watchOS 9 has been released today
In a significant update, watchOS 9 brings a host of new features to the Apple Watch, transforming it into a comprehensive fitness companion.
The Workout app, a central fixture for fitness enthusiasts, now supports a new Multisport workout type. This innovative feature automatically switches between swimming, biking, and running workouts, making it easier than ever to track your progress across multiple sports.
For those with atrial fibrillation, the first-of-its-kind AFib History feature is available. This feature is designed for individuals aged 22 years or older who have been diagnosed with atrial fibrillation. It will initially be available in the United States, Germany, and a few other selected countries in the fall.
Custom Workouts can now be created for interval training, providing users with the flexibility to tailor their workouts to their specific needs.
Sleep tracking in watchOS 9 has been enhanced, offering even more insights. The introduction of sleep stages provides a more detailed analysis of your sleep patterns.
Swimmers will appreciate the addition of the SWOLF score, a measure of swimming efficiency. The Kickboard has also been added as a new stroke type for Pool Swim workouts.
The Workout app has been updated to provide richer metrics for measuring performance and new training experiences. New running form metrics, including Stride Length, Ground Contact Time, and Vertical Oscillation, can be added as metrics on Workout Views.
For runners, a new Track running experience automatically detects that users are at a running track and uses Apple Maps data along with GPS to provide the ultimate pace and distance metrics. Coming later this year, Race Route enables users to race against their best or last result on frequently completed routes, and receive in-session pacing guidance.
The redesigned summary page in the Fitness app on iPhone offers additional details with interactive charts for more precise analysis of all workouts. The update also brings enhanced and modernized complications to some classic watch faces.
The redesigned Compass app provides more in-depth information and new zoomable views. WatchOS 9 also introduces four new watch faces: Lunar, Playtime, Metropolitan, and Astronomy.
The Medications feature helps users manage and track their medications, vitamins, and supplements. New alerts, including pace, power, heart rate, and cadence, can be added to guide users throughout their workout.
Backtrack uses GPS data to create a path showing where the user has been and can turn on automatically in the background when off the grid.
In a move to contribute to potential discoveries, users in the US will be able to aid in potential discoveries by contributing their sleep stage data in the Apple Heart and Movement Study through the Research app.
The machine learning models for sleep stages were trained and validated against the clinical gold standard, polysomnography, with one of the largest and most diverse populations ever studied for a wearable.
watchOS 9 is available as a free software update for Apple Watch Series 4 or later paired with iPhone 8 or later and iPhone SE (2nd generation) or later, running iOS 16. These new features are set to revolutionise the fitness experience for Apple Watch users.
