Gurman: watchOS 10 could be an extensive upgrade
Apple could finally give watchOS a proper overhaul. That's what Mark Gurman wrote about in his latest Power On newsletter.
The Bloomberg journalist Gurman compared watchOS 10 to iOS 17, saying that the latter will not have notable changes to the GUI. He's not wrong about that, iOS has looked exactly the same for several years, even though new options, features and apps have been added slowly over time.
As a matter of fact, Gurman had previously said that Apple had wanted to make iOS 17 a minor update that focused on fixing bugs and improved the performance of iPhones, but the company decided later that it would introduce several most requested features in it. It's not clear what these radical changes could be, though it is widely expected that Apple would finally allow users to install apps from third-party stores, and also let browser makers use their custom engines for their apps. Both changes are among several requirements that Apple needs to comply with as part of the new regulations from the EU's Digital Markets Act. You can catch up on iOS 17 news by reading our previous article.
watchOS 10 could bring major changes to the user interface
Coming to the operating system on the wearable devices, watchOS has seen few improvements over the years, aside from some new watch faces, and more options for tracking the user's physical activity. Gurman says that watchOS 10 could be a fairly extensive upgrade in terms of the user interface. He didn't go into the details about it, so it's not clear what kind of visual improvement we can expect from it, it could be anything from new navigation options, to apps, or new always-on display options.
The 10th generation of the wearable device's operating system marks a big year for it. This is also important considering that the Apple Watch will not be receiving a major upgrade anytime soon. To recall, Apple launched its 1st-gen Watch Ultra last year. The next version of the watch that will debut later this year will only have modest improvements. So it makes sense why Apple would focus on improving the software part of the experience, and showcase it to its users and potential buyers.
The Cupertino company is said to be working on a new model of the Apple Watch, which is expected to be announced in 2024. The upcoming version will include major upgrades to the hardware, such as a larger, custom-built display at around 2.1-inches. The screen on the device will reportedly a micro-OLED panel. There have been rumors floating around that suggest the next Apple Watch will also include more sensors for monitoring the health of the user.
Apple is set to announce watchOS 10 during the WWDC 23 event, that has been scheduled to be held from June 5 to 9. The company will also unveil iOS 17, iPadOS 17, macOS 14, and tvOS 17 at the keynote. Meanwhile, Gurman has reiterated that Apple would debut its Mixed Reality headset, referred to as Reality Pro, at WWDC, despite other experts such as Ming-Chi Kuo raising doubts about the same. Apple will also introduce a new Mac Pro, and MacBook Air models powered by an M3 Apple Silicon, at its annual event.
