- Tips - Set a timer in seconds ⏳
- Trivia - What can your watch unlock 🔑
- Deep Dive - New Apple Watch features ⌚
- Health Challenge Update - Join our June 2026 Challenge! 🏆
- 🔑Unlock your Mac with just your watch!
- ✋Navigate your watch single-handedly.
- ⏳Set a timer right from your wrist.
Your Apple Watch is not only the key to your health; it’s also the key to some (but not all!) of your devices. Which device can your Apple Watch NOT unlock for you?
🔑Your iPhone
🔑🔑Your iPad
🔑🔑🔑Your Mac
Did you get it right? Scroll down to find out!
The official version of watchOS 27 won't be out until September, but Apple has announced all the upcoming features, and I downloaded the developer beta so I could test them out for you!
Keep in mind that the public beta comes out this July and you will be able to test it out early as well. However, the beta can be buggy and once you download it, you have to wait for a new public version to come out, so we never recommend downloading beta software on your primary device. You can learn more about getting the beta here, but I will also talk more about the pros and cons of installing the beta in the upcoming edition of On the Watch.
1. A Smarter Siri & Designated Siri AI App
The entire WWDC keynote event focused on new AI features coming to all Apple devices, and while I got to experiment with the new Siri on my iPhone, it hasn’t been released for the watch just yet (which isn't unusual with developer beta software). Since Siri requests are mostly processed on your phone even if you request them on your watch, with Siri AI, you will be able to complete complicated personal requests from your wrist! I have an upcoming flight tomorrow, and I was forwarded an email about it weeks ago, so when I asked the new Siri, "When is my next flight?", it accurately told me the date and time and included a screenshot showing the flight number and other relevant information! By this fall, we'll be able to make requests like these without pulling out our phones!
Your watch will also get the designated Siri AI app where you can see past conversations so you don't have to repeat a question you've already asked. And of course, if you made the request on a different Apple device, as long as you’re logged in with the same Apple ID, all your conversations will be stored in the app across devices.
2. Dynamic App Grid
With watchOS 27, it is a lot easier to find the app you are looking for! Instead of pressing the Home button to see the entire app grid (or list), you now see a dynamic app grid of your five most recently used apps, along with an option to view the rest of your apps if the one you’re looking for isn't featured. My one complaint is that I’d prefer to see my most-used apps instead of the most recently opened. I often tap on the wrong tiny app icon, so my original dynamic grid was not helpful. You can’t currently manually change which apps show up, which could be a good option for those who prefer more customization.
3. A New Gesture You Will Actually Use
Gestures are ways to navigate your watch without using your voice or even tapping the screen. Up until now, I never used them because they weren't more convenient than tapping and didn't work reliably. The new watchOS 27 gesture, however, changed my mind. It lets you open the Smart Stack by double-tapping your index finger and thumb together, and scroll by repeating the gesture. To select one, you tap the two fingers just once. So far, every time I tried to use this gesture, it worked! And since Smart Stacks have gotten really good at predicting my next digital move, I can see myself using this new gesture to navigate my watch on a daily basis.
4. Automatic Audio Adjustment
There are many ways your Apple Watch can make noise, and sometimes noise levels are inconsistent. Your alarm may go unheard while the friend you called sounds like they’re yelling from your wrist! Automatic Audio Adjustment fixes that by adjusting volume based on the ambient noise around you. This feature will be on by default as soon as you update your watch. You can also go to your Settings > Sounds & Haptics > and tap on Level under Automatically Adjust Volume. From there, you'll be able to select if you want the volume to be at the default level, louder, or quieter. So if you are hard of hearing, louder might be the way to go! I recommend testing out all three options to see what works best for you.
Is there a different new feature you think is more exciting than the four above? Email OntheWatch@iphonelife.com and let me know!
Do you have a story more embarrassing than the ones above? Email OntheWatch@iphonelife.com and let me know!
🔑🔑Your iPad
You can go into Settings and then Face ID & Passcode on your iPhone and Mac to allow your Apple Watch to automatically unlock your device, but this feature does not currently exist for iPad.
You can still join the June Challenge! As long as you've worn your Apple Watch, you'll get credit for the exercise you did since June 1st.
The monthly iPhone Life Challenge is a great way to come together as a community and motivate each other to reach our health goals by staying active. We'll be doing a weekly accountability post for subscribers in our Insider Facebook group. Join to share struggles, trade tips, and support one another on our journeys.
To join the challenge, download the free Challenges app on your iPhone and enter the code FKDM when prompted. Need help? This article explains the steps and tells you more about the app.
Are you enjoying the challenge? Do you have any suggestions for how we can make it even better? Email OnTheWatch@iPhoneLife.com and let me know.
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