Apple has officially unveiled watchOS 26, introducing a new design language called Liquid Glass and a new Workout Buddy feature powered by Apple Intelligence. The update, announced at WWDC 2025, aims to enhance personalization, motivation, and daily interactions for Apple Watch users.
watchOS 26 features
The most noticeable change in watchOS 26 is the introduction of the Liquid Glass design, which brings a more fluid, translucent appearance to core system elements. The Smart Stack, Control Center, app navigation, and the Photos watch face all adopt this real-time rendering style, designed to reflect and refract screen content and surroundings. Even watch face numerals are updated with this new look to make better use of display space.
Workout Buddy is another major addition. It uses Apple Intelligence to deliver real-time spoken encouragement based on personal fitness data such as pace, heart rate, and workout history. Workout Buddy can provide context-aware updates—such as distance milestones and Activity ring progress—through dynamic speech generated from Fitness+ trainer voices. For instance, during a run, users might hear, “You’re 18 minutes from closing your Exercise ring” or “That was your longest run of the last 28 days.”
Other updates include Smart Stack hints, which now provide more proactive information throughout the day, and new one-handed gestures, like wrist flicks, to quickly dismiss notifications. The Messages app is also more responsive, with updated layouts and suggestions based on usage patterns.
In the Workout app, the UI has been reorganized for clarity. Users will also receive personalised music recommendations based on workout type and listening history, intended to keep motivation levels high during exercise.
watchOS 26 rollout
watchOS 26 will be available as a developer beta starting today, with a public beta expected later in the summer. The final version will roll out in the fall, compatible with Apple Watch Series 6 and later. Apple says all new features are designed to work securely and privately on-device, with most Apple Intelligence functions requiring an Apple Watch paired with an iPhone using Apple Silicon.
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