WWDC 2025: watchOS 26 Offers AI Workout Buddy, Wrist Flick Gesture, Liquid Glass Design, and More

Apple introduced its newest wearable software program platform, watchOS 26, at WWDC 2025 at a keynote on Monday. The newest iteration of watchOS options the Liquid Glass design, bringing enhancements equivalent to Smart Stack, Control Centre, the Photos watch face, and extra. Apple has added an AI-powered Workout Buddy to watchOS 26, which makes use of the wearer’s health knowledge historical past to supply real-time, personalised insights throughout a exercise. The replace introduces a brand new format for the Workout app and an improved prediction algorithm for Smart Stack. The watchOS 26 gives a wrist flick gesture to dismiss notifications.

WWDC 2025: Here Are the Top Features in WatchOS 26

watchOS 26 comes with Apple’s new Liquid Glass design. Smart Stack widgets, Smart Stack hints, notifications, Control Center, and in-app controls and navigation incorporate the brand new design. The Photos watch face can have numerals manufactured from Liquid Glass. Apple is introducing this new design language throughout its software program this yr.

Apple Intelligence-powered Workout Buddy makes use of a person’s exercise knowledge and their health historical past to generate personalised, motivational insights throughout their session. This function supplies a pep speak and marks key moments, equivalent to their mile splits. When a person finishes a exercise, Workout Buddy will recap their exercise stats and congratulate them on their achievements.

Workout Buddy will roll out on Apple Watch with Bluetooth headphones and wants an Apple Intelligence-enabled iPhone close by. It helps common exercises, together with indoor and outside operating, strolling, biking, HIIT, and energy coaching, and will initially be out there in English.

Further, watchOS 26 provides 4 new buttons within the corners of the Workout app. This would enable wearers to entry options to customize exercises, like Workout Views, Custom Workout, Pacer, Race Route, and extra. It additionally permits customers to arrange music and podcasts within the Workout app to play throughout a exercise session. Apple Music will now counsel playlists based mostly on the kind of exercise and private style of the person.

Apple states that Smart Stack is bettering its prediction algorithms in watchOS 26 by incorporating extra contextual knowledge, sensor knowledge, and knowledge from a person’s routine to supply Smart Stack hints. The Smart Stack hints undertake the Liquid Glass design, and it would seem on the show as a visible immediate.

watchOS 26 brings Live Translation to Messages to Apple Watch with Apple Intelligence. This AI-based function mechanically interprets incoming texts right into a person’s most well-liked language proper on their wrist. This function will probably be out there on Apple Watch Series 9, Apple Watch Series 10, and Apple Watch Ultra 2, with an Apple Intelligence-enabled iPhone.

Apple Watch now helps Live Translation in Messages with Apple Intelligence
Photo Credit: Apple

With watchOS 26, Apple Watch suggests sensible actions in Messages based mostly on dialog context. Customisable backgrounds set on the iPhone will sync to the Apple Watch. Further, customers can reply to polls straight from their wrists. Smart (*26*) are additionally getting enhancements in English, with the assist of an improved on-device language mannequin that generates extra related responses based mostly on the content material of a dialog.

Notifications may be managed with a easy wrist flick gesture with the newest replace. This function, designed for dismissing notifications and calls, silencing timers and alarms, and returning to the watch face, will work on the Apple Watch Series 9, Apple Watch Series 10, and Apple Watch Ultra 2.

Other notable updates embody bringing the Notes app to watchOS. This permits customers to pin, create, and unlock notes. Features like Hold Assist and Call Screening are additionally coming to Apple Watch with the newest replace. Additionally, Live Listen helps dwell captions, providing improved accessibility for customers who’re exhausting of listening to.

The Photos face will now shuffle photographs based mostly on Featured content material from Photos in watchOS 26. Watch faces will seem on the redesigned watch face gallery on Apple Watch and within the Watch app on iPhone.

The watchOS 26 replace will probably be out there for builders in a beta model immediately by the Apple Developer Program, whereas a public beta will probably be launched subsequent month. The watchOS 26 will probably be out there this fall for Apple Watch Series 6 or later, Apple Watch SE (2nd technology), and all Apple Watch Ultra fashions, paired with iPhone 11 or later, operating iOS 26.