With Watchos 26, Apple Watch transforms into a real sports coach thanks to WorkoutBuddy and Apple Intelligence. This update also brings the use of improvements and the design of liquid glass on the watch.
During the WWDC 2025, Apple Watchos 26, an update dedicated to the Apple Watch with new functions aimed at intelligent fitness and daily use.
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The most important novelty is Workout Buddy, a sports coach driven by Apple Intelligence that personalizes motivation during the training.
This version also takes on the new design of liquid glass with other Apple platforms, while offering practical improvements, such as a new wrist gesture and integrated translation functions.
Workout Buddy: an AI coach on your watch
Workout Buddy is the important novelty of Watchos 26. This function uses Apple Intelligence to analyze user training data and generate personalized vocal encouragement during exercise.
The system draws out of the history fitness, the heartbeat, the appearance, the distance traveled and the activity objectives to make messages that are suitable for the time and context. For example: “It is your fourth kilometers, you have accelerated the pace with a time of 8 minutes 28 seconds” or “Congratulations, you just racing 200 kilometers for the year.” “
Apple has developed a new text-to-speech model that uses the vocal data for fitness+ coaches to create a dynamic voice that is suitable for sport. The goal is to reproduce energy and tone that is suitable for maintaining motivation during exercise.
Workout -Buddy will be available in English at the launch on the most popular training: outdoor and interior race, walking, outdoor animals, HIIT and bodybuilding. The function requires Bluetooth headphones and a compatible iPhone from Apple Intelligence in the area. We will therefore have to wait in French.
Rel designed training interface
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The training application has benefited from the biggest update since the launch. Four new buttons in the corners facilitate access to personalization functions such as training views, personalized sessions or tempo mode.
The music fits directly into the app with an automatic configuration when the training starts. Apple Music can automatically select the optimum playlist, depending on the type of activity and the musical flavors of the user. The system also offers suggestions based on listening history during this specific type of training.
Smart Stack Plus Proactive
The Smart Stack improves its forecast algorithms by integrating more contextual data, sensors and user habits. It now offers “Smart Stack Hints”, proactive suggestions in the form of subtle visual instructions.
These instructions appear contextual: back track suggestion in an isolated area without connectivity, Pilates Training Proposal on the usual arrival in the Sportstudio. These suggestions use liquid glass design to display discreet on the screen.
Improved messages and reports
Apple Watch now supports live translation in messages via Apple Intelligence. The incoming texts automatically translate into the user’s favorite language, directly on the wrist. The answers can also be translated immediately for the conversation partner.
This feature is available on Apple Watch Series 9, Series 10 and Ultra 2, with a compatible Apple Intelligence iphone. The Apple Watch can also propose contextual actions intelligently, such as starting a check -in or the use of Apple Cash, depending on the conversation.
Watchos 26 introduces a gesture of “wrist film” on recent models (series 9, Series 10, Ultra 2). A quick movement of the wrist forward and then rejects a report, hangs on a call or return to the main button.
This gesture uses the gear meter, the gyroscope and an automatic learning model to analyze movement. It completes the existing double tap to offer more interactions on one hand.
Automatic volume -adjustment
The Apple Watch can now automatically adjust the volume of the speaker, depending on the ambient noise. This position applies to reports, timers, alarms, incoming calls and Siri, so that they can remain audible without disturbing the people around them.
Other new functions
The notes app debuts on the watch, so that access to the notes is directly on the wrist. Users can pin notes and unlock, check elements and make new notes via Siri, dictation or keyboard.
Keep assistant and call screening in the app when an iPhone is nearby. Hold Assist acknowledges when a human agent draws the border and informs the user to resume the call. Call screening collects information about unknown callers before calling the phone.
For deaf or hard -hearing users, live listening is enriched with special controls on Apple Watch, including real -time subtitles of what the iPhone belongs on the paired watch. The Apple Watch can be used as a remote control to start or stop the live sessions.
The Cadrans gallery has been restructured with collections organized to facilitate the discovery. The photo -guide plate can now automatically mix the images based on the content marked by the photo app.
Availability
Watchos 26 will be available this fall in free update for Apple Watch Series 6 and Next, Apple Watch SE (2nd generation) and all Ultra models, associated with an iPhone 11 or more recently under iOS 26.
Apple Intelligence functions require compatible devices: iPhone 16 All versions, iPhone 15 Pro and iPhone 15 Pro Max with Apple Intelligence Activated and Siri configured in a careful language.
