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Apple Watch owners have been treated to an early look at the next version of watchOS during Apple's Worldwide Developers Conference. Dubbed watchOS 26, the incoming update will bring the same bold redesign coming to every Apple device, an AI-powered fitness coach to encourage you during your next workout, and new gestures.
watchOS 26 will be a free upgrade when it arrives later this year. You'll need an iPhone capable of updating to iOS 26 (Apple has dropped support for three handsets with this new update) and one of the following Apple Watch models:
- Apple Watch SE (2nd generation)
- Apple Watch Series 6
- Apple Watch Series 7
- Apple Watch Series 8
- Apple Watch Series 9
- Apple Watch Series 10
- Apple Watch Ultra
- Apple Watch Ultra 2
watchOS 26 brings the same Liquid Glass redesign coming to every Apple device, alongside the "biggest update" to the Workout app, a new AI-powered coach, and real-time translation to text messages
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One of the standout new additions to watchOS 26 is Workout Buddy, a new Artificial Intelligence (AI) coach that offers personalised motivation during your exercises. It analyses your current metrics, past workout data, and fitness history to deliver real-time encouragement during an exercise.
At launch, Apple Watch owners will be able to choose between a couple of voice options, which have been trained on voice data from Fitness+ trainers, so the new text-to-speech model has the right energy and tone for a workout.
Workout Buddy will chime-in with updates about your current workout — like mile splits — as well as insights into your historical fitness data to keep you motivated over the long term
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During a workout, Workout Buddy will chime-in with insights, like mile splits. For example, it might say: “Mile four. You picked up the pace and ran that last one in 8 minutes and 28 seconds.” It'll also flag milestones from the lifetime of owning your Apple Watch, like "Hey, check this out. Your total running distance for the year just crossed the 200-mile mark! That’s a lot of running!" to keep you motivated in the long term.
At the end of a workout, this new AI-powered coach will summarise the exercise for you. For example, "Way to get your workout in! You went 4.3 miles in just over 38 minutes. Your average pace was 8 minutes and 58 seconds, and your average heart rate was 128. That was your longest run of the last 28 days. What will you do next?”
The redesigned Workout app will suggest playlists from Apple Music based on what you usually listen to during exercise. You can also autoplay the latest episode of a chosen podcast with a specific workout type
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Workout Buddy will be available on Apple Watch with Bluetooth headphones, and requires a paired iPhone that's capable of running Apple Intelligence. At launch, Workout Buddy will be available in English and with the following workouts: Outdoor and Indoor Run, Outdoor and Indoor Walk, Outdoor Cycle, HIIT, Functional and Traditional Strength Training.
Save £50 on the Apple Watch Series 10 at AO.com
For a limited time, AO.com has slashed £50 off the cost of the Apple Watch Series 10 — the most recent model. This is only available on the aluminium design in the Jet Black colour. For comparison, the same wearable will cost you £429 when bought from Amazon UK or your local Apple Store.
Apple Watch Series 10
$429
$379
With watchOS 26, Apple has redesigned the Workout app. According to the Californian company, this is "the biggest update to its layout and navigation since its introduction". There are new options to create custom workouts with a specific goal and pair that workout type with an Apple Music playlist or podcasts. Next time you head out, you'll be able to start the same exercise and latest episode of the podcast with a tap on your Watch.
For the first time Apple's Notes app comes to its smartwatch, so wearers can add new notes with Siri and check existing notes
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Outside of the new Workout app, Apple has added a swathe of other tweaks. The volume of notification sounds, ringtone for incoming calls, and responses from Siri will be adjusted based on your surroundings. So, if you sat in a meeting or a library, the ping of an incoming text will be much quieter than at the gym or on a noisy train.
The Notes app will be coming to Apple's bestselling wearable with watchOS 26. For the first time, you'll be able to create new notes or view existing ones from your wrist. You can even tell Siri to start a new note when you’re on the go.
Messages gains Live Translation capabilities, automatically translating incoming texts into your preferred language directly on your wrist. Your responses are instantly translated for the recipient, supporting languages including English, French, German, Italian, Japanese, Korean, Portuguese, Spanish and Chinese.
Apple says it has improved the prediction algorithm for its Smart Stack feature, which proactively suggests watchOS features when you swipe-up on the watch face. For example, a hint to launch a Pilates workout may show up when you arrives at a studio location at the usual time.
If you own a recent Apple Watch, you'll be able to dismiss notifications with a flick of the wrist
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If you own an Apple Watch Series 9, Series 10, or Apple Watch Ultra 2, you can now dismiss notifications with a new wrist-flick gesture. When you raise your wrist to check a new notification, but don't want to take any further action — you can quickly flick your wirst away from you to dismiss the notification and bring back the watch face.
To do this, watchOS 26 analyses readings from the accelerometer and the gyroscope — along with a machine learning model. Wrist flick joins the double tap gesture that lets Watch owners to do even more on their device with only one hand, for times when you're walking the dog, cooking, or holding a cup of coffee.
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Discussing the new update, Apple Senior Director of watchOS Engineering, David Clark said: "Apple Watch is an indispensable companion for millions of people around the world, and watchOS 26 uses intelligence to offer an even more personalized experience.
"From a gorgeous new design, to Workout Buddy with Apple Intelligence, personalized music suggestions in the Workout app, and more intelligence in the Smart Stack and Messages, we’re excited about the many ways watchOS 26 will support each user in staying active, healthy, connected, and safe throughout their day."
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