As a part of Apple's WWDC conference that is taking place this week, Apple previewed the next version of the operating system for the Apple Watch called watchOS 7. The Apple Watch has an important role in my law practice — especially because of notifications, reminders, and the calendar — and is also a big part of my life outside of work — especially because of the fitness features and its ability to play music and podcasts. There will be some nice changes coming in watchOS 7 that will make the current Apple Watch even better. (And of course, Apple might also release new Apple Watch hardware this year with even more new features.) Here are the new changes in watchOS 7 that I think will be most valuable to lawyers and others.
Watch Face Improvements
Although there are many useful apps that run on the Apple Watch, the Apple Watch is often most useful when I can just glance down at the face of the watch. It is already possible to create many different types of watch faces with different types of complications, but there will be even more than you can do in watchOS 7.
First, a single app will be able to have multiple complications on the same watch face. (Right now, each different watch face can only have one complication from each different app.) Thus, if you have a calendar app that works really well for keeping you on track during your day, you can have a single watch face that uses multiple complications that all come from the same calendar, such as one complication that tells you what the next appointment is, another that gives you a sense of your overall day, etc. Or if you want to have a watch face that is focused on the weather, you can have multiple different weather indicators on the same watch face. In this example, a watch face for parents with a new baby features multiple complications from the Glow Baby app:
Second, watchOS 7 lets you share watch faces. Once you take the time to tweak a watch face so that it is perfect for some specific purpose, you can share that watch face with someone else so that they can use it without going through all the work of getting it configured. Better yet, the App Store will offer faces recommended by the App Store editorial team, and watch faces can be shared on websites. This is a great idea because I know that most folks don't take the time to configure many watch faces, not only because it takes time but also because they don't have a good idea for how to make it better. It will be great for all of us to take advantage of the curated work done by others in creating fantastic watch faces that we can use right away or tweak further without starting from scratch. I look forward to the ability to share great watch faces right here on iPhone J.D.
Third, there will be some new face designs that you can customize. For example, if you just want to have the time and that one important complication as large as possible, the X-Large face includes the option to add a rich complication.
Fitness improvements
Apple frequently adds new workout types to the Workout app, and in watchOS 7, Apple adds Core Training, Dance, Functional Strength Training, and Cooldown.
Apple also redesigned the iPhone app that works with the Workout app. The app currently called Activity is changing its name to Fitness, and it provides more information in a more streamlined view.
Shortcuts
The Shortcuts app on the iPhone can be used to trigger lots of complex actions with a simple trigger. In watchOS 7, the Shortcuts app will come to the Apple Watch — or perhaps I should say will return to the Apple Watch, because Shortcuts is based on an app called Workflow that Apple purchased a few years ago, and Workflow worked on the watch until Apple turned off that feature. I used to use Workflow on my watch to trigger some type of automated task, and I imagine that this will also work with Shortcuts on the watch. In watchOS 7, you can create complications that trigger a specific shortcut.
Sleep tracking
Sleep tracking is a new feature that intrigues me, but I have my doubts on how useful it will be. It is already possible to use a third-party sleep tracking app on the Apple Watch. I've tried them before, but I have never really found the information that they provide to be all that useful to me. Plus, if you wear your watch all night long, you need to make sure you built-in time to your schedule to charge your watch. I found that charging while I prepared to go to work made a big difference but wouldn't get me all the way to 100%.
But now that this will be a built-in feature designed by Apple, I suspect that sleep tracking will be even more powerful and efficient. If sleep tracking is already something that you find useful, then you'll definitely want to check out this new feature.
Also, to make it easier to charge your Apple Watch at a time other than overnight, when your Apple Watch is charging, your iPhone can alert you when it has reached 100%.
Automatic handwashing detection
Proper handwashing techniques are critical as we protect ourselves and others from COVID-19. Having said that, I think I have the whole handwashing thing figured out and I'm not sure that I need my watch to remind me how long it takes to properly wash my hands. Having said that, I don't see anything wrong with getting some help from the watch — I guess it will save me from singing Happy Birthday to myself twice — and the way that Apple has implemented this feature seems fun.
In watchOS 7, the Apple Watch will be able to tell when you are washing your hands based on the motion sensors and the microphone listening for the sound of running water and soap. When it senses you are washing your hands, it initiates a 20-second countdown timer, along with a whimsical timer graphic and optional noises. If you stop washing your hands too early, your watch will prompt you to continue washing. Moreover, when you get home, your watch can remind you to wash your hands, and you can use the Health app on the iPhone to show the frequency and duration of your handwashing.
...and the rest
And of course, that is just the tip of the iceberg. Other features include the ability to use Siri on the watch to translate words into another language, great features for folks who use a bike such as bike-friendly courses recommended by Maps, new noise-detection features, optimized battery charging so that the battery lasts longer, and more.
I'm also happy to see that Siri requests will be processed on the watch itself. This should make the Apple Watch even more responsive when you talk to it, and will hopefully eliminate the delays that occur when I talk to my watch and it needs to take some time to use the iPhone to figure out what I said.
I've also seen some initial reports that the Apple Watch works much faster with watchOS 7. Everything is much more responsive. I know that there is only a tiny processor in the Apple Watch, and it is great that Apple is figuring out how to get the most out of it.
Finally, I've seem reports that Force Touch is removed in watchOS 7. That's the gesture where you push down on the screen and then push down even more to trigger a second function. This will be replaced by a long press. This is similar to what Apple did on the iPhone, where 3D Touch was replaced with a long press. My guess is that Apple is removing this feature so that it can remove the Force Touch sensor in future models of the Apple Watch, which gives Apple more space for a larger battery or another new feature — or allows Apple to make the Apple Watch even slimmer. We'll see.
Put this all together, and I'm very much looking forward to watchOS 7. I presume that it will be available in a few months.
