We’ve been waiting (im)patiently for today’s Apple event, but it’s finally here and brings with it fantastic news about watchOS 11 — namely, when you can expect it to release.
Apple’s watchOS 11 will drop on September 16 for all compatible devices.
The watchOS 11 Public Beta demonstrated many of the new features we can expect from this latest operating system update, including more customization in the famous Activity rings. You’ll be able to customize them more than ever before, allowing for rest days or days off to recover from an injury without breaking your streak. The Smart Stack tool, first introduced in watchOS 10, is also getting a boost with time and location elements. It works with both standard and third-party apps, so its utility will only get better as more app developers embrace its function.
The update comes with a new Vitals feature that tracks overnight health metrics. You’ll be able to record and view your heart rate, respiratory rate, wrist temperature, blood-oxygen level, and sleep duration through your Apple Watch. By keeping track of these metrics, you’ll be able to gauge when something has an effect on your body; for example, if you have a few drinks before bed and find that you sleep poorly, you’ll know to avoid alcohol close to bed time.
Apple is also making updates to Cycle Tracking. This popular feature was first added last year, but with watchOS 11, it transforms to a different view if the user is pregnant. At that point, the Cycle Tracking feature will display gestation age and track the user’s pregnancy across all health charts. It also acts as an early warning system, alerting the user if vital metrics move outside of normal ranges.
If you’re a frequent traveler, then buckle up: Updates are coming to the Translate app. It was popular on iPhone, but Apple is now adding it to the Apple Watch with support for 20 languages. You can type or dictate a phrase to your watch to get a translation, and you can even prompt the watch to play the translation aloud or slow it down so you can understand how to say it. You’ll be able to make use of this feature even if you don’t have your phone with you, provided you download the language to your Apple Watch ahead of time.
Several other interesting and useful features have also been announced. If you’re interested in what watchOS 11 brings to the table, make sure it’s compatible with your device. All 2024 Apple Watch models will come with this update pre-installed, but older models will need a manual update. WatchOS 11 is compatible with:
- Apple Watch SE (2nd gen)
- Apple Watch Series 6
- Apple Watch Series 7
- Apple Watch Series 8
- Apple Watch Series 9
- Apple Watch Ultra
- Apple Watch Ultra 2
If you have an older-model Apple Watch than this, we have bad news: The new update won’t be compatible. The good news is that the launch of a new Apple Watch means prices will likely fall on older models, so you can pick up a Series 9 for a lot less.
