At the 2026 WWDC Developers Conference, Apple officially released watchOS 27, a new generation of Apple Watch operating system, introducing the new Siri AI assistant, dynamic application grid, and comprehensive upgrades to health and fitness functions. The system will be rolled out to users this fall, but will only support Apple Watch Series 10 and later models, including Apple Watch Ultra 2, Ultra 3 and SE 3.
The biggest change in watchOS 27 is access to Siri AI, a new generation of virtual assistant powered by Apple Intelligence. Apple has added an independent Siri application to the Apple Watch, which it claims can "bring all your conversations with Siri into one place." Users can not only start a conversation with the chatbot directly on the watch, but also initiate a question on the iPhone and then seamlessly continue it on the wrist. Siri can also perform actions directly within apps, such as playing music, sending emails, or setting new Activity Circle goals, without the need for users to search through app menus. At the same time, Siri AI will not be available until the beta version is launched later this year, and will need to be paired with a device that supports Apple Intelligence; Apple also confirmed that Siri AI will not be launched on iOS and iPadOS in the EU for the time being.
On the interactive interface, watchOS 27 introduces a new “Dynamic Application Grid”, the core of which is intelligent recommendation logic driven by Siri. The new Siri app is pinned in the center of the grid, with the user's most commonly used and recently used apps automatically arranged around it, making it easier to access quickly from many apps without having to search for each one in a complex grid. The interface examples given by Apple show that the new layout highlights core functions and aims to improve the efficiency of daily operations.
In terms of health and fitness functions, watchOS 27 will provide more data insights for Workout Buddy, the AI personal coaching feature previously introduced in watchOS 26, including more detailed analysis of pace, distance and training duration, and improved tracking accuracy for outdoor running and treadmill workouts. The system's menstrual health tracking has also been upgraded. When the cycle pattern recorded by the user shows suspected perimenopausal characteristics, the system will give a prompt. In addition, Workout Buddy, which previously only supported English, will also add Spanish support to further expand the user base.
Apple has also made many optimizations to the system experience of watchOS 27, including providing more widget recommendations in Smart Stack, faster music playback response, further optimization of battery life, and a more simplified "Find" application interface to facilitate users to locate the device. Apple said that the Liquid Glass fluid style interface has also been refined and adjusted to improve text readability. The new system also adds a new gesture operation: users only need to tap with their index finger and thumb to select a small component in the smart stack, further enhancing touch-free gesture interaction capabilities.
watchOS 27 is a continuation and expansion of last year’s watchOS 26. Apple will start aligning the version numbers of each operating system with the upcoming year starting in 2025, moving from the watchOS 11 naming system that has been used for many years to a new number sequence. watchOS 26, which was officially launched in September last year, introduced Apple's Liquid Glass design language to Apple Watch for the first time. It also added a wrist flick gesture to quickly close notifications, introduced fitness functions powered by Apple Intelligence, and supported the Apple Notes memo application, laying the foundation for this year's interactive upgrade.
The background of this update is that Apple has experienced a round of personnel shocks in its health and Apple Watch business lines. In April this year, Jay Blahnik, Apple’s head of fitness who designed the Apple Watch’s iconic three-ring fitness tracking system, announced his departure after it was revealed that he sexually harassed employees and created a “toxic work environment.” That same month, Stan Ng, Apple’s head of health and Apple Watch marketing, also retired after 31 years. On the other hand, incoming Apple CEO John Ternus will take over the Apple Watch hardware business as early as the end of 2022, and the current series of adjustments around health and smart assistants are also considered part of its hardware strategy.