At its WWDC 2021 virtual event held earlier today, Apple previewed watchOS 8 that brings new access, connectivity, and mindfulness features, improved capabilities with the Home app, new workout types, and an updated Breathe app.
“With watchOS 8, we’re bringing more convenient access to places users live, work, and visit with significant updates to Home and Wallet,” said Kevin Lynch, Apple’s vice president of Technology.
With watchOS 8, Wallet brings new contact-free ways for users to access the places and things they care about safely, and securely. Users will soon be able to also add keys for their home, office, and hotel to Wallet, and tap their Apple Watch to unlock.
The redesigned Home app in watchOS 8 offers more convenient access to accessories and scenes needed in a particular moment, and the ability to control accessories by room.
watchOS 8 introduces two new popular workout types: Tai Chi and Pilates. Apple says these new workout types are supported by validated custom-built heart rate and motion algorithms to provide users with accurate metrics.
watchOS 8 also gives users even more insight into their overall wellness by tracking sleeping respiratory rate, which is the number of breaths per minute.
The new Portraits watch face brings to life stunning portrait photos shot on iPhone with an immersive, multilayered effect, intelligently recognizing faces in photos and cropping in to highlight the subject.
The Photos app is also redesigned, offering new ways to view and navigate collections, Memories and Featured Photos. The Contacts app is now also available on Apple Watch, providing a simple way for users to browse, add, and edit contacts, and share contacts directly from the app.
The developer beta of watchOS 8 is available to Apple Developer Program members at developer.apple.com starting today. A public beta will be available to watchOS users next month at beta.apple.com.
Visit this link for the full watchOS 8 preview on Apple’s website.
