Apple today unveiled watchOS 27, featuring a redesigned dynamic app grid, new gesture controls, and numerous usability and battery improvements.
The new dynamic app grid reveals and rearranges five apps based on context and usage. Users can simply tap the icon at the bottom center to access the rest of their apps.
A new tap gesture allows users to select a widget in the Smart Stack by tapping their index finger and thumb together once, allowing interaction even when the other hand is occupied. Apple is also expanding Smart Stack Suggestions to display more contextually relevant widgets, including birthday reminders for close contacts, a parked car locator map, sleep alarm adjustments before certain holidays, and transit card balance checks.
Users can now create personalized passes for any subscription or card that uses a QR code or barcode, such as a library card, using their iPhone and access it directly from the Wallet app on Apple Watch or pin it to the Smart Stack. Transportation cards and IDs will also appear in the Smart Stack.
Apple says it has improved Liquid Glass in watchOS 27 to improve readability through more uniform refraction and better contrast. Other improvements include faster music playback startup, faster app extension launches, improved Wi-Fi connectivity, more efficient water detection, better battery efficiency with suggested optimizations, guest key support, and the ability to view card balances in the Wallet app. The settings interface of the Apple Watch app on iPhone also features a new design.
Find My is completely redesigned with a more map-centric layout and consolidates the Find Devices, Find People, and Find Items apps into a single unified view. A new call context feature can proactively surface relevant information from other apps during a phone call to a business, such as displaying a confirmation code from Mail when a user calls an airline. watchOS 27 also includes a slew of fitness, workout, and sleep tracking improvements.
