During its WWDC 2025 tech conference, Apple announced its latest mobile operating system, including watchOS 26, which is specifically designed for smartwatches.
Apple indicated that the new operating system for its watches includes completely new user interfaces, improved features, and many new features, including:
Workout Buddy:
The first feature of watchOS 26 is the Workout Buddy app, which motivates users in an innovative way. The app collects exercise data, provides useful information, uses positive and encouraging words, notes athletic achievements, and provides summaries of the user's physical activity. Initially, the app will be available only in English with a limited selection of workout types.
Smart Stack:
The next innovation brought by the new update is an improvement to the Smart Stack function, which allows quick access to data via widgets. These widgets are now able to analyze larger amounts of data, improve their suggestions, and provide significantly more useful information to the user. For example, they can now provide smartwatch users with a summary of their workouts or a summary of the arrival time home if the watch is within range of a specific network.
Live Translation:
With watchOS 26, Apple Watch now supports Real-Time Translation, a feature powered by Apple's AI, which adapts incoming messages to the user's chosen language. This feature also translates the messages sent by the watch owner. This feature will be available on Apple Watch Series 9, Apple Watch Series 10, and Apple Watch Ultra 2 when connected to an iPhone that supports AI.
In addition to improved features and new expressive interfaces, Apple has finally added a Notes app to its smartwatch, as well as a feature that helps end voice calls or dismiss notifications on the watch using hand gestures. With the launch of watchOS 26, the watch will also receive new settings to adjust the volume of incoming calls and messages to adapt to the user's ambient noise.
