The updated operating system is coming this fall.
Apple today announced watchOS 27 in what can only be described as a guided tour of its operating system’s development. Naturally, the most important feature is the new AI-powered Siri, designed to be used with the user’s natural language utterances.
As with the rest of its ecosystem, Apple says Siri on your wrist will be able to understand cues from your context and interact with apps. And you can return to a previous conversation with Siri in the app and seamlessly switch between another iOS device (etc.) and your watch. Plus, there’s a new dynamic app grid that puts Siri at the heart of the menu, whether you like it or not. Around this, a matrix of your most used app shortcuts will be visible, along with any apps Siri thinks you might want to use at any given time.
Arguably the second biggest feature announced for watchOS was an update to the Health app to support perimenopause and menopause. If you use your Apple Watch to record your menstrual cycle, the system will monitor your habits for any irregularities. If any are found, users will be directed to educational materials informing them of next steps and other symptoms to watch for.
Before the event, rumor suggested that Apple was treating 2026 as a “Snow Leopard” year, following the 2009 version of OS This involved finding bugs, fixing bad code, and reducing file sizes where possible. That turned out to be mostly true, but even so, the company added new features to watchOS 27, including the ability to use its AI-enabled Workout Buddy app without being tethered to your iPhone. Workout Buddy also gets Spanish support as part of the update.
Finally, Apple is bringing a new touch gesture to watchOS 27 to help you navigate your device when your dominant hand is otherwise engaged. You can tap once with your index finger and thumb to activate the Smart Stack and start using a widget of your choice. This is an expansion of the tapping gesture launched in 2023, which at the time only used double taps on those same two digits.
watchOS 27 will, like the rest of its stablemates, be available for download this fall.
