9 Apple WatchOS 9 Features We're Most Excited For
WatchOS 9 will bring a number of new features to Apple Watches later this year, from fresh watch faces to expanded heart health insights.
The next generation of Apple's smartwatch operating system will be available as a free update this fall for the Apple Watch Series 4 or later. Yes, that means Apple Watch Series 3 users will be left out of the watchOS 9 party.
We plan to try out the watchOS 9 public beta as soon as it arrives next month, but in the meantime, let's take a look at the most exciting features Apple has announced for its next major smartwatch software release.
The Apple Watch can already alert you if it detects signs of atrial fibrillation(Opens in a new window) (AFib), an irregular heart rhythm that can lead to blood clots, stroke, heart failure, and other serious complications. WatchOS 9 includes a new AFib History feature designed to help you track the frequency of this condition over an extended period of time. It will estimate how often your heart rhythm shows signs of AFib, and lifestyle factors that may influence it, such as sleep, alcohol consumption, and exercise.
"Research suggests that the amount of time spent in AFib may impact a person’s symptoms, overall quality of life, and risk of complications," Apple wrote in a news release(Opens in a new window). "According to the American Heart Association, addressing modifiable lifestyle factors may decrease the amount of time spent in AFib."
After enabling this feature, the watch will send you weekly AFib notifications. You can also access your detailed AFib History in the Health app, and generate a PDF of this data to share with your doctor.
Apple says this new heart health feature is the first of its kind, and it's been FDA-cleared for US users
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