Apple has released watchOS 26, introducing features like Sleep Score, Workout Buddy, Hypertension Alerts, new watch faces, and a Liquid Glass design, compatible with Series 6 and later, enhancing health, personalization, and user experience.
watchOS 26 introduces subtle yet impactful updates to the Apple Watch, including a new Liquid Glass aesthetic, an AI-powered Workout Buddy for personalized fitness insights, a new wrist flick gesture for hands-free control, smarter message replies, and the addition of the Notes app, all aimed at enhancing user experience without drastic changes.
Apple's Workout Buddy feature in WatchOS 26 introduces a friendly, AI-powered voice that provides personalized encouragement during workouts, signaling Apple's broader strategy to develop more advanced, personalized fitness coaching tools in the future. While currently more of a motivator than a coach, it leverages years of fitness data, trained trainer voices, and privacy-focused on-device processing, setting the stage for more sophisticated AI health features ahead.
Apple's watchOS 26 introduces Workout Buddy, an AI-powered fitness coach that provides real-time voice feedback during workouts on compatible Apple Watch models, requiring Bluetooth headphones and specific device requirements for setup and customization.
watchOS 26 introduces a significant architectural upgrade for the latest Apple Watch models, transitioning them to full ARM64, which could enable more complex AI and fitness features like Workout Buddy that offers personalized encouragement during workouts, especially when paired with newer iPhone models.
Apple WatchOS 26, announced at WWDC 2025, introduces a new naming convention, a Liquid Glass aesthetic, and enhanced features like Apple Intelligence, Workout Buddy, and improved notifications, available for Series 6 and later, with a public beta expected soon and full release this fall.
Apple announced WatchOS 26 at WWDC 2023, introducing a new year-based naming system, a Liquid Glass UI design, and several new features including Workout Buddy, automatic volume adjustment, live language translations, and a revamped Workout app. Workout Buddy provides audio encouragement and personalized feedback during workouts, available initially in English for Series 6 and newer Apple Watch models.
Apple has introduced Workout Buddy, an AI-powered workout coach that provides real-time guidance and encouragement during exercise, using data from the user's fitness history and current activity. The feature includes a generative voice modeled after Fitness+ trainers, personalized milestones, and enhanced media features, all designed to make workouts smarter and more engaging. Available in English for popular workout types, it emphasizes privacy and personalization.
Apple announced 'Workout Buddy,' an AI-powered fitness feature for Apple Watch at WWDC, offering real-time personalized coaching during workouts, available in iOS 26 and watchOS 26, with initial support for popular exercise types and beta testing now open.
Apple announced watchOS 26, featuring a new Liquid Glass design, an AI-powered Workout Buddy for personalized fitness motivation, enhanced notifications with wrist flick gestures, and improved app and interaction features to make the Apple Watch more personalized, expressive, and convenient.
Apple announced watchOS 26 at WWDC 2025, featuring a new transparent design language called Liquid Glass, a wrist flick gesture to dismiss notifications, and an AI-powered Workout Buddy that offers personalized fitness encouragement. The update aligns watchOS numbering with other Apple platforms and introduces new fitness and notification management features, with a full release expected this fall alongside new Apple Watches.