Apple introduces watchOS 5 with enhanced fitness, Siri capabilities [u]

AppleInsider · June 4, 2018 7:04PM

Apple debuted watchOS 5 at WWDC 2018, with the Apple Watch operating system set to sport new fitness features, Siri capabilities, communication options and more.

Apple took the wraps off of its latest watchOS, introducing major changes to the operating system including a greatly improved Workouts app, as well as an upgraded Siri experience.

"We're thrilled with the positive impact Apple Watch is having on people's lives," said Jeff Williams, Apple's chief operating officer, said in the announcement. "Apple Watch is helping our customers stay connected, enhance their fitness and, in many cases, detect life-threatening conditions. With the launch of watchOS 5, we're excited to introduce new activity and communications features that will take the Watch to a whole new level."

According to Apple Vice President of Technology Kevin Lynch, who conducted the main watchOS demo, Apple has collected 6TB of data from 12,000 participants who logged 9000 hours and 2.3 million calories of biometric information. Lynch called it the largest biometric data collection of its kind.

Fitness challenge

WatchOS 5 allows users to challenge any of their contacts to a 7-day activity competition, with progress updates given to all of the participants and even awards for winners.

Apple demonstrator Jules performed a demo while on an exercise bike. WatchOS 5 allows users to start a workout on Watch, including notifications about workout competitions, and even the ability to plan a celebratory dinner, and even talk to their child while working out.

The features allow specific workouts related to hiking, yoga and 12 other activities, as well as outdoor runs with pace alerts. It even offers automatic workout detection, in addition to stress detection if Apple Watch determines the user has stopped.

Walkie-Talkie

Another new feature is "Walkie-Talkie," which is exactly what it sounds like -- allowing Apple Watch users to communicate with one another as if one is using a push-to-talk walkie talkie. It works over cellular or Wi-Fi.

Siri Watch face

watchOS 5 now allows third party apps on the Siri watch face, including those from Nike. The operating system now no longer requires verbalizing of, "Hey, Siri," to trigger Siri on the Apple Watch. Instead, the virtual assistant can be called upon simply with a raise of the wrist.

Notifications

Notifications are now more intuitive in watchOS 5. Users can respond more easily to notifications, such as adjusting a dinner reservation via Yelp. Also, message notifications are improved, through integration of WebKit with watchOS.

Music and Podcasts

Adding to the previous Apple Music integration. Now, Apple Podcasts has been added to the Watch as well. Users can also ask Siri on Watch to play individual podcasts.

In addition, third party apps are able to play background audio.

Upcoming features

A wide variety of other features are on the way for the Apple Watch, including the ability to integrate student IDs with the Watch. These will launch this fall at a handful of universities, including Tim Cook's alma mater Duke, the University of Alabama and the University of Oklahoma.

And in honor of Pride Month, Apple is offering a special rainbow-colored Apple Watch band, which is available now.

It appears watchOS 5 will mark the end of extended software support for the first-generation Apple Watch, as the beta is not compatible with the legacy device.

Stay abreast of Apple's announcements by downloading the AppleInsider app for iOS, and follow us on YouTube, Twitter @appleinsider and Facebook for live, late-breaking coverage. You can also check out our official Instagram account for exclusive photos from the event.

airnerd · June 4, 2018 7:11PM

Hopefully Ring gets off their rears and lets their users answer the door or monitor motion from the watch. That's the only thing keeping me from two more outdoor cam devices, not going to support them until they support the Apple products I use.

SendMcjak · June 4, 2018 7:33PM

Of all that was announced at WWDC, I think Walkie Talkie is the one to which I'm looking most forward.

drugikat · June 4, 2018 7:39PM

So disappointing. Only boring fitness stuff.

Here are few things still missing:

no custom watchfaces
no sleep tracking
no always-on display (I have 80% battery in the evening to spend on always-on display)
no detecting when you left your iPhone
no scrolling through months in calendar view (only current month)
no announcements of new LTE countries

racoleman29 · June 4, 2018 7:47PM

drugikat said:

So disappointing. Only boring fitness stuff.

Here are few things still missing:

no custom watchfaces

no sleep tracking

no always-on display (I have 80% battery in the evening to spend on always-on display)

no detecting when you left your iPhone

no scrolling through months in calendar view (only current month)

no announcements of new LTE countries

Also missing...batch Messages deleting. Much needed IMO.

techrider · June 4, 2018 7:57PM

It appears a line has been drawn on the life cycle of an Apple Watch - roughly 3.5 years (assuming you're a 'day one' adopter), regardless of how little or much you spent on the body and strap options (imagine the $10K+ some spent on the first generation gold Edition watch!). Perhaps a Series 1/2/3 will have longer life cycles. I love my gen 1, and will have to decide if the new features in watchOS 5 are worth parting with $ to abandon an otherwise perfectly functioning device and band. I'd like to see an Apple Watch in a category of devices Apple supports for at least 5 years.

Folio · June 4, 2018 7:59PM

Great all around! Happy Siri will credit my entire bike rides and runs. Also that I sound less foolish no longer yelling Hey Siri outside all the time.

artdent · June 4, 2018 8:05PM

Podcasts! Finally!

Now, how about letting us see the calendar more than one month at a time?

Folio · June 4, 2018 8:06PM

That rivalry bit is good. I’d like to see AppleWatch team think about bucket list goals. Like make special emblems for say hiking in 50 National Parks. Or even special complications tied to reaching achievements.

caladanian · June 4, 2018 8:15PM

No more „hey Siri“, I really love this change! : D

deminsd · June 4, 2018 8:17PM

SendMcjak said:

Of all that was announced at WWDC, I think Walkie Talkie is the one to which I'm looking most forward.

I can already see it...the return of the annoying Nextel walkie-talkie phones and annoying sounds. Everywhere you go, walkie-talkies. I imagine if there is a Do Not Disturb option for walkie-talkie, that once the newness wears off, that will be the setting most people have it on.

foggyhill · June 4, 2018 8:48PM

techrider said:

It appears a line has been drawn on the life cycle of an Apple Watch - roughly 3.5 years (assuming you're a 'day one' adopter), regardless of how little or much you spent on the body and strap options (imagine the $10K+ some spent on the first generation gold Edition watch!). Perhaps a Series 1/2/3 will have longer life cycles. I love my gen 1, and will have to decide if the new features in watchOS 5 are worth parting with $ to abandon an otherwise perfectly functioning device and band. I'd like to see an Apple Watch in a category of devices Apple supports for at least 5 years.

The only line drawn is between first gen kind of slow hw and the later one.

First gen Apple often has shorter support, mostly I guess because it has been in development longer and has less developed manufacturing capacity behind it (they don't know how much they need) and thus often has older CPUs to reduce risks.

The first Iphone (IOS 1-3 (3 versions)) and Ipad (IOS 3-5 (3 versions)) had a very short support too compared to say the 3GS (IOS 3-6 (4 versions)) and 5s (IOS 7-12 (6 versions)

The Ipad 2 was shipped with 4.3 incredibly supported until 9.3.5 (6 versions). I expect the Ipad Air 2 shipped with IOS 8 to be supported until IOS 14 at least (7 versions and nearly 8 years).

eriamjh · June 4, 2018 9:23PM

Is it time to sell my SBSS first series to an unsuspecting user with the loss of WatchOS support? Do I huff it out for another 1.5 years until the battery life is unacceptable or iOS13, 14, or 15 drops even the minimal amount of support, like texting?

rossb2 · June 4, 2018 9:29PM

a watch face store was the feature I was really hoping for. Been wanting this for 3 years now. As a first gen user, I would not be upgrading my hardware, as this update seems incremental, and light on new features.

GeorgeBMac · June 4, 2018 9:41PM

techrider said:

It appears a line has been drawn on the life cycle of an Apple Watch - roughly 3.5 years (assuming you're a 'day one' adopter), regardless of how little or much you spent on the body and strap options (imagine the $10K+ some spent on the first generation gold Edition watch!). Perhaps a Series 1/2/3 will have longer life cycles. I love my gen 1, and will have to decide if the new features in watchOS 5 are worth parting with $ to abandon an otherwise perfectly functioning device and band. I'd like to see an Apple Watch in a category of devices Apple supports for at least 5 years.

I wouldn't draw too many conclusions from this. The Gen 1 / Series 0 was original edition and had some limitations that could not be overcome: Part of it, as I understand it, is they are making demands on developers that were incompatible with Gen 1. Also, the heart monitor on the Gen 1 was not up to snuff -- as you could not use it with the Apple Heart Study.

You can get a new Gen 2 / Series 1 for $250. Most people that have upgraded have thought it was worth it. I found a response time difference in a lot of little things that just makes it more enjoyable to use. I didn't notice the lag until it went away, and then I thought "Hey, I like this!". But the biggest difference seemed to be in exercise tracking with running where it just works much better.

night9hawk · June 4, 2018 9:44PM

techrider said:

It appears a line has been drawn on the life cycle of an Apple Watch - roughly 3.5 years (assuming you're a 'day one' adopter), regardless of how little or much you spent on the body and strap options (imagine the $10K+ some spent on the first generation gold Edition watch!). Perhaps a Series 1/2/3 will have longer life cycles. I love my gen 1, and will have to decide if the new features in watchOS 5 are worth parting with $ to abandon an otherwise perfectly functioning device and band. I'd like to see an Apple Watch in a category of devices Apple supports for at least 5 years.

I gave my Series 0 watch to my son who in turn gave it to his wife after he got my Series 2 watch. They don't have the same sort of needs as I do to stay on top of the tech so they're happy with the devices. My wife will probably get the Series 0 watch after I get the Series 4 watch. Nothing goes wasted!

amarkap · June 4, 2018 9:47PM

I know someone above made a nice post about those things still missing and yes I agree...being notified (with a haptic tap) when my Watch loses connection with my phone is a huge oversight that doesn't even seem like it would be that hard to make happen. But why oh why can't get just get a simple calculator to be included??? I know there are probably Apps out there but honestly I feel that little simple program should be included.

GeorgeBMac · June 4, 2018 9:50PM

SendMcjak said:

Of all that was announced at WWDC, I think Walkie Talkie is the one to which I'm looking most forward.

I missed the keynote and the video isn't available yet.

But I don't get the Walkie-Talkie thing. How is it different than just calling somebody -- which we've always been able to do? Is it that you can use it without a phone present? I don't get it.

aderutter · June 4, 2018 9:54PM

I'll keep my stainless steel 1st gen watch for formal everyday use and get a new series 3 for leisure/fitness etc.

dkhaley · June 4, 2018 10:06PM

AppleInsider said:

It appears watchOS 5 will mark the end of extended software support for the first-generation Apple Watch, as the beta is not compatible with the legacy device.

I have to say I'm not thrilled about this. I completely understand that it's impractical to add new features to obsolescent devices. However, based on my experience with other Apple devices, this means there will be no way to receive bug fixes and security related updates.

Having a family that enthusiastically owns many Apple products, I cannot afford to constantly update each device every two to three years.

rossb2 · June 4, 2018 10:07PM

does this mean the gen 0 will no longer be able to connect to IOS, when IOS12 comes out? I found that was the case when IOS 11 came out, I was forced to upgrade the watch to maintain the connection.