This story is part of WWDC 2022, CNET’s full coverage of Apple’s annual developer conference.
What is going on
Apple’s WatchOS 9 update will bring new athletic performance metrics to the Apple Watch, among other significant improvements to health and fitness tracking.
Why it matters
The update could set the stage for the rumored ruggedized Apple Watch expected to debut this year.
What’s next
Apple will launch WatchOS 9 in the fall, possibly alongside three new Apple Watch models.
If WatchOS 9 serves as any indication, the future of the Apple Watch is all about health and fitness. That message was central in June when Apple unveiled the new software, which is now available in beta ahead of its fall launch.
The update brings more exercise performance metrics (especially for runners), deeper sleep monitoring, and medication logging tools. It’s impossible to know what to expect until Apple announces its next smartwatch (or smartwatches). But WatchOS 9’s focus on athletic training seems to be the basis for the rumored Apple Watch Explorer Edition, which we could see later this year.
Read more: This stylish luxury hybrid watch has (almost) made me ditch my Apple Watch
It also suggests that Apple wants its smartwatch to appeal to professional athletes, avid athletes and those who need to monitor heart health at the same time. The next crop of Apple Watches announced for the fall will likely come with new hardware to better support that vision — hopefully with better battery life, too.
WatchOS 9’s workout features would be great for an Explorer Edition Apple Watch
The Apple Watch Series 7
Lexy Savvides/CNET
Apple has sprinkled a bunch of new workout tools and stats into WatchOS 9. These include new running metrics such as stride length and ground contact time, the ability to track heart rate zones, interval training, a multisport workout type for triathlons, and kickboard detection for swimmers. The announcement also comes after Apple made improvements to the Apple Watch’s bike detection last year.
Only Apple knows what the future holds. But it doesn’t feel like a coincidence that this update is coming, as Apple is expected to launch a rugged Apple Watch designed for extreme sports this fall. Bloomberg reports that an Apple Watch with additional impact resistance similar to Casio’s G-Shock watches could be in the works. The watch is sometimes referred to internally as the Explorer Edition and may have a rubberized casing for added durability, the report said. The device is reportedly being marketed as an alternative option for athletes and hikers to the standard Series 8 and next-generation Apple Watch SE.
Read more: iOS 16 lock screen upgrades make iPhone more like a smartwatch
The Apple Watch has plenty to offer fitness enthusiasts already, with plenty of exercise choices, activity goals and reminders, heart rate notifications, and stats like VO2 max and elevation. But until WatchOS 9 arrives, the Apple Watch won’t have any running-specific features that athletes might find useful. For example, Garmin’s running watches include tools such as training programs for specific types of races, pace guidance, and running stats such as cadence and stride length, among other features that vary by model.
According to Counterpoint Research, the Apple Watch is already the world’s most popular smartwatch with 36.1% of worldwide shipments in the first quarter of 2022. With the new measurements targeting runners coming in WatchOS 9, Apple could tighten its grip on the market. further strengthen by appealing to the more niche competitive sports audience.
Even with the new features in WatchOS 9, the Apple Watch still doesn’t provide as much feedback for runners as some specialty watches. But the new software certainly brings the Apple Watch closer than ever before.
What else can WatchOS 9 tell us about the future of the Apple Watch?
Apple Watch’s new Sleep Stages feature in WatchOS 9
Screenshot/CNET
Apple’s emphasis on fitness was central to the WatchOS 9 announcement. But some other software updates could also point to Apple’s future direction. For example, the company took more sleep tracking by introducing Sleep Stages, a feature that analyzes how much time is spent in different sleep stages. Apple is catching up in this regard; rival fitness trackers from Fitbit, Oura, and Samsung have supported this feature for years.
Apple’s expansion in sleep tracking indicates it expects Apple Watches to be worn more frequently at night. That leads me to believe that Apple could be planning some sort of improvement in the Apple Watch’s battery life, though there’s no way to know for sure until the company unveils its next watch.
Apple says its smartwatch lasts 18 hours on a single charge, and anecdotally, I usually get about one to two days from it before it needs a power boost. The Apple Watch’s battery life hasn’t changed appreciably in years, but Apple got around this by implementing faster charging speeds with the Series 6 and 7.
Apple will likely continue down this road instead of drastically improving the watch’s battery life. But there’s also a chance Apple will introduce a new power-saving mode with more functionality than the watch’s current power reserve feature, Bloomberg says. It would launch with WatchOS 9, according to the report, although Apple didn’t mention a new energy-efficient option at Monday’s event.
Given that battery life is one of the Apple Watch’s persistent critiques — not to mention Bloomberg’s reliable track record — I wouldn’t be surprised if this capability appears in the future. And remember, Apple introduced new WatchOS 8 features for cyclists alongside the Apple Watch Series 7 at its Fall 2021 product event, so there’s a chance Apple will announce more software features later this year.
WatchOS 9 also sends another signal that Apple is expanding its efforts in general health and wellness. A new feature called AFib History gives people diagnosed with atrial fibrillation access to more information about their condition, such as an estimate of how often their heart rhythm shows signs of A-fib. Another highlight in WatchOS 9 is the ability to track prescriptions and receive medication reminders.
These updates indicate that Apple sees its watch as a tool for tracking physical changes over time that can be shared with doctors. And if Bloomberg and The Wall Street Journal reports are correct, Apple will take that idea one step further by adding a temperature sensor to the Series 8.
Many of the Apple Watch’s major turning points have historically been tied to new hardware releases. For example, the Series 3 was the first model to support cellular connectivity, making the Apple Watch feel like a standalone product rather than an iPhone partner. The Series 4 brought ECG monitoring and fall detection, broadening the Apple Watch’s role as a health device.
WatchOS 9 isn’t quite as big a leap forward as those launches. But it will bring functionality that could be crucial in Apple’s mission to make the Apple Watch the ultimate health and fitness device. And that says a lot about Apple’s immediate and long-term plans for the Apple Watch.