If you ever wanted to add custom and third-party watch faces to your Apple Watch, you’ve most likely found it impossible, thanks to Apple’s heavy restrictions on its watchOS operating system. The new watchOS 10 update won’t bring any new customization options for users, although the company is bringing two new watch faces alongside a completely revamped interface and other enhancements.
In a recent interview with Tages-Anzeiger (via 9to5Mac), Kevin Lynch, Apple Vice President of Technology at Apple, and Deidre Caldbeck to discuss all of the new changes and improvements in the upcoming watchOS 10 update.
During the interview, the topic was steered toward the watch faces on Apple Watches, and the two Apple execs were asked about the possibility of having third-party watch faces on the wearables. Lynch said that Apple wants to maintain stability and consistency, which can only be achieved with their Apple-made watch faces, suggesting that if an update were to come along, some developers could take too long to update their watch faces, providing a less than stellar experience for users.
Caldbeck said that users “don’t have to worry about the watch face still working when there’s a major watchOS update. We’ll take care of that.”
While there are arguments for and against this practice, the issue could simply be solved by giving developers time to update their watch faces leading up to new watchOS releases, which is usually a couple of months, if we start the process from the announcement at the WWDC keynote event. For instance, if a developer fails to implement new changes to the latest watchOS update, it could simply be removed and not displayed on the App Store.
The execs also argue that Apple already provides many customization options for users to choose and select any design and feature to fully personalize their watch faces with added complications from third-party applications. While that’s true, there are times when power users might want additional tools, and even if Apple continues to refuse access, we hope to see more options implemented to make watch faces unique and personalized in the future.
In the interview, the Apple execs also explained how the new widget system evolved. Lynch and Caldbeck said that users wanted to access information quickly, and the widgets provide an easy and seamless way to do just that with easily and readily accessible information.
For those unaware, Apple changed the way the Digital Crown reacts on watchOS 10, and it will now open Control Center, rather than the app switches. The app switcher will now require a double tap on the crown “ “because if you press the crown once, you get to the apps.” The Control Center will be available with a single button press from anywhere in the operating system, and it will no longer require users to go back to the homescreen (the watch face) to toggle and interact with it.
There are many changes in watchOS 10, and the new update will completely revamp the experience with a brand new user interface, new widgets, and the removal of many third-party apps. The Apple Watch will provide a cleaner and easier experience for both casual and power users, and while we disagree with some of Apple’s practices, there’s a real possibility that something similar could also arrive to Android and other third-party smartwatches to imitate a similar experience that’s familiar to most users.
With that said, we hope to see some variations and improvements from other device makers and other platforms, such as Samsung’s One UI Watch and Google’s WearOS operating systems. We also can’t wait to get our hands on the public beta of watchOS 10 and give the new platform a try to evaluate the latest enhancements and the redesigned interface.
These are the best Apple Watches in 2023
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Apple Watch SE 2
$219 $249 Save $30
The affordable Apple Watch SE (2nd Generation) looks the same as its predecessor; it features improved fitness tracking and is powered by the latest and most powerful Apple S8 chip. It’s available in three colors and supports the same bands as the last generation.
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Apple Watch Series 8
Apple Watch Series 8 takes the crown from Series 7, becoming the best wearable to buy and keeping track of your fitness levels and notifications. It promises all-day battery life and a new body temperature sensor to improve metric accuracy.
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Apple Watch Ultra
The latest edition in the Apple Watch lineup is the Apple Watch Ultra. It comes with body temperature sensors, LTE, and GPS, a new large 49mm size, a more durable design, and the longest battery life in an Apple Watch to date.
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