Apple are currently reworking watchOS as it leads to the 10th jubilee version, becoming available to developers today with watchOS 10, and a public beta to come a month from now.
The main screen of watchOS 10 is now called Smart Stack, many widgets that allow for information such as weather and upcoming calendar events to be viewed at a quick glance.
There are also changes being made to the physical controls, with a press on the side button opening the Control Centre at any time, and a double press on the Digital Crown taking the user back to recent apps.
The apps will also use more of the screen with the new update.
There are also new watch faces coming to Apple Watch Series. Palette can depict time in multiple colours and change throughout the day, coming with exclusive Snoopy and Woodstock clockfaces.
WatchOS 10 will also allow users get offline maps with turn-by-turn navigation, trail information for hikers including type, length and difficulty, along with a 3D map of the waypoints, and connect to a last known location with cell coverage in case help is needed.
New cycling features have also been added where users can view speed, elevation, heart rate, duration, and distance. The screen can also readily connect to Bluetooth cycling computers.
Vision has been added to Health, which can measure time spent in daylight vs. ambient light sensor, and track distance to where a user looked at the screen using the depth camera of an iPhone or iPad. If it is held closer than 30cm for an extended period of time, the user will receive a notification.
Mental Health is a new addition that can log moods using the digital crown to choose emotions as abstract shapes. There are also standardised quizzes to assess risk of anxiety or depression.
