The Apple Watch will make good on more of its original promise with watchOS 5, which puts a bigger emphasis on getting things done faster. Here’s a quick rundown of everything Apple announced:
- A “Walkie-Talkie” feature will let contacts quickly communicate by voice with a tap on the screen.
- The Siri watch face will support iOS 12’s “Shortcuts,” which can quickly trigger home automation, start an exercise, and launch playlists. The watch face is also getting more information, such as sports scores, and commute times.
- Raising the watch to your face will activate Siri, so you don’t have to say, “Hey Siri,” first.
- Notifications will get some of the interactive features that previously lived inside apps. For instance, users who are running late to a restaurant reservation will be able to request more time when their Watch notifies them their table is ready. Users can also rate a ride in Didi or check into an upcoming flight straight from a notification.
- The Watch will be able to load web pages, for those times when you really don’t want to take your phone out.
Of course, Apple is boosting the Watch’s fitness features as well. Support for yoga, hiking, and rolling mile running pace is on the way, and Watch OS 5 will be able to detect the start and finish of a workout automatically.
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