You'll also see a new feature here too called Pacer. You can now create custom workouts by tapping the three dots before starting an activity, to set personalized distance and time goals that may be better suited for your training program. These also appear after your run in the Activity app on iPhone. WatchOS 9 is built for runnersįor the first time, the Apple Watch will be able to show you running form metrics in the workout app, including vertical oscillation, stride length, ground contact time and a running power metric. I also love that I can now see an elevation view in real time when doing an outdoor run, bike ride, walk or hike. Scroll down to see your activity rings for an idea of how you're progressing during the workout. That makes it easier to see details on the screen, particularly on larger displays like the Apple Watch Series 7's.Īll the workout screens have also been revamped to show you even more stats as you scroll the digital crown, rather than the single screen from earlier WatchOS versions. Existing watch faces like Activity Analog, Kaleidoscope and Numerals have been updated to support rich complications. This is the watch face that takes portrait mode photos and lets you turn the digital crown to make your subject pop in and out of the screen, separated from the background. Lunar: Shows the lunar calendar when you rotate the crownīut my favorite is the portrait mode face, because it now works with pets (it didn't on WatchOS 8).Playtime: Just as the name describes, big bouncy numbers float around the screen and move as you tap the screen or rotate the crown.Astronomy: Higher resolution than before, and you can now see changing cloud coverage updated hourly.Metropolitan: A customizable clock face with complications and numbers that move in and out as you rotate the digital crown.There are four new watch faces to choose from: New watch faces capitalize on the Apple Watch Series 7 screen

It even reflects in real-time the charging status if you have the Watch on its charger. Now you can easily see the battery level on the Apple Watch (or AirPods, if you have those connected) without unlocking your phone. Another small but welcome improvement is the battery widget, which you can add to the iOS 16 lock screen.

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