Published , by Ozzie Mejia
Published , by Ozzie Mejia
Apple's WWDC 2021 presentation has mostly revolved around updates for iOS 15, but it has also offered some new details on WatchOS 8. Apple's wristwear will receive some major additions itself, many of which are aimed at a user's quality of life.
WatchOS 8 will focus greatly on fitness and self-care. A new version of the Breathe app is being released as Mindfulness, which is aimed at helping users breathe in a more relaxed manner. Meanwhile, the Sleep app will now monitor how a user rests, tracking their respiratory rate and evaluating their sleep quality by tracking how many breaths are taken in a minute. The Sleep app will eventually be able to determine trends and help users prevent any potential future health issues.
Fitness updates will toss in Tai Chi and Pilates, giving Apple Watch owners some new options for their Apple Fitness+ sessions. Like the other workouts in Fitness, users can pick either of these and go until they've finished their session. These activities can then be shared with the Apple Health app.
Photos are getting a big upgrade with WatchOS 8. Users will now be able to share any of their photos through the Messages and Mail apps, just as they would with their iPhone. As for the Photos app itself, users can now find featured highlights and memories, as well as more easily navigate their galleries. On top of that, any photo taken with the iPhone's Portrait Mode can now store information about the photo's subject.
Look for WatchOS 8 to get a few handy iOS 15 features, including next-hour weather alerts and the various push notification updates. Plus, the Apple Watch Series 6 will receive support for car keys, as well as the ability to find other Apple devices.
We have a lot more from WWDC 21. Be sure to follow Shacknews for the latest updates.