watchOS 8 preview has been launched by Apple at its WWDC 2021 keynote. The new watchOS model, that shall be out there to Apple Watch customers later this 12 months, is aimed to assist customers “stay healthy, active, and connected” and carries updates together with redesigned Breathe app that’s now referred to as Mindfulness, upgraded Home app, and Messages with assist for GIFs. The watchOS 8 replace can even deliver the Contacts app to Apple Watch. Apple has moreover introduced Focus to the newest watchOS model that can be out there on iOS 15 to assist customers have a greater digital expertise, with decreased distraction.

watchOS 8 availability

Apple has initially launched watchOS 8 for builders who’re part of the Apple Developer Programme. A public beta of the brand new watchOS model can be scheduled to achieve customers subsequent month. Nevertheless, the watchOS 8 shall be out there this fall as a free software program replace on the Apple Watch Series 3 and later paired with iPhone 6s and later operating on iOS 15.

watchOS 8 options

One of the newest additions which are coming to the Apple Watch by means of watchOS 8 is the brand new Breathe app that has been upgraded to the Mindfulness app. This carries an enhanced Breathe expertise with new animation results, together with a brand new session sort referred to as Reflect. The latter is designed to deliver a optimistic mind set to customers by asking them one thing like “Recall a time recently when you felt a sense of calm. Bring that feeling into this moment,” or “Reflect on one thing you’re grateful for and think about why you appreciate it so much.”

There can be an upgraded sleep monitoring with skill to trace sleeping respiratory charge — the variety of breaths that an individual takes per minute when sleeping. Apple mentioned that the brand new measurement comes utilizing the built-in accelerometer of the Apple Watch, along with the prevailing coronary heart charge monitoring and blood oxygen monitoring. The data is on the market for entry by means of the Health app on the iPhone, together with traits over time.

Apple has not introduced any main interface-level modifications coming to watchOS 8, however that does not imply that you simply will not be capable of get a brand new feel and appear. There is a brand new Portraits watch face that allows you to set a number of portrait pictures as a watch face in your Apple Watch, together with clever cropping to spotlight the topic on the show. The watchOS 8 replace additionally brings an up to date Photos app with Memories and Featured Photos sections. Further, there’s a new Share Sheet that lets customers share images by means of Messages and Mail — immediately utilizing the Apple Watch.

Users have additionally acquired the up to date Messages app with skill to mix using Scribble, dictation, and emoji in a single message. Users also can edit the message they’ve dictated. Additionally, GIFs can be found to make messaging extra superior and intuitive on the Apple Watch.

watchOS 8 comes with an all-new messaging expertise that features emojis and GIFs
Photo Credit: Apple

Alongside the brand new Messages app, watchOS 8 brings the Contacts app to the Apple Watch to let customers browse, add, and edit contacts. Users also can share any of their present contacts immediately by means of the Contacts app out there on their Apple Watch.

The watchOS 8 replace additionally contains new Tai Chi and Pilates exercise varieties, together with assist for custom-built coronary heart charge and movement algorithms. Apple Fitness+ service on the Apple Watch additionally has acquired options together with Picture-in-Picture assist, new filtering choices and the flexibility to cease and resume an in-progress exercise on any machine. The service can even deliver a sequence of exercises from health professional Jeanette Jenkins and a brand new Artist Spotlight Series with exercises that includes whole playlists from Lady Gaga, Jennifer Lopez, Keith Urban, and Alicia Keys later this month.

Aside from the brand new fitness-focussed modifications, watchOS 8 comes with the redesigned Home app that brings the flexibility to regulate linked units immediately from the wrist. Apple Watch customers also can talk with their relations and broadcast a message by way of HomePod, HomePod mini, and different supported units by tapping the Intercom possibility.

Apple has additionally introduced an upgraded Wallet to the Apple Watch by means of watchOS 8. The new Wallet app helps Ultra Wideband (UWB) to let Apple Watch customers unlock their vehicles from a distance and begin it from the driving force’s seat, one thing that Apple initially showcased at WWDC 2020. Apple Watch customers can even be capable of add keys for his or her dwelling, places of work, and resort to Wallet this fall. Further, Apple is enabling customers to have their driver’s licence or state ID out there just about by means of the Wallet app that they might present at choose Transportation Security Administration (TSA) checkpoints. This will first arrive in some states within the US later this 12 months.

As showcased final month, watchOS 8 brings AssistiveTouch to the Apple Watch to allow one-arm utilization by sensing hand gestures to work together with out requiring customers to the touch the show. It will use movement sensors to let customers reply incoming calls, management onscreen movement pointer, and convey an motion menu that enables to entry Notification Centre or Control Centre — all utilizing hand gestures.

The watchOS 8 additionally contains Focus assist, that’s also there on iOS 15, to raised align notification alerts with utilization patterns. There are additionally a number of timers, with the flexibility to incorporate particular labels. Further, watchOS 8 brings assist for the Always-On show to preloaded apps together with Maps, Mindfulness, Now Playing, Phone, Podcasts, Stopwatch, Timers, Voice Memos, and Calculator, amongst others. Developers also can add Always-On show assist to their apps utilizing its API.

Apple Watch customers acquired a brand new Find Items app to assist find tagged objects utilizing the Find My community. There can be a Find Devices app to find misplaced Apple units which are signed in with the identical Apple ID.

The watchOS 8 replace additionally brings an all-new Music app with choices to share songs, albums, and playlists by means of Messages and Mail. Additionally, the Weather app has included assist for Severe Weather notifications to show authorities alerts about climate occasions which are on excessive alert. The replace app additionally offers Next Hour precipitation alerts and up to date problems.

Apple has introduced Family Setup with the flexibility so as to add transit playing cards from Hong Kong, Japan, and choose China mainland and US cities. The preloaded Calendar and Mail apps on watchOS 8 additionally embody Google account assist.