Introducing watchOS 4
Now with more ways to stay fit and healthy
The Apple Watch continues its fitness drive with watchOS 4, due out in autumn 2017. The latest release brings an updated Workout app, new watch faces and a new way for apps to integrate with gym equipment.
The Workout app features new motion and heart rate algorithms for High Intensity Interval Training, as well as updates for pool swim sessions telling you your pace, distance covered and more.
Apple is also set to bring its GymKit framework to watchOS 4. This will allow gym machines to connect to your Apple Watch, so you can get a more accurate view of your gym workout.
The Activity app aims to help you meet your fitness goals, sending notifications and prompts if you’re close to hitting your targets.
And it’s not just apps and integrations that will benefit from watchOS 4’s fitness focus – your watch face will, too, thanks to clever features from the new Siri face. For instance, when you raise your wrist, your watch face will display dynamically updated information based on the time of day, your activities and routines.
Pay it forward
There was plenty of good news unrelated to fitness as well. The new version of watchOS introduces person-to-person payments with Apple Pay. As well as working through Apple Pay, this is integrated into Messages and Siri, giving a few different ways to quickly send money to people you know.
The money is paid into the new Apple Pay Cash account, and can then be sent to someone else, used to make purchases with Apple Pay, or sent to your bank account.
And as always, Apple showed off new bands, which are available now. There were also Toy Story and Kaleidoscope watch faces, which will come as part of watchOS 4.
It’s not just apps and integrations that will benefit from watchOS 4’s fitness focus