Apple has announced WatchOS 11 as its latest version of the smartwatch platform. Revealed at WWDC 2024, WatchOS 11 refreshes the platform with new health-related features and a handful of small updates to make the software more useful and user-friendly. There’s also a new app called Vitals, which compiles important health metrics into an easy-to-see, glanceable view.
One of the bigger changes with WatchOS 11 is the new Training Mode feature. When you enable this mode, your Apple Watch can track various metrics while you exercise to show how they impact your body over time. Training Mode looks at the intensity of your exercises to grab this data for you, allowing you to figure out when or how you should adjust your training if needed.
The idea is to let users know if they should continue their workouts with more intensity or less. It can also suggest rest days. WatchOS 11 brings more features and insights for pregnancy information. For instance, the cycle tracking capabilities can now show gestational age.
WatchOS 11 announced alongside new safety features
In addition to new cycle tracking features, the new Training Mode, and the new Vitals app, WatchOS 11 is also introducing new Live Activities and new safety features. Similar to the safety features on the Pixel Watch and Pixel Watch 2, safety features in WatchOS 11 are designed to allow your contacts like friends and loved ones to know where you are when you’re out doing something alone.
For example, if you’re out on a hike by yourself, you can set check-in times so your contacts know you’re safe.
New Double Tap features are coming
Apple introduced Double Tap with WatchOS 10 last year, and now it’s updating the feature by enabling it to complete new actions. Apple is opening up Double Tap to developers to make it more capable than ever before. It was already capable of answering and ending phone calls, as well as pausing and playing music among other things.
Apple doesn’t officially announce any new features specifically. However, with developers now having access, expect Double Tap to gain support for a ton of new apps down the line.
New ways to customize your watch face
With WatchOS 11 Apple is bringing in new ways to customize your watch face. A new redesigned Photos Face feature will use machine learning to pick your watch face for you. It’ll select from a collection of your photos that it thinks will look the best on your watch, and then apply customized and unique details like font and colors.
