve been involved in a major automobile incident.
Medicine reminders, as well as other health-related services, are now available.
Keeping users healthy has long been a top priority for Apple, and it appears that the firm intends to go one step further with its impending software upgrade. Bloomberg says that Apple may add new features to the iPhone’s Health app this year, such as reminders to take medications and better ways to track sleep and women’s health.
It’s possible these new features will also be available on the Apple Watch, even if they’re only alerts. Reminders would be sent to users when it was time to take their medication by scanning their prescription labels in the Health app.
Detection of atrial fibrillation has been improved.
Atrial fibrillation, a common heart arrhythmia that raises the risk of stroke, may also be improved by Apple’s smartwatches. The “burden,” or how often a person gets AFib over a period of time, may be able to be detected by the next Apple Watch software update, according to Bloomberg. Fitbit’s atrial fibrillation detection technology was just cleared by the US Food and Drug Administration, so the time for the introduction is right.
New watchfaces and fitness modes have been introduced recently.
WatchOS 9 is expected to bring new watch faces and workout options, as is customary with Apple’s software updates. According to Bloomberg, Apple’s next software update will include new watch faces and exercise modes, but the publication didn’t go into much detail. There are also rumors of new running metrics on the way.
Recently, Apple has increased the number of workouts that can be performed on an Apple Watch. Improved identification of cycling workouts was enabled in WatchOS 8 with Pilates and Tai Chi. In 2020, the watch also added dancing workout support.
Older Apple Watch models are compatible with the newer generation.
That could change in 2022 when Apple releases its next set of software updates, which may not be compatible with watches older than the Series 3. TF International Securities analyst Ming-Chi Kuo recently claimed that the Series 3 may be discontinued since the upcoming version of WatchOS will not be compatible with it. WatchOS 9 is expected to be compatible with Series 4 and later models, but we won’t know for sure until Apple releases the update.
The Apple Series 3 was the first Apple model to include built-in cellular connectivity, making it possible to use it without an iPhone. The $199 Series 3 is still available from Apple with the $279 Series SE and $399 Series 7. Our recommendation isn’t to get a Series 3 in 2022 because it’s outdated. Additionally, it’s a pain to update, and there are better solutions for the same price range.
The release date was set for September.
WatchOS 9 is likely to be released in September if Apple follows its previous release schedule. This year is the first time Apple has not released its new software with a new watch model. In September, Apple released WatchOS 8, but the Apple Watch Series 7 wasn’t available until October.
This year’s Worldwide Developers Conference (WWDC) in June is expected to give us a better idea of what’s in store for WatchOS 9. A public beta version of the software could also come out soon after, giving watch owners a chance to try out an early version of the software before it comes out officially.
What We Want To See.
As exciting as WatchOS 9 sounds, there are a few additions on my own wish list that Apple should include. tracking sleep, supporting rest and recuperation after workouts, adjusting activity goals for different days of the week, the ability to use the U1 chip in new ways, and more Sleep tracking and workout recovery, in particular, could help the Apple Watch catch up to Fitbit and Oura competitors.
If the rumors are true, Apple’s next software update will have a focus on health and wellbeing. A further indication that the Apple Watch has matured into a smart health tracking device capable of doing more than simply logging workouts and activity. Bloomberg and WSJ say that the upcoming Apple Watch Series 8 will be the first to have a temperature sensor.
