Amid features like Apple Intelligence, the big Siri/ChatGPT update, the iPad Calculator app, and spatial photos on visionOS 2, watchOS 11 got a bit lost in the noise of WWDC 2024.
The operating systems update for the top Apple Watches brought some exciting new features, like an improved widget stack, live activities, new GPS workout profiles, AI assistant photo collections for your watch face, improved women’s health tracking, and a new Vitals app. Some good features, but it wasn’t as big a change as we saw last year, and it jostled for space with showstoppers like the examples mentioned above. As a result, watchOS 11 has been somewhat forgotten by most experts, who focus on Apple Intelligence and other AI features, and what they could mean for Apple in the future.
However, I think there’s a little more to looking at OS 11 than meets the eye. This year, watchOS’ biggest changes are all about the Apple Watch’s ability to monitor more holistic health, rather than workouts and adventurous fitness-related pursuits. The Vitals app – designed to monitor sleep, skin temperature and recovery – along with the Sleep app’s automatic sleep tracking feature are two such examples.
This matches the best fitness trackers of the moment: last year’s Samsung Galaxy Watch 6 put a big emphasis on sleep, and the best smart rings – small fitness trackers that passively and invisibly monitor heart rate, blood oxygen levels, stress and sleep quality check – are all extremely popular at the moment. Fitness is out (or at least as ‘out’ as fitness can be) and wellness is in. It’s not surprising that Apple is following suit, but there’s a major barrier standing in the way of Apple partnering with some of the other best sleep trackers on the market. planks now: that damn battery life.
At the time of writing, Apple Watches are listed by Apple as having a lifespan of 18 hours, less than a day. While this statistic is generally very conservative, you’ll likely get less than a day’s worth of use if you use some battery-hungry features like GPS workouts for running, cycling, walking, or swimming. of a standard Apple Watch. The Apple Watch Ultra and Apple Watch Ultra 2 get more with 36 hours, but are much more expensive than the more basic models.
Despite the fact that Apple Watches charge very quickly, many people are not in the habit of wearing their watches at night. They will end up charging them twice: once before bed, once in the morning – and in my experience one usually leaves the watch off the wrist overnight, often on a wireless charger.
The emphasis on sleep features this year could mean that Apple is about to introduce an Apple Watch 10 with better battery life, a much-requested feature from almost every Apple Watch user. I’d like to see exactly how many people are using Apple’s sleep tracking features – I’m willing to bet it’s not that many – but I believe a refresh of the Watch’s sleep tracking capabilities signals an intention to create a device that is not designed to be turned off for extended periods of time.
It would be great if Apple could integrate the 36-hour battery life of the Apple Watch Ultra 2 into the base Apple Watch 10. The battery life of the standard Samsung Galaxy Watch 6 is up to 40 hours, and I would love it if Apple followed suit and made another, cheaper watch that could last all night and into the next day.