Rumors have already created a lot of buzz around the Apple Watch. This year we expect that, in terms of hardware, there will be few changes, but we do expect a major redesign of the operating system at the developers conference. A redesign of which we know very little, certainly, but with each leaked detail, expectations about the new look grow.
A design more similar to the iPhone
If until now we knew little of the redesign that awaited us in a few weeks, we now expect that the next watchOS 10, the update of the Apple Watch operating system, will include a new home screen design. This is what the anonymous Twitter account @analyst941, which has already been right with several predictions in the past, lets us know.
The source claims that the new design will make it easier to navigate apps and will have behaviors more similar to iOS, such as folders for apps. A huge change in approach that, it must be said, given the number of applications we use today on the Apple Watch, will be more than welcome.
In this line, let’s recall that last weekend, in his newsletter, Mark Gurman already stated that watchOS 10 will be the most important software update of the Apple Watch since its launch to the world in 2015. The same Gurman commented that one of the new features that the new version of the operating system will include is an “updated interface”, which would coincide with a redesign of the home screen, although it could go beyond it.
Over the years, the Apple Watch has evolved from being a device focused primarily on health and fitness, to a more complete device that includes communications, third-party apps and more. However, the home screen design has remained virtually unchanged since its launch.
And we say “virtually” because while it’s true that the default view is the honeycomb grid we saw with the launch of the device eight years ago now, Apple added another option some time ago. The list mode view that we can scroll through is also a way to view our apps on the Apple Watch. Useful, although after a certain number of apps perhaps a little slower than the previous design.
In this regard, it is not clear if the new design will be enabled by default, if it will be the only option available or if it will be available as a secondary option to the ones we already know. The source did not provide further details, but promised to provide more information soon.
In any case, the ability to organize apps into folders, as in iOS, would allow us to group similar or related apps very easily, which would facilitate navigation and reduce clutter on the screen. Even, and to a certain extent, it could be posed that, as the Apple Watch already does with many options and settings, the watch would try to copy the layout we already have on our iPhone.
While some may argue that the current honeycomb design is iconic and makes the Apple Watch unique, a redesign in watchOS 10 would be a welcome change for those of us who have been waiting for a faster interface when accessing commonly used apps.
The truth is that, as much as we think we know, we know very little. Little not only because the information we have is based on rumors and is not confirmed, but also because software is where it is easier to make last-minute changes. Until we see official confirmation from Apple about the changes in watchOS 10, everything can change. It would not be the first time that something new appears even during the betas cycle and disappears before the official release of the system. In any case, although it will be necessary to wait for the official announcement at WWDC 2023 on June 5, it is clear that the Apple Watch update promises to be something big.
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