Even though the improvements were modest from the Series 8 to the Series 9, 2023 was still a landmark year for the evolution of the Apple Watch. The new widget-focused interface in WatchOS 10 makes glancing at information much more convenient. And with the Double Tap gesture, the Series 9 introduced an innovative way of interacting after years of stagnation.
However, Apple may have ambitious plans cooking for 2024’s Apple Watch, if a Bloomberg report rings true. To commemorate a decade of the smartwatch, Apple could diverge from its typical naming scheme and dub its next device the Apple Watch X. This would mirror the naming of the iPhone X for that product’s 10-year anniversary. The so-called Apple Watch X, potentially coming in 2024 or 2025, may incorporate a slimmer form, a novel system for securing bands, a microLED display, and blood pressure monitoring, according to Bloomberg.
Of course, there are plenty of other avenues for Apple to enhance its smartwatch moving forward as well. The company could transform its watch into an even more intelligent and helpful health aid with greater AI assimilation. Since Double Tap just debuted, there is tremendous room for upgrades and refinements to make it even more practical than tapping the screen.
And then there are the improvements I’ve hoped for during the years gone by, like extended battery life, workout healing analytics, more flexible activity goals, and extra sleep insights. I still wish to see these features materialize, whether in a new variant or via a software update. However, here are some additional ways the Apple Watch could progress in 2024. In addition, you can also read an article on- Apple Watch Series 9 vs Ultra 2: 25 Key Differences Compared
More AI Smarts, Specifically for Health Capabilities
The Apple Watch Series 9 got an AI upgrade as the first model with the capacity to handle certain Siri requests locally. Queries not necessitating an internet response, like configuring alarms or timers, can be accomplished on the device itself without pinging the cloud, quickening the entire process. An upcoming software update will enable Siri to respond to health questions locally, allowing it to answer requests about your sleep the previous night and Activity Ring progress.
However, Apple could make its watch an even more intuitive health assistant, and this new Siri functionality seems like just one move in that direction. The advent of generative AI has opened up new opportunities for making data simpler to grasp by providing answers in a more conversational manner. Google’s Fitbit, one of Apple’s rivals in health tracking, is already testing in this sphere. In October, Fitbit previewed a new program called Fitbit Labs, arriving in 2023. It will initially connect dots between certain data points and utilize generative AI to answer questions like why you were more fatigued than normal after your morning jog.
That kind of insight would go beyond simply logging data and converting it into a graph or chart. It would make it easier to truly alter your habits based on the information from your smartwatch. The Apple Watch’s Activity Rings already spur you to get up and move or take some extra steps. Now envision how much more motivating it could be with observations like these.
Future Apple Watches could certainly comprise more AI-fueled health tools. Bloomberg indicates that the tech titan is developing an AI-powered coaching regimen that will provide Apple Watch users with tailored suggestions and advice. Additionally, you can also read about- The Best Fitness Apps for Apple Watch in 2023 to Help You Stay Fit and Healthy
More Double Tap Capabilities
Apple should build on Double Tap by adding more customization options. The gesture, which includes tapping your thumb and index finger together twice, presently permits you to scroll through your widgets, take a phone call, snooze an alarm, pause a timer, and more.
However, I’d like to see more avenues to personalize Double Tap. You can decide whether Double Tap progresses your widget stack or selects a widget, or whether it pauses music or skips to the next track. While I appreciate this adaptability, I wish there were other choices. For instance, you should be able to choose to repeat a timer instead of ending it or snooze an alarm versus dismissing it. Currently, Double Tap simply dismisses timers and snoozes alarms, with no option to decide to take the other action. I wish I could opt, or perhaps triple-tap, to execute the other possibility instead.
Double Tap isn’t intended to substitute touching your watch, so its functionality is understandably limited compared to other gestures like tapping and swiping. If Apple does have Double Tap updates in the pipeline, you may not have to wait for a new Apple Watch model. Apple could theoretically integrate changes like these in its next software update.
A Refreshed Design
The Apple Watch has gotten a few design tweaks over time, but it’s the more upscale Apple Watch Ultra that’s accumulated more major physical upgrades, like a larger display and tougher build. Though Apple shouldn’t diverge too far from the current model’s appearance, I’d like to see some alterations. Apple rehauled the iPhone’s design for its 10th anniversary, so I could envision the company doing something special for the 10th generation Apple Watch as well—like perhaps a new finish or color.
Bloomberg indicates that Apple may have some design shifts in development for the rumored Apple Watch X. The company is supposedly working on a more compact case and microLED displays for the Apple Watch, which would make its tiny screen appear more vivid.
A novel magnetic means of securing wristbands might also be in the pipeline for a future Apple Watch, as per the report, though it’s unclear if it would debut on the Apple Watch X. Such an adjustment would likely come with pros and cons for Apple Watch owners. On the plus side, it could facilitate Apple slimming down the watch’s case, since Bloomberg’s report says the current attachment method takes up ample space. But it would also probably rupture compatibility with the past decade of existing Apple Watch bands.
Design isn’t always the most pivotal element when it comes to tech gadgets, but smartwatches are the exception, given they’re intended to be visibly worn all day. It’s one of the rare cases where a fresh look may be enough to compel people with older watches to upgrade.
You May Find Interest: Apple Watch Series 9: No Major Changes, But a Performance Boost
An Action Button on the Regular Model
Since the Apple Watch Ultra launched in 2022, I’ve been looking forward to the Action button arriving on more reasonably priced Apple Watch variants. The Action button proved to be a handy approach to swiftly launch a workout or bounce between apps, and I’ve long contended that it should be part of the default Apple Watch experience. When I evaluated the Apple Watch Ultra last year, for instance, I loved utilizing it to commence an outdoor walk workout in just a couple of taps.
Now that Apple has carried the action button over to the iPhone 15 Pro, I’m optimistic it’ll filter down to other devices, like the prospective Apple Watch X. Positioning the action button on upscale products like the Apple Watch Ultra and iPhone 15 Pro was a sensible starting point. But now that widgets play a bigger role in how we generally navigate the Apple Watch’s interface, there’s more space for physical buttons to shine when it comes to precise, targeted situations, like shortcuts. And that’s especially crucial on a display as petite as the Apple Watch’s.
The Apple Watch has come a long way since debuting almost 10 years ago. I’d like to see Apple propel it to the next echelon by infusing more intelligence into health tracking, syncing it up with practical features we’ve witnessed in other goods, like the Action button, and embracing its roots as a fashion accessory with a fresh aesthetic.