watchOS 3 is a massive overhaul of the watch’s software, bringing several new features, as well as many user interface changes and performance improvements.
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For starters, Apple Watch now opens apps immediately (seven times faster in the example shown on stage), which fixes a complaint that a lot of users – myself included – had about the Watch.
Users will be able to write characters with their fingers in messages, while apps and information will be easier to access. Keeping that in mind, they’ve also unveiled a new fitness feature which allows users to check their friends’ shared activities, send quick messages and heart rates because that’s a thing now apparently.
The developer preview is available for WatchOS today, with Apple citing general availability for WatchOS users in the US Autumn season. “Favourite apps launch instantly and are simple to access, and the breakthrough new fitness and health features like the Breathe app make it feel like a whole new watch”. WatchOS 3 lets apps load data in the background to speed up launches.
There is no exact release date yet for the Apple Watch 2, but it is expected to have a September 2016 launch.
Speaking of Activity, Apple is adding Activity Sharing to watchOS 3.
Emergency Call / SOS – An emergency call can be made directly from the watch and it works internationally, so you don’t need to remember the emergency number of a particular country you are visiting. Another health-oriented service called “Breathe” is attached to the WatchOS for providing relaxation and breathing exercises with the use of haptic feedbacks. WatchOS 3 will track “several different techniques” of wheelchair movement, ping the wearer with a “time to roll” notification when they’ve been idle for too long (instead of the “time to stand” feature for non-wheelchair users), and include a wheelchair optimized workouts for users to try.
People can also rapidly switch between faces by simply swiping though them, pretty much making chopping and changing watch faces dead simple.
Fitness capabilities were focused on wheelchair users.
It remains to be seen how Apple copes with these new accusations, but judging from the previous cases, expect nothing more than complete silence from Cupertino.
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We’re finally getting some new faces, too, but there is no support for third-party options. From the demo, the Watch seemed to pick up the letters being drawn quickly, although I’ll have to wait until I get it to give it a proper test. And, rather than having to hit Reply, messages show you shortcut icons at the bottom of the screen for the three reply methods. Apple ” s work to get the Watch working for wheelchair users is awesome pic.twitter.com/A5KmUWSkJs – Owen Williams??
