watchOS 27 introduces a substantial set of new features and improvements for the Apple Watch, building on the foundation laid by previous versions. From the long-awaited arrival of Siri AI to smarter fitness tracking and a revamped user interface, this update aims to make the wearable even more capable and intuitive. Here is a comprehensive look at everything coming to Apple Watch this fall.
Siri AI on Apple Watch, including dedicated app
The headline feature of watchOS 27 is Siri AI. When Apple first unveiled its Apple Intelligence initiative two years ago, the Apple Watch was notably absent from the announcement. Now, with watchOS 27, the wearable finally gains access to the redesigned, more powerful Siri. This includes a dedicated Siri app that syncs seamlessly with the Siri app on iPhone, iPad, Mac, and Apple Vision Pro. The enhanced assistant brings personal context understanding, in-app action capabilities, and a much wider knowledge base. Users can ask complex questions, perform multi-step tasks, and receive more natural responses directly from their wrist. Siri AI is not yet available in the first watchOS 27 beta but is expected to roll out in English later this year. This represents a major leap forward for the Apple Watch, which had been largely left out of the original Apple Intelligence story.
Dynamic app grid from Digital Crown
A simple press of the Digital Crown now invokes a dynamic app grid. This grid presents six Siri-suggested apps, curated based on recency and popularity. If Siri AI is enabled, the Siri app takes the center spot. An icon for launching the full app grid or list also appears. Pressing the Digital Crown again returns to the watch face. Users can also press the Digital Crown and swipe up to jump directly to the traditional app grid, preserving familiar navigation while adding a smart, adaptive shortcut.
Workout Buddy gains three enhancements in watchOS 27
WatchOS 26 introduced Workout Buddy as an early AI-focused feature, but it required a nearby iPhone to operate. WatchOS 27 removes that requirement, allowing Workout Buddy to work independently even when the iPhone is left behind. The feature also expands language support from English-only to include Spanish, and delivers more insights, including progress tracking for pace, distance, and workout duration. These upgrades make Workout Buddy a far more practical companion for runners, cyclists, and gym-goers who prefer to exercise without their phone.
Health and Fitness tracking improves in two ways
Beyond Workout Buddy, watchOS 27 brings two key health improvements. First, Cycle Tracking becomes more advanced with perimenopause and menopause support. The Health app can notify users when logged cycle patterns suggest perimenopause, allow tracking of related symptoms, and provide access to educational resources. Second, tracking indoor runs and walks on a treadmill is now more accurate thanks to improved motion tracking algorithms that measure distance more precisely directly from the wrist. Additionally, step counts in the Fitness app now sync with those in the Health app across watchOS 27 and iOS 27, closing a longstanding data discrepancy.
watchOS 27 brings a new tap gesture
The Double Tap gesture, introduced in watchOS 10, lets users open the Smart Stack and cycle through widgets. WatchOS 27 adds a single tap gesture that enables interaction with app widgets directly from the Smart Stack. Tapping the thumb and index finger twice opens the widget view; double tapping again moves to the next widget; and a single tap activates the currently selected widget. For example, users can open the Heart Rate app to take a live reading, start a workout from a suggestion widget, or play/pause media from the Now Playing widget—all without touching the watch face with the other hand. This refinement makes the Smart Stack far more functional and hands-free.
Smart Stack adds new widget suggestions
The Smart Stack also gains a wealth of new automatic widget suggestions. These include parked car location, the Siri app, birthday messages and celebrations, pinned messages, and many more. Apple promises further details on these additions during the summer beta period. The expanded suggestions make the Smart Stack more contextually aware and useful throughout the day.
Find My app unified on Apple Watch
The Find My experience on Apple Watch has been consolidated into a single unified app, mirroring its implementation on iPhone, iPad, and Mac. Previously, separate icons for people, items, and devices cluttered the app grid. WatchOS 27 also brings Precision Finding support to Apple Watch for locating a paired iPhone, AirTag 2, and AirPods Pro 3, allowing users to pinpoint lost items with greater accuracy.
watchOS 27 will suggest ways to save battery life
Battery optimization gets a smart upgrade: watchOS 27 will proactively suggest disabling unused features to extend battery life. These notifications can cover features like Start Workout reminders, gestures, and Raise to Speak for summoning Siri. Users can override the suggestion and leave the feature enabled if desired, giving them control while helping them maximize run time during long days away from a charger.
More app updates and changes
Several other refinements round out the update. Music playback is faster on Apple Watch. The Liquid Glass watch face has been updated for better readability with more uniform refraction and improved contrast. The Wallet app supports new custom-generated cards from iOS 27, which can be pinned in the Smart Stack for quick access. Call Context, a proactive feature that displays relevant information like flight details when on a phone call with a business, now works on Apple Watch. Apple's Child Safety features extend to watchOS 27 as well. During the keynote, Apple also listed these additional changes: improved Wi-Fi connectivity, guest key support, GymKit available on iPhone and Apple Watch (previously Apple Watch-only), faster app extension launches, more efficient water detection, redesigned settings in the Apple Watch app, ability to view card balances in Wallet, and transit cards and IDs showing in the Smart Stack.
watchOS 27 is currently available in developer and public beta. The final version is expected to ship in September. It requires Apple Watch Series 9 and later, Apple Watch Ultra 2 and later, and Apple Watch SE 3.
Source:9to5Mac News