watchOS 26 Announced With New Liquid Design Language, Apple Intelligence Features, Wrist Flick Gesture, Workout Buddy, And More

WWDC 2025 just happened and brought tons of exciting news in terms of software upgrades. We got to see the next-generation OS for iPhone, Macbook, and more. The keynote did not let down the Apple Watch fans, as watchOS 26 turned out to be one of the most significant updates in years, especially with how AI remained the focal point, allowing for more customization and personalization of features.

watchOS 26 is here, and it’s a game-changer,  introducing powerful Apple Intelligence-driven fitness features, with the all-new Workout Buddy taking center stage

While the hype remained about the other upgrades, the watchOS 26 overhaul cannot be ignored, given how it was heavily inspired by the Vision OS, making it one of the major updates for the wearable in a while. In terms of design, we see a fresh look that gives it a more clean look and the translucent UI seems to align with the rest of the software updates. The design language is more cohesive, especially with the Solarium or Liquid Glass theme that brings the interface closer to iOS 18, macOS 15, and visionOS.

With the help of the translucent background, the UI elements would pop out more clearly and add more layering, giving it a 3D touch. The animations would also be more fluid and smooth, especially on the smaller screen, and the AI prompts would not feel cluttered. Users have also been long waiting for a control center that can be customized, and this has been made possible with the watchOS. The update now extends third-party widget support in the control center, a feature that has been long anticipated and is definitely a usability upgrade given the amount of personalization that can be added up, allowing users to have control over what appears and where.

One of the most promising upgrades is the AI-powered WatchOS 26, which will now be available for Apple Watch users. WatchOS 26 is bringing Apple Intelligence to your Apple Watch, although the features will not be directly available on the wearable’s hardware and would require pairing with the iPhone. Hence, the watch would feel smarter, given how options like smart notifications and AI-driven reply suggestions can now be used to get more personal replies.

Apple is also introducing more advanced health and fitness tools in the watchOS 26 that are meant to provide a proactive approach to well-being, and one of the major announcements in the update was the Workout Buddy, which is an AI-powered fitness coach to help make the workout experience more personalized and engaging by provided real-time voice guidance during your sessions and even giving motivational prompts every now and then. The AI coach is able to learn from your workout patterns and then provide suggestions accordingly and even match the music according to the workout. This feature is integrated into the Workout app and does not depend on any third-party downloads.

watchOS 26 also introduces a new wrist-flick feature that can help users trigger actions on the Apple Watch by simply flicking their wrist and not having to touch the screen. This Assistive Touch and gesture-based control system allows for clearing notifications, silencing alarms, exiting an app, and returning to the home screen simply by gestures and engaging in a hands-free experience. Additionally, the Live Listen and Live Caption options on the Apple Watch allow you to start or stop a live listening session on the watch, so there is no need to take out the phone constantly. With the help of the live captions on the Apple Watch display, you can check out conversations instantly and discreetly, allowing for quicker accessibility.

The watchOS 26 public beta will be available next month, and the final release is expected in fall 2025.