watchOS 9: New watch faces
The Apple Watch gets four new watch faces called Astronomy, Lunal, Playtime, and Metropolitan. Existing watch faces also get a fresh coat of paint with the ability to change background colors and room for larger complications. In the future, the portrait watch face will also recognize dogs and cats taken with the iPhone portrait mode, which will then find a place in front of the time and the blurred background.
The background color of many clock faces can now be changed.
watchOS 9 refreshes the interface
The user interface is clearer: Frequently used apps now appear first in the dock. Particularly practical: notifications no longer cover the entire screen when the smartwatch is being used. The Apple Watch now displays them discreetly as a banner. This could also be tested in the beta.
Whoever is operating the clock sees incoming messages as a discreet banner.
Keyboard comes to Germany
In addition to dictation, doodling and emoji, entries on the watch will also be possible using a conventional keyboard on the watch. Basically, this is nothing new, because Apple had already announced this function when the Apple Watch 7 was presented. But at the start, the manufacturer only released the input keyboard in selected regions, including the USA. The German keyboard was still missing in the first developer beta of watchOS 9.
Apple improves the user interface.
Calendar app with new possibilities
The calendar app on the Apple Watch has not yet gone beyond displaying appointments. Entries could only be created with the help of Siri, the clock reminded of upcoming calendar events. The app shows this much better under watchOS 9: Apple Watch users can switch between different views and add appointments using the watch. All of this ran smoothly in the beta software and felt enormously intuitive.
Month view, week view, as a list and in the detail view: The calendar app now allows extensive access to appointments by clock.
Apple is expanding training and running features
When it comes to running training, the competition has already left Apple a bit behind. But with watchOS 9, the US group is starting to catch up! The company presents fresh running metrics, including ground contact time, mileage (“running power”) and vertical movement (“vertical oscillation”). To do this, the manufacturer uses both the gyroscope and the accelerometer to accurately detect upward and forward movements. Other training modes also benefit from the fresh metrics, including hiking, HIIT, and functional training. There are advanced training modes for running that help Goals to pursue, such as increasing the running speed. Own intervals could already be set for all sports in the beta, with the watch acoustically (or with a subtle vibration) heralding the change between recovery and training. If desired, the watch provides information on pace, heart rate, cadence and performance. If you like, kick your own best time on a specific route. in the triathlon mode the watch automatically switches between the modes for swimming, running and cycling – i.e. it recognizes them based on the movements – a first!
Tailored training is now available for running.
watchOS 9 brings heart rate zones
The Apple Watch always records the heart rate exactly, that’s old hat. For sports, it prepares the data better on watchOS 9 by sorting it into zones. However, Apple only implements this for some training modes, including running, cycling and HIIT. In this way, athletes find out whether they are training at a healthy level. In the beta software, the overview was found by scrolling within the training view. By the way: The watch calculates the limits for the zones based on your own resting heart rate. If you know your values, you can also edit the maximum heart rate manually. This is what sports watch manufacturers like Garmin and Polar do. In addition, the health app contains a value for cardio recovery after training.
The heart rate is finally classified into zones.
The watch tracks sleep stages
watchOS 9 compensates for another shortcoming, because the Apple Watch now learns not only to record the duration of sleep, but also the sleep phases. Trying out the beta software shows what it looks like later: During the test sleep, the watch correctly recorded the phases as well as the heart and breathing rates. The evaluation can be found on the watch or in the health app on the iPhone.
Sleep phases & Co. recorded the Apple Watch under developer beta of watchOS 9.
The Apple Watch will record sleep quality in the future.
Cardiac rhythm monitoring expanded
Apple brought a groundbreaking innovation to its smartwatch in 2018 with the ECG function. The electrocardiogram records the heart rhythm and reveals whether the heart is beating evenly or whether there are signs of the dangerous cardiac arrhythmia atrial fibrillation. So far, the function has mainly been used to detect a possible arrhythmia. Withings, Fitbit and Samsung have now also installed this in their watches. But now Apple is leading the way again: In the future it will be possible to use the Apple Watch to monitor a diagnosed cardiac arrhythmia with the so-called Atrial Fibrillation Protocol to monitor permanently. There is a special mode for this, in which the watch provides information on how often, when and for how long the arrhythmia occurs, based on the data from the optical heart rate sensor. It is therefore not necessary to actively carry out the 30-second ECG measurement. It is also possible to record factors that may be related to the heart rhythm. The function is certified by the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA).
The “AFib History” function collects data about the heart rhythm.
watchOS 9 brings medication app
The new medication app makes it possible to monitor medication via the Apple Watch. The clock reminds you to take medication, vitamins and dietary supplements, which can then be documented. The functions are set up via the Health app on the iPhone, as the developer beta shows. In the USA, the app also provides information about possible interactions with other substances, tablets or food. It is unclear whether and when the latter function will come to Germany.
The medication app reminds you to take it and acts as a log for taking it.
The clock reminds you to take a medicine.
Compatibility: The Apple Watch 3 is out!
Updates for watchOS 7 and 8 have so far reached back to the Apple Watch Series 3, which was introduced in 2017 and which Apple still sells in stores. Now the Series 3 is out, the Apple Watch 4 and newer get the update.
watchOS 9 improves the user interface and brings new fitness and health features to the Apple Watch 4 and later.
watchOS 9 release and beta
watchOS 9 will land on users of compatible Apple Watches in fall 2022. As for the iPhone, Mac and iPad, the company is now also providing a beta version of the operating system for the smartwatch in advance. The beginning makes the developer beta for registered developers, which is available immediately. This will follow in July 2022 public beta, the use of which is open to all. However, use of the non-final software is at your own risk. It may contain errors – so if in doubt, you should only use it on second devices.
