watchOS 10: Key features you should know about Apple's new wearable OS

The new watchOS 10 brings several new features such as Smart Stacks, Vision Health, new metrics for cycling, Name Drop and more to Apple Watches

Apple earlier this month offered a sneak peek at its new watchOS 10 at the annual World Wide Developers Conference (WWDC) 2023. Now, the watchOS 10 beta is now available for public testers to check out the new feature firsthand, several months before the official release in September 2023.

The new watchOS 10 comes with several new features and also user interface design changes along with the new body health tracking, improved sports activities metrics and more.
watchOS 10: Key features of Apple's new smart wearable OS

New design language
To make use of the wider screen of Apple Watches, the new watchOS 10 will ensure more information can be viewed at a glance. Be it messages or the preview of any notification, more information will be viewable than before.

Even with other apps such as news or sports, developers can make use of the latest tools to display more information such as ongoing match's live score, and other statistics on Apple Watches' screen.

Another new coming with respect to the user interface is the Smart Stack. Using a digital crown, users can simply roll it to view recently viewed apps with ease.

Earlier the side button was mainly used to see the recently opened apps. Now, you can directly open the control center by clicking the side button at any point in time or while using any app. It will overlap on it. And, double-click the Digital Crown reverts back to any apps used recently.

The new watchOS 10 will ensure more info is visible on the screen. Credit: Apple

Smart Stacks
With the new watchOS 10, Apple is bringing the Smart Stack feature. it contains widgets that display timely information that adapts to the user’s context and can be revealed with a simple turn of the Digital Crown from any watch face. For instance, it will show the weather in the early morning and while traveling towards an airport or appointment, it will smartly show the boarding pass of the flight or the calendar with the time of meeting and description.

The new watchOS 10 brings Smart Stack feature. Credit: Apple

New Watch faces
Like with every new major watchOS update, Apple will bring new watch faces and this time, the company is bringing fun and animated watch faces featuring the iconic comic strip characters of Peanuts-- Snoopy, the spotted beagle dog and its best friend Woodstock (the small Yellow bird).

New Watch Faces coming with watchOS 10. Credit: Apple

Cycling
Last year, Apple introduced new metrics to the workout app such as Stride Length, Ground Contact Time, and Vertical Oscillation to the Workout Views to help user understand how efficiently he/she run.

Now, it is bringing new metrics for cycling. Once updated to the latest watchOS 10, the app will automatically show up as a Live Activity on iPhone and, when tapped, will utilise the full screen of the Watch to show more details via Workout Views, such as Heart Rate Zones, Elevation, Race Route, Custom Workouts, and a new Cycling Speed view.

And, they also have been optimised for the display size of the iPhone, which can be mounted to a bike for convenient, easy viewing during a ride.

Workout Views for cycling optimised for Watch and iPhone

Add to that, Apple is bringing a new capability to Apple Watch, to automatically connect with the owner's Bluetooth-enabled cycling accessories, such as power meters, speed sensors, and cadence sensors. This way, Apple Watch will be able to show new metrics, including cycling power (watts) and cadence (RPM), and additional Workout Views, including Power Zones.

Apple has developed new algorithms that combine the sensor data from Apple Watch and connected power meters, to estimate Functional Threshold Power (FTP), the highest level of cycling intensity that a rider could theoretically maintain for an hour.

Using FTP, Apple Watch is capable of calculating personalised Power Zones, used to easily see the current zone and track how long is spent in each, which is an effective and popular way of improving performance.

Bluetooth connection is supported for Indoor and Outdoor cycling workouts, as well as GymKit.

Improvements to the Hiking feature will make trips safer with Apple Watch

With the watchOS 10, the Watch's Compass will be able to generate two new waypoints for Apple Watch users to plan their trekking journey better and safer
1) Last Cellular Connection Waypoint: This feature will estimate the last place with cellular reception, which may be useful for checking messages or making a call.
2) Last Emergency Call Waypoint: This will estimate where on the route their device had the last connection to any available carrier’s network so that an emergency call can be made.

And, Apple is also bringing a new Elevation view to the Watch. It uses altimeter data, offering a three-dimensional view of saved waypoints.

Apple Hiking app and Maps get new features with watchOS 10 update. Credit: Apple

Also, Apple Maps will now get the new topographic map featuring contour lines, hill shading, elevation details, and points of interest. With this, users will be able to handy information about the nearby trails and trailheads, with place cards that include detailed information, like trail length, type, and difficulty. However, it will be available initially in the US.

Mental Health
With the new watchOS 10, users can log their moods throughout the day with the Mindfulness app. Users have to select- the State of Mind tab and turn the Digital Crown to scroll through engaging, multidimensional shapes to choose how they are feeling, select what is having the biggest impact on them, and describe their feelings.

Apple watchOS 10 brings a new State of Mind feature to Mindfulness app. Credit: Apple

This information gets analysed on the Health app and it will offer insights on what is affecting your mental health stress, be it lifestyle choice or lack of sleep or exercise.

View FaceTime video messages on Apple Watch
Once the Watch gets updated to the watchOS 10, users will be able playback FaceTime video messages and view it directly on Apple Watch. And, also Group FaceTime audio will be supported on Apple Watch too.

Time in Daylight feature. Credit: Apple

Vision Health
With the watchOS 10, Apple Watch is bringing a new feature to measure time spent in daylight using the ambient light sensor. Users can view this information in the Health app on iPhones or iPad. Recent studies have revealed that kids are at risk of getting myopia (nearsightedness) due to lack of exposure to sunlight. Children should spend around 80-to-120 minutes a day outdoors to generate Vitamin D (within the body), which plays a very critical role in ensuring good eyesight health.

Improved Medication app
With the new update, the medication app will send follow-up reminders if a medication hasn’t been logged 30 minutes after the scheduled time.

Apple is also bringing important features of iOS 17 for iPhones, to Apple Watches too. Some include the option to download maps and view them offline via Apple Maps app. And, NameDrop feature allows users to easily share contact information by bringing Apple Watch close to someone else’s iPhone.

List of Apple Watches eligible for watchOS 10 update:
Apple Watch Series 4, Watch Series 5, Watch SE (1st Gen), Apple Watch Series 6, Apple Watch Series 7, Watch Series 8, Watch SE (2nd Gen) and Watch Ultra.

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