watchOS 6
watchOS 6 compatible devices
| Device Name | SOC | Release Date |
|---|---|---|
| Apple Watch Series 5 | S5 | 2019-09-20 |
| Apple Watch Series 4 | S4 | 2018-09-21 |
| Apple Watch Series 3 | S3 | 2017-09-22 |
| Apple Watch Series 2 | S2 | 2016-09-16 |
| Apple Watch Series 1 | S1P | 2016-09-12 |
Requirements
watchOS 6 requires an iPhone 6s or later running iOS 13 or newer.
Users with an Apple Watch Series 1, Apple Watch Series 2, Apple Watch Series 3, or Apple Watch Series 4 paired with an iPhone 5s, iPhone 6, or iPhone 6 Plus cannot update their watches to watchOS 6.
Exploring watchOS 6: What's New and Exciting?
watchOS 6, released in 2019, introduced a variety of new features and enhancements to the Apple Watch, focusing on health, fitness, and overall user experience improvements.
App Store on Apple Watch
One of the most significant updates in watchOS 6 is the introduction of the App Store directly on the Apple Watch. Users can now browse, search, and download apps right from their wrist without needing to use their iPhone. This feature includes app product pages, reviews, screenshots, and ratings, making the App Store experience on the watch comprehensive and convenient.
New Watch Faces
watchOS 6 brought several new watch faces, offering more customization and personalization options. These included:
- Gradient: A face that animates with the time.
- Numerals Mono and Numerals Duo: Featuring large digital numerals.
- California: A classic watch face with a mix of Roman and Arabic numerals.
- Solar Dial: Displays the sun’s position in a 24-hour dial.
- Pride Face: Released with watchOS 6.2.5, celebrating the LGBTQ+ community.
Gradient, California, Solar Dial, Modular Compact, and Meridian watch faces are only available on Apple Watch Series 4 or later.
Enhanced Health and Fitness Features
Health and fitness received significant upgrades with watchOS 6:
- Activity Trends: This new feature provides long-term insights into your fitness activity, showing trends for key metrics over the last 90 days compared to the past year.
- Cycle Tracking: Allows women to log their menstrual cycles, track symptoms, and get notifications about upcoming periods and fertile windows.
- Noise App: Monitors ambient noise levels and alerts users when decibel levels could affect hearing. Available on Apple Watch Series 4 or later.
New Utility Apps
Several new utility apps were introduced, enhancing the everyday functionality of the Apple Watch:
- Voice Memos: Record voice notes on the go.
- Audiobooks: Listen to books purchased on Apple Books directly from the watch.
- Calculator: Includes functionalities like tip calculations and bill splitting.
Siri Enhancements
Siri became more capable with the ability to display full webpage results from searches. Siri could also use Shazam to identify songs and provide lyrics without needing an iPhone nearby.
Developer Tools and APIs
watchOS 6 introduced new APIs for developers, allowing for standalone Apple Watch apps that do not require an iPhone companion app. Other enhancements included extended runtime for session-based tasks like workouts and meditation, and a new streaming audio API for third-party apps to stream music, podcasts, and radio directly from the watch.
Legacy
watchOS 6 built on the strong foundation of previous updates, significantly enhancing the Apple Watch's capabilities in health tracking, app functionality, and user convenience. These improvements positioned the Apple Watch as an indispensable device for health and fitness enthusiasts, as well as for everyday tasks.