Apple’s watchOS 11 is now official, having been revealed at WWDC 2024 (you can get a blow-by-blow account of the keynote via our WWDC 2024 live blog). And while it’s not a revolution in terms of features and design, there’s are some nifty upgrades that should give the best Apple Watches a boost in capabilities.
These include a more intelligent widget stack with live activities, and brand-new features, such as the Training Load feature and Vitals app.
So read on for everything you need to know about watchOS 11.
Cut to the chase
- What is it? The next major software release for Apple Watch
- When is it out? Likely September, with a beta version available right now
- What Apple Watches will be supported? Likely Series 5 and newer
watchOS 11: Rumored release date
Apple didn’t announce a specific release date for wearOS 11 but said it’s coming this fall, so think around September time, likely joined by the rumored Apple Watch 10.
Developer betas are available right now, with public beta set to be released next month (July), for Apple Watch Series 6 or later paired with iPhone Xs or later, running iOS 18.
watchOS 11 new features
There’s not a vast amount watchOS 11 will bring to the table compared to previous Apple Watch operating system upgrades, but there are some new features worth your attention.
Vitals app
Completely new for watchOS, the Vitals app taps into the Apple Watch’s ability to measure important health metrics during sleep – heart rate, respiratory rate, wrist temperature, sleep duration, and blood oxygen – to give wearers a way to quickly view these key health metrics and have better context when it comes to their health.
These metrics can then be used to check one’s daily health and see when they are out of range, all at a glance. And when two or more metrics are out of their typical range, a notification will ping, along with a message detailing how the changes in these specific metrics may be linked to other aspects of a person’s life, such as elevation changes, alcohol consumption, or even illness.