Apple has released the much anticipated Apple Watch Series 6 alongside the Apple Watch SE with WatchOS 7 out of the box. WatchOS 7 is the new operating system that’ll power Apple Watch Series 3 up to the new Series 6. The new operating system comes with new features such as the much-anticipated sleep app, ECG, fall detection, watch face sharing, handwashing reminder, memoji watch faces, family setup, and many more interesting features. This post takes a look at the WatchOS 7 features.
WatchOS 7 – What’s New?
Before we proceed with the features of the WatchOS 7, I think its important to mention what’s been added to the new operating system for Apple smartwatches. the new features include;
- Watch face sharing – allows you to share watch faces.
- New memoji app – allows you to send memojis as stickers in messages and as well make one your watch face.
- Family set up – A feature that allows family members without iPhone to enjoy all the features of Apple watch by connecting many Apple watches to a single phone.
- Sleep app – Tracks you sleep in stages alongside other fine features.
- Activity app renamed to Fitness app and features 4 workout modes.
- Cycling in maps – A feature that shows cyclist routes to follow, measures elevation plus reminders that suggest recreational points.
- Handwashing app reminds you to wash your hands in line with the fight against Covid-19.
- Hearing app introduced to Watch 5 has been enhanced to offer more protection.
- Siri has been updated to offer language translation.
- Smart money allows you to send money from Apple cash family app.
List of WatchOS 7 Features
- Family Setup
- New Memoji App
- Smart Money – Send money to a family member
- More on Parental Control
- Find My App – Know The Location of a Family Member
- Make and Receive Calls
- Zoom In, Fall Detection, Emergency SOS Features for Seniors
- Watch Face Sharing
- Sleep App – Alerts, Wind Down and Wake Up
- Activity App Renamed to Fitness App With New Workout Modes Added
- Cycling Direction
- Handwashing App – Helps you Prevent Covid-19 and Other Diseases Alike
- Hearing Protection
- Siri Updated – Transaltion for up to 10 Languages
Family setup of one of the biggest features introduced to the WatchOS 7, it allows family members who don’t own an iPhone to enjoy all the features an Apple Watch has to offer. Many Apple watches can be connected to a single phone in the Apple Watch app with numbers assigned to each watch. This way family members can stay connected at all times. Note: Family setup requires Cellular models of an Apple Watch.
In addition to the family setup feature above, Apple has added the memoji app that features a cowboy hat, eye patch, vampire’s teeth, and more emojis. Family members can send emojis as stickers in messages or make any of those the watch face.
This feature allows money to be sent to any member of the family and it also features parental control that makes it easy to manage.
Parents get more ways to manage what your kid has access to, like the ability to approve contacts and downloaded apps, and as well as the schooltime feature that enables parents to limit features of the Apple Watch to increase concentration.
Find my app is a feature that allows family members to know the exact location of a family member. It also sends out an alert when a member of the family gets home or kids aren’t where they are supposed to be.
Both the GPS models of the Apple Watch 3,4,5,SE, and 6 come with microphone and loudspeaker that enables you to make and receive calls from these smartwatches. With the Cellular models, you can make and receive calls from the Apple Watch without a connection to an iPhone. Note: The Cellular model of Watch 3 has been discontinued.
The WatchOS 7 also features zoom in that enlarges texts on the display as well as the fall detection and SOS emergency features introduced in previous Apple smartwatches. These security features come handy when the Apple Watch senses a fall detection or other forms of danger. SOS emergency can be set up from the Apple Watch App.
Like on Galaxy Watch 3, you can create a watch face on the Apple Watch and share it by texting, emailing, or share a link of it online with a family member or friend. There are lots of watch faces to choose from, you can also find a watch face online that interest you and install it on your Apple Watch. And you can add widgets to the watch face which allows you access the most important features that matter to you easily.
Sleep tracking is one features Apple Watch owners have yearned for so much, now the sleep app offers sleep tracking alongside other features that can help you keep a tab on your sleep trend. Apple Watch uses its accelerometer to notice the subtle movements associated with breathing and differentiate between sleeping and waking states. Sleep mode automatically turns on do not disturb mode which turns off the display of the watch. When you wake, Apple watch now shows your sleep stages in a chart like the Active 2 and Galaxy Watch.
There is the alert feature that reminds you of bedtime and waketime with vibrations or little sounds, while Wind Down helps you establish a bedtime routine like dimming the lights. When you wake up, the Wake-Up feature shows the weather and battery level on your apple watch to help you plan the day ahead.
Apple has redesigned and renamed the activity app on iPhone to fitness app and has also added 4 workout modes which include; dance, functional strength training, core training, and cooldown. Now, you can see all your daily activity summaries on a single page. You can also compete and share your fitness goals with family and friends.
Cycling enthusiasts will find the cycling maps features very interesting, this app has maps that measure elevation changes, shows you bike lanes and busy roads. It also shows directions and alerts you on when to turn. It recommends the fastest, shortest, and suggested routes, then allow you to choose what works best for you.
Moreover, it allows you to search for nearby places and keeps you ahead with instructions that tell you to dismount, walk, or otherwise.
With the great havoc caused by the Covid-19 pandemic, Apple has deemed it fit to add a handwashing app that reminds you to wash your hand, then keeps you going for the amount of time recommended by global health organizations. Using its motion sensors and microphone, Apple Watch automatically detects handwashing and starts a 20‑second timer, it also reminds you to wash your hands when you get home.
WatchOS 6 introduced hearing protection, now WatchOS 7 builds on this feature by adding more features that help protect your hearing. This app alerts you when you reach the WHO recommended hearing dose for the week. It also shows how long you have listened to high decibels in the Apple Watch App and can help you set a maximum volume for your headphone.
Siri has remained one of the most important features of an Apple Watch, it has been updated with new features that make it even smarter. One of those features is the ability to translate a language to another with support for 10 languages. Dictation is now processed on the Apple Watch rather than on the phone which makes requests faster and specific, and with Siri shortcuts, you can add runs shortcuts you’ve created on your iPhone, you can also add these shortcuts as complications to the watch face.
Other features include heart rate tracking, ECG, and blood oxygen tracking. The new Apple Watch Series 6 alongside SE come out of the box with WatchOS 7 which is also available on other older models. However, only the Watch Series 6 features ECG and blood oxygen tracking, while also being available in more materials.
