Now that WWDC 2022 has been officially announced, we’re getting ready for the release of watchOS 9. This will mark the next major release of Apple’s software platform for the Apple Watch. Go below as we summarize all the latest rumors and expectations for watchOS 9 this year, including new features, release details and more.
When will watchOS 9 be announced?
watchOS 9 is likely to be announced on June 6 during WWDC 2022’s keynote. The event will be online, though some students and developers will be able to attend the keynote in person at Apple Park.
Following the announcement, Apple will test the operating system for a few months until it is released to all users around September, as the company has done in recent years.
watchOS 9 supported devices
One of the biggest questions people have every year is whether Apple will drop support for an older Apple Watch model. With last year’s release of watchOS 8, Apple maintained compatibility with all the devices supported by watchOS 7, even though it limited many features.
As rumors point out that Apple could finally drop the Apple Watch Series 3 from its lineup, it is highly likely that watchOS 9 may be the latest update to the 2017 smartwatch. The reason Apple was able to keep it going for another year is its affordable price and compatibility with Apple Fitness +. Here is the list of devices that should support watchOS 9:
- Apple Watch Series 7
- Apple Watch Series 6
- Apple Watch SE
- Apple Watch Series 5
- Apple Watch Series 4
- Apple Watch Series 3
New features in watchOS 9
Although not much is known about watchOS 9, Bloomberg‘s Mark Gurman gives a few treats about what to expect from this year’s watchOS thanks to rumors about the Apple Watch Series 8. Here are some of the features we should expect with the next operating system for the Apple Watch, as posted in his Switch on newsletter:
- Afib burden detection or the ability to monitor how often a user is in a state of atrial fibrillation over a period of time;
- An energy-saving mode that works with apps and features, extended with the Power Reserve switch;
- Satellite connection to send short text messages and SOS alerts to emergency services when you are away from mobile connection;
- New sleep tracking feature;
- New features for tracking women’s health and medications in the Health app;
- New training;
- New and renewed dials.
9to5Mac’s Take
We expect more details about watchOS 9 to emerge as we approach WWDC 2022, which launches on June 6th. In the meantime, though, it looks like watchOS 9 could be an interesting upgrade, with Apple focusing on the larger screens with better workout tracking.
What do you hope to see in watchOS 9? What’s at the top of your wish list? Tell us in the comments.
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