The next big software update for the Apple Watch — watchOS 10 — will roll out this fall. Apple gave us a preview of watchOS 10 earlier this month at WWDC and, as you'd expect, it promises to deliver a new look and new abilities to your current Apple Watch. There will be fresh watch faces, updated app designs and a bunch of new features (especially for hikers and cyclists).
The most significant update, however, is that widgets are going to be available on the Apple Watch for the first time. This means you'll be able to quickly see more information from more of the apps you use every day just by glancing down at your wrist.
Meet the Smart Stack
iPhone users will likely know the "Smart Stack" well as Apple introduced it several years ago with iOS 14. Essentially, it's a widget that lives on your Home Screen that "stacks" multiple apps on top of each other and allows you to easily scroll or swipe between them, accessing their information without actually having to open the app. When watchOS 10 rolls out, you'll be able to have a similar Smart Stack live on your Apple Watch's Home Screen.
You'll be able to have up to 10 apps integrated into a Smart Stack on your Apple Watch; only Apple's own apps (such as Weather, Maps, Messages, Activity and World Clock) will be available at the start, but third-party developers will be able to update their own apps so that they can be integrated as well. One of the neatest things about the Smart Stack is that learn your habits over time and then display certain apps on your Apple Watch at different times of the day.
You'll be able to scroll through them in two ways: scrolling with the digital crown or scrolling up on the watch face with your finger. (Note: the way you access the Control Center on your Apple Watch is going to change. Instead of swiping up from the bottom of your watch face, which is now one way of swiping through your Smart Stack, you're going to access it by pressing in on your Apple Watch's side button.)
A better bike computer
If you're a cyclist that exercises with the Apple Watch, watchOS 10 will deliver some key features that'' make it work more similar to a proper bike computer.
First, there's a new "Live Activity" view that works in tandem with your Apple Watch and iPhone. When you start a cycling workout on your Apple Watch, a new "Live Activity" will also pop up on your iPhone; you'll be able to mount your iPhone on your bike's handlebars and see more of your workout metrics (such as heart rate zones, elevation, cycling speed and distance) while you ride. So there's less need to lift up your wrist to get a glance at your performance.
And secondly, watchOS 10 promises to bring support for a variety of third-party accessories like power meters and speed sensors for the first time. This will allow the Apple Watch to access more data and more metrics (such as cycling power and cadence), and therefore show cyclists more accurate information about their workout.
A more helpful hiking companion
Hikers wearing an Apple Watch will benefit from watchOS 10, as well. The most significant update has to do with maps. For the first time, you'll be able to download maps to your Apple Watch for offline viewing. You'll also be able to see new topographic maps to help you get a better idea of the 3D landscapes.
The Compass app is getting some updates, too. There will be a new "Elevation" view that will also help you give you a more 3D view of your landscapes; it'll also show your waypoints at their various elevations, too. And the Compass app will automatically generate two waypoints: one (called the "Last Cellular Connection Waypoint") where you last got cell service and one (called "Last Emergency Call waypoint") that estimates where on your route you'll next be able to make an emergency call.
A faster way to share contacts
The coolest feature coming to your iPhone with iOS 17 is NameDrop — and it's also coming to the Apple Watch with watchOS 10. Just like with your iPhone, you'll be able to use your Apple Watch to share your contact information (like your name and phone number); all you'll have to do is bring your Apple Watch within close proximity of somebody else with an Apple Watch or iPhone and boom it's shared.
NameDrop promises to work very similarly to Handoff, which is a feature for quickly transitioning the music you're playing on your iPhone to your HomePod (or HomePod mini) when they're in close proximity to one another.
Which Apple Watch models will support watchOS 10?
In order to take advantage of these new features you'll need both an Apple Watch and an iPhone capable of running the latest softwares. That means you'll need an Apple Watch Series 4 (released in 2018) or newer. And you'll need an iPhone XS or iPhone XR (both released in 2018) or newer. Any older model of Apple Watch or iPhone won't support watchOS 10 and iOS 17, respectively.
