whats new for watchOS
Generated on 8/2/2024
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What's New for watchOS
Overview
At WWDC 2024, Apple introduced several new features and enhancements for watchOS 11, making the Apple Watch even more personal, intelligent, and convenient. Here are the key updates:
Live Activities
- Integration with iOS: If you've adopted live activities in your iOS app, the system will leverage this work to offer a live activity experience on Apple Watch. This includes compact leading and trailing views in the smart stack and significant event notifications (Platforms State of the Union).
- Customization: You can customize the live activity view for Apple Watch using Xcode 16, which allows you to preview how your live activity will appear on watchOS (Bring your Live Activity to Apple Watch).
Widgets
- Smart Stack Enhancements: The smart stack now includes suggested widgets that the system intelligently adds or removes based on relevance. Widgets can also be interactive, allowing actions like turning on a light with a tap (Design Live Activities for Apple Watch).
- Actionable Widgets: Widgets in watchOS 11 are more actionable and glanceable, making it easier for users to interact with them (What’s new in watchOS 11).
Double Tap
- New Gesture: Double tap can be used to navigate and take action in your app or widget, providing a quick, one-handed control option (Platforms State of the Union).
Health and Fitness
- WorkoutKit Enhancements: New features include average power alerts for running and cycling, pace alerts for indoor running, and expanded support for distance goals in various outdoor activities. Custom pool swimming workouts now have a new goal type: distance with time (Build custom swimming workouts with WorkoutKit).
- HealthKit Updates: You can now read and write mood or emotion data using the new state of mind API (What’s new in watchOS 11).
Sessions to Explore
- Platforms State of the Union
- What’s new in watchOS 11
- Bring your Live Activity to Apple Watch
- Design Live Activities for Apple Watch
- Build custom swimming workouts with WorkoutKit
These updates provide developers with new tools and capabilities to create more engaging and functional experiences on Apple Watch.
Platforms State of the Union
Discover the newest advancements on Apple platforms.
What’s new in watchOS 11
Explore new opportunities on Apple Watch, including bringing Double Tap support to your watchOS app, making your Smart Stack widgets even more relevant and interactive, and displaying your iOS Live Activities in the Smart Stack.
Build custom swimming workouts with WorkoutKit
Check out the latest in creating, customizing, and scheduling workouts using WorkoutKit. Sprint through the latest in pace and power alerts and expanded support for distance goals. And keep the momentum going with the benefits of custom step names.
Design Live Activities for Apple Watch
Starting in watchOS 11, Live Activities from your iOS app will automatically appear in the Smart Stack on a connected Apple Watch. Learn how to optimize the layout of your Live Activity for the wrist, and provide the right level of information and interactivity at the right time.
Bring your Live Activity to Apple Watch
Bring Live Activities into the Smart Stack on Apple Watch with iOS 18 and watchOS 11. We’ll cover how Live Activities are presented on Apple Watch, as well as how you can enhance their presentation for the Smart Stack. We’ll also explore additional considerations to ensure Live Activities on Apple Watch always present up-to-date information.