watchOS 9: The most important innovations for your Apple Watch

Apple has started rolling out its watchOS 9 wearable operating system. This also brings some exciting innovations to your Apple Watch. We present some of them to you here.

watchOS 9 now available

Anyone who calls an Apple Watch from Series 4 and newer his own, can now download the new operating system watchOS 9. Apple had already introduced some of the new features at WWDC 2022 in June, but a few more features await you for the final release.

To start the download, you simply have to download the latest version via the Watch app on the paired iPhone under the item “General” -> “Software update”.

Some of the new features include improved sleep tracking, which now divides sleep into different phases, and an update for the Workout app, which provides additional data. This includes, for example, a detailed view of the intensity of the current workout and new data for different sports, which are adapted to the individual body thanks to machine learning.

Another new feature, for example, is the ability to perform a quick action by tapping your fingers together twice. This makes it possible, for example, to start training or take a photo.

watchOS 9: These other innovations await you

Also new in watchOS 9, for example, is the Oceanic+ app, offered for the recently launched Apple Watch Ultra, which turns the smartwatch into a dive computer. It uses the Bühlmann decompression algorithm and offers dive planning, easy-to-read dive metrics, visual and haptic alerts, no-decompression limits, ascent speeds and safety stop notifications.

The compass app has also been redesigned to provide more detailed information and offer multiple views. Waypoints let you quickly mark locations or points of interest, while backtracking uses GPS to track your route – helpful if you ever get lost.

Also new is a power-saving mode that lets you extend the Apple Watch’s battery life via the battery status indicator. According to Apple, up to 36 hours more runtime should be possible with this.

There have also been some changes to the workout app and the alarms it includes, the health app and a new medication check. You can also find all the features of watchOS 9 once again on Apple’s overview page.