Apple has released watchOS 9 to the public, bringing new features to Apple’s flagship wearable device, such as a new medication tracker, new watch dials and more fitness options. watchOS 9 was announced at WWDC 2022 and is now available to the public. Users can update to watchOS 9 by visiting the iOS Watch app and navigating to the “General” page, followed by Software Update.
It can also be installed automatically by the app if set up correctly. Apple Watch must be at least 50% charged, placed on the charger, and within the communication range of the iPhone to install the update.
The list of updates is as follows.
Customization
Apple has introduced three new watch dial designs in watchOS 9, Metropolitan, Lunar and Playtime.
Playtime is a whimsical watch for children, while Metropolitan is a highly customizable model inspired by traditional timepieces.
Lunar, on the other hand, depicts the relationship between the lunar and Gregorian calendars.
In addition, the astronomical face has been reworked to accommodate the larger display, which now uses cloud data from the weather to show real-time cloud cover. Finally, the portrait interface has improved depth effects for a broader range of topics.
New Health Features
Apple introduced a new medication tracker designed to help users keep track of the medications they are taking and when they are taking them. In addition, it shows how certain medications interact with each other.
The Sleep app has also expanded the metrics it tracks. Users can now view their rapid eye movement, core and deep sleep data. In addition, users can track their sleep over time with heart rate, breathing and exercise data.
Fitness
As expected, Apple has expanded the fitness features of the Apple Watch in the new watchOS release.
The Workout app will show more views during a workout if the user turns the digital crown. The view will change between the activity ring, heart rate zone, power and elevation.
Heart Rate Zone is a new feature in watchOS that shows users the intensity of their workout. Zones are calculated automatically based on health data, but can also be configured manually by the user.
Workouts can now be customized with recovery zones. Throughout the workout, Apple Watch alerts the user to pace, heart rate, stride length and power.
