watchOS 9: Everything you need to know about the new Apple Watch OS | News 4 Social
Apple has just announced new features for watchOS 9 during its iPhone 14 launch keynote. In addition to the features already known since WWDC 2022, the manufacturer presented new features such as Retrospective Ovulation Estimates, Crash Detection, or the new Low Power Mode. Discover all the new features of the Apple Watch OS here.
TL;DR
- Apple presented new features of watchOS 9 at its September keynote.
- watchOS 9 offers support for the Apple Watch 4 series and above.
Last year, watchOS 8 brought features such as using your iPhone as a keyboard for the Watch, new functions for the Wallet app, as well as a number of wellness functions. This year, the company has invested even more in the health-features of the most successful watch in the world, as well as features for women’s health and those who simply love to tell the time on their wrist.
Jump to:
watchOS 9: All the new features coming to the Apple Watch
Oceanic+ app
Apple has also launched a new app called Oceanic+ that transforms the Apple Watch Ultra into a powerful tool for water and ocean sports enthusiasts. It will display various data and information related to these activities. This app will, of course, be exclusive to the Apple Watch Ultra.
Compass app
Apple completely redesigned the Compass app in watchOS 9. It features more detailed information and three distinct views. Compass Waypoints will allow you to quickly mark a location or point of interest directly in the app. Backtrack will use GPS data to create a route that shows where you were, which can be used to find your way back if you get lost.
Watch faces
As an announcement of watchOS 9, Apple made improvements to some watch faces like Astronomy, Lunar, PlayTime face and Metropolitan. In addition, we had improvements to the Siri interface.
Power-saving mode
watchOS 9 will bring a new power-saving mode that will be able to better manage power consumption to extend the battery life of your smartwatch for up to 36 hours. This new feature will be available to users of Apple Watch Series 4 or higher.
Crash Detection
Cycle Tracking
Thanks to the new temperature sensor on the Apple Watch Series 8, watchOS 9 brings new menstrual cycle tracking features. The Apple Watch Series 8 will be able to inform women when they enter the ovulation period.
To achieve this, the smartwatch will measure your body temperature every five seconds to determine its variations during the night. All data will be processed locally on the smartwatch and then shared in end-to-end encryption on iCloud.
Workout app
One of Apple Watch users most used features undoubtedly is the Workout app, with a series of exercise profiles and metrics to track your performance during workouts more efficient. With watchOS 9 Apple brings three new metrics for running. You can now see your stride length and ground contact time, as well as heart rate zones.
Using Machine Learning (ML) capabilities combined with watch sensors, the software can isolate torso movement and provide an accurate report on training progress. This also makes it possible to create custom workouts, allowing you to monitor what is really relevant for your workout.
Alerts during workouts
Another new feature is the alert function that is available during workouts. You can configure the type of alert you want to receive in advance during your workouts. This way, you can easily be informed about your workout goals or dangers without looking at the watch regularly.
If you don’t own an Apple Watch, you can still benefit from the new health features. Because Apple’s Fitness App will be rolled out to all iPhone users starting with iOS 16. This is a big change for Apple users as most features were exclusively available to Apple Watch users in the past.
Health app: Sleep Stages
The Health app has now received the Sleep Stages feature, which combines watch sensors like the accelerometer and heart monitor to understand which stages of sleep you have remained in longest. Research was conducted to better understand how sleep stages impact people’s health, and now Apple also wants to use such information to improve your sleep reports as well.
AFib
Apple has also improved the way Apple Watch detects atrial fibrillation—a fairly common type of heart arrhythmia that can increase your risk of stroke. Now, watchOS will be able to detect how often a person experiences AFib over a certain period of time.
Medication monitoring
watchOS 9 makes it easier to keep track of medication intake, with reminders sent for use of these frequently used medications. Everything can be monitored from the Health app, and it will even be possible to add the medications using the iPhone camera and scan the product label.
In addition, it will be possible to use the sharing feature with family members to help monitor the health of family members.
Privacy
During the presentation, Apple executives made a point of reaffirming their concern for people’s health data and ensuring that it remains encrypted on the device.
Other functions
This was a first presentation of what we can expect from watchOS 9, so many features were only mentioned, such as the arrival of six new languages to the watchOS keyboard and the ability to control smart devices from the watch with Family Setup.
Notifications have been adjusted to be less disruptive, and on the accessibility front we have the new Apple Watch Mirroring feature, which will allow people with physical and motor disabilities to control the Apple Watch remotely.
watchOS 9: These Apple Watch models will receive the update
watchOS 9 will be available at the same time as the new Apple Watch Series 8 and SE, which will be released on September 16. These are the Apple Watches that will receive the watchOS 9 update:
And of course, Apple will preload the upcoming Watch Series 8 with the new watchOS 9 right out of the box. Here is our tutorial on how to download and install watchOS 9 right now on your Apple Watch.
So, what do you think about the new features coming with watchOS 9? Which of the new features is the most relevant to you?
This article was written in collaboration with Florian Philon having been updated in September 2022. The comments prior to the republication of this article have been retained.
Apple has just announced new features for watchOS 9 during its iPhone 14 launch keynote. In addition to the features already known since WWDC 2022, the manufacturer presented new features such as Retrospective Ovulation Estimates, Crash Detection, or the new Low Power Mode. Discover all the new features of the Apple Watch OS here.
TL;DR
- Apple presented new features of watchOS 9 at its September keynote.
- watchOS 9 offers support for the Apple Watch 4 series and above.
Last year, watchOS 8 brought features such as using your iPhone as a keyboard for the Watch, new functions for the Wallet app, as well as a number of wellness functions. This year, the company has invested even more in the health-features of the most successful watch in the world, as well as features for women’s health and those who simply love to tell the time on their wrist.
Jump to:
watchOS 9: All the new features coming to the Apple Watch
Oceanic+ app
Apple has also launched a new app called Oceanic+ that transforms the Apple Watch Ultra into a powerful tool for water and ocean sports enthusiasts. It will display various data and information related to these activities. This app will, of course, be exclusive to the Apple Watch Ultra.
Compass app
Apple completely redesigned the Compass app in watchOS 9. It features more detailed information and three distinct views. Compass Waypoints will allow you to quickly mark a location or point of interest directly in the app. Backtrack will use GPS data to create a route that shows where you were, which can be used to find your way back if you get lost.
Watch faces
As an announcement of watchOS 9, Apple made improvements to some watch faces like Astronomy, Lunar, PlayTime face and Metropolitan. In addition, we had improvements to the Siri interface.
Power-saving mode
watchOS 9 will bring a new power-saving mode that will be able to better manage power consumption to extend the battery life of your smartwatch for up to 36 hours. This new feature will be available to users of Apple Watch Series 4 or higher.
Crash Detection
Cycle Tracking
Thanks to the new temperature sensor on the Apple Watch Series 8, watchOS 9 brings new menstrual cycle tracking features. The Apple Watch Series 8 will be able to inform women when they enter the ovulation period.
To achieve this, the smartwatch will measure your body temperature every five seconds to determine its variations during the night. All data will be processed locally on the smartwatch and then shared in end-to-end encryption on iCloud.
Workout app
One of Apple Watch users most used features undoubtedly is the Workout app, with a series of exercise profiles and metrics to track your performance during workouts more efficient. With watchOS 9 Apple brings three new metrics for running. You can now see your stride length and ground contact time, as well as heart rate zones.
Using Machine Learning (ML) capabilities combined with watch sensors, the software can isolate torso movement and provide an accurate report on training progress. This also makes it possible to create custom workouts, allowing you to monitor what is really relevant for your workout.
Alerts during workouts
Another new feature is the alert function that is available during workouts. You can configure the type of alert you want to receive in advance during your workouts. This way, you can easily be informed about your workout goals or dangers without looking at the watch regularly.
If you don’t own an Apple Watch, you can still benefit from the new health features. Because Apple’s Fitness App will be rolled out to all iPhone users starting with iOS 16. This is a big change for Apple users as most features were exclusively available to Apple Watch users in the past.
Health app: Sleep Stages
The Health app has now received the Sleep Stages feature, which combines watch sensors like the accelerometer and heart monitor to understand which stages of sleep you have remained in longest. Research was conducted to better understand how sleep stages impact people’s health, and now Apple also wants to use such information to improve your sleep reports as well.
AFib
Apple has also improved the way Apple Watch detects atrial fibrillation—a fairly common type of heart arrhythmia that can increase your risk of stroke. Now, watchOS will be able to detect how often a person experiences AFib over a certain period of time.
Medication monitoring
watchOS 9 makes it easier to keep track of medication intake, with reminders sent for use of these frequently used medications. Everything can be monitored from the Health app, and it will even be possible to add the medications using the iPhone camera and scan the product label.
In addition, it will be possible to use the sharing feature with family members to help monitor the health of family members.
Privacy
During the presentation, Apple executives made a point of reaffirming their concern for people’s health data and ensuring that it remains encrypted on the device.
Other functions
This was a first presentation of what we can expect from watchOS 9, so many features were only mentioned, such as the arrival of six new languages to the watchOS keyboard and the ability to control smart devices from the watch with Family Setup.
Notifications have been adjusted to be less disruptive, and on the accessibility front we have the new Apple Watch Mirroring feature, which will allow people with physical and motor disabilities to control the Apple Watch remotely.
watchOS 9: These Apple Watch models will receive the update
watchOS 9 will be available at the same time as the new Apple Watch Series 8 and SE, which will be released on September 16. These are the Apple Watches that will receive the watchOS 9 update:
And of course, Apple will preload the upcoming Watch Series 8 with the new watchOS 9 right out of the box. Here is our tutorial on how to download and install watchOS 9 right now on your Apple Watch.
So, what do you think about the new features coming with watchOS 9? Which of the new features is the most relevant to you?
This article was written in collaboration with Florian Philon having been updated in September 2022. The comments prior to the republication of this article have been retained.