Apple with the introduction of the Apple Watch Ultra showed off a redesigned and more expansive Compass app, which, as it turns out, is available to existing Apple Watch models in watchOS 9.
Available today, watchOS 9 adds the redesigned Compass app to the Apple Watch Series 5 and later and the Apple Watch SE, though select features are limited to the Apple Watch SE and the Series 6 and later.
The redesigned Compass app features an analog compass that displays a digital view of your current bearing and direction. You can tap into a zoomed view that shows your bearing, elevation, incline, latitude, and longitude for more information.
If you have an Apple Watch Series 6 or later, you can mark points of interest in the Compass app using the Waypoints feature, which has customizable colors and symbols. The Waypoints app adds a little marker to your current coordinates, and all Waypoints show up on the main Compass view so you can find your way back to them.
You can also use a new "Backtrack" feature if you have a Series 6 or later. Backtrack uses GPS to record the path that you take, so if you get lost, you can find your way back later. watchOS 9 is available on the Apple Watch Series 4 and later and it can be downloaded now.
Monday October 26, 2026 10:47 am PDT by Juli Clover
Apple today released watchOS 27.2, the first major update to the watchOS 27 operating system.
watchOS 27.2 can be downloaded through the Settings app on the watch or the Apple Watch app on a connected iPhone. Software can only be installed when the Apple Watch is on the charger and has over 50 percent battery.
According to Apple's release notes, watchOS 27.2 introduces new Siri AI...
Friday October 23, 2026 12:28 pm PDT by Juli Clover
Apple today seeded an updated version of the watchOS 27.2 release candidate, four days after the first RC became available.
Registered developers and public beta testers can download software through the Apple Watch Settings app or using the Apple Watch app on iPhone.
watchOS 27.2 adds new Siri AI features and extends Siri AI to more languages.
This update provides enhancements to Siri...
Tuesday November 3, 2026 10:35 am PST by Juli Clover
With the first beta of watchOS 27.3, Apple is introducing new Audio Intelligence features it previewed for the Apple Watch Series 12 and Ultra 4 earlier this year. Powered by the S11 chip, Audio Intelligence includes Live Rewind, Siri Recap, Sound Recognition, and Shazam Music Recognition.
Sound Recognition and Shazam are already on the watch, but Live Rewind and Siri Recap are now available ...
They know how many, which and what kind of watches are active currently and which one need to be forced to upgrade.
i don't think it is fair, Apple products last longer then most other products and Apple is working hard to support software upgrades to older devices in general. Apple does somethings that i don't like (repairability/upgradability) but not supporting products and forced upgrades in not one of them. We have to give them credit where it is due.
