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The biggest improvements I want to see

Commentary: More uses for Double Tap and a refreshed design could propel Apple's next smartwatch forward.

Between the recently announced WatchOS 11 update and the Double Tap feature of last year's Apple Watch Series 9, Apple's smartwatch continues to advance in small but important steps.

But the company could have big plans for this year's Apple Watch, if a report from Bloomberg proves accurate. Apple may break from its usual naming convention and call its next smartwatch Apple Watch X (read as 10) in honor of the device's tenth anniversary, similar to the iPhone X, according to the report.

The Apple Watch The new watch could also be more energy efficient thanks to a new type of OLED display panel, according to Korean media outlet The Elec.

There are plenty of ways Apple could improve its smartwatch. The company could turn its watch into an even smarter and more useful health assistant with further integration of artificial intelligence. Since Double Tap is relatively new, there's plenty of opportunity for updates and optimizations that make it more convenient than tapping the screen. Changes like these could be particularly important as Apple faces new competition from Google with its Fitbit, which plans to launch new AI-powered features this year, and from Samsung's Galaxy Ring to come.

With WatchOS 11, Apple is starting to address some of the Apple Watch's flaws by adding features I've been waiting for for years, like the ability to customize daily activity goals. But there are still other ways the Apple Watch could evolve in 2024.

more artificial intelligence, especially for health-related features

Apple gave the Apple Watch Series 9 a boost by making it the first model capable of handling certain types of Siri requests locally. Requests that don't require a response from the Internet โ€” like setting alarms or timers โ€” can be done directly on the device without going to the cloud, speeding up the process. Siri can also answer health-related questions in this way, making it possible to answer queries about your sleep from the previous night and the progress of activity rings.

But Apple could make its Watch even more intuitive as a health agent, and this new Siri feature appears to be just a step in that direction. The rise of generative AI has opened up new possibilities for making data easier to understand by providing answers in a more conversational way.

Google's Fitbit, one of Apple's competitors in the health tracking space, is already experimenting in this area. In October, Fitbit announced a new program called Fitbit Labs that will launch this year. It will initially connect certain data points and use generative AI to answer questions like why you were more tired than usual after your morning run. The company also believes AI can help users set realistic fitness goals, as Google's Ajay Surie recently told CNET.

This type of insight would go beyond simply recording data and turning it into graphs or tables. This would make it easier to actually change your habits based on information from your smartwatch. Apple Watch's activity rings already encourage you to get up and move around or take a few extra steps. And the Vitals app coming in WatchOS 11 will show you when certain health metrics measured overnight may be out of whack. Now imagine how much more motivating and useful this information could be if Apple had its own kind of health assistant.

Future Apple Watches could indeed include more AI-powered health tools. Bloomberg reports that the tech giant is working on an AI-powered coaching program that would provide Apple Watch wearers with personalized suggestions and advice. Apple also just announced a series of updates for Siri, so it wouldn't be surprising to see more improvements to Apple's virtual assistant coming to the Watch as well.

more features for Double Tap

Apple is expected to deepen Double Tap by adding more customization options. The motion, which involves double-tapping your thumb and index finger together, currently allows you to scroll through your widgets, answer a phone call, snooze an alarm, pause a timer and more.

Double Tap isn't meant to replace tapping on your watch, so its functionality is understandably limited compared to other gestures like tapping and swiping. But I would like to see more ways to customize Double Tap. You can decide whether Double Tap advances your widget stack or selects a widget, or whether it pauses music or skips to the next track.

While I appreciate this flexibility, I wish there were other options. For example, you should be able to choose to snooze a timer instead of ending it, or delay an alarm rather than turning it off. Right now, Double Tap simply turns off timers and delays alarms, with no option to choose the other action. I would like to be able to choose, or maybe triple tap, to do the other option.

Now that Apple is opening up Double Tap so app developers can choose specific actions within their app that work with the feature, we might actually see more uses in the future.

an updated design

The Apple Watch has received some design changes over the years, but it's the more expensive Apple Watch Ultra that has received more significant physical updates, like a larger screen and more durable construction. While Apple isn't expected to stray too far from the model's current look, I would like to see some changes. Apple redesigned the iPhone for its tenth anniversary, so I could imagine the company doing something special for the tenth generation of the Apple Watch, like perhaps a new finish or color.

Bloomberg reports that Apple may have some design changes in the works for the Apple Watch

A new way of attaching bands could also be in development for a future Apple Watch, according to the report, although it's uncertain whether this would debut on the Apple Watch X. Such a change would likely have benefits and drawbacks. disadvantages for Apple Watch owners. On the one hand, this could make it easier to slim down the watch case, as the Bloomberg report indicates that the current method of attachment takes up a lot of space. But that would likely break compatibility with the past decade of existing Apple Watch bands.

Design isn't always the most important element when it comes to tech gadgets. But smartwatches are an exception, given that they're meant to be worn in sight all day. This is one of the rare cases where a fresh design might be enough to convince owners of older watches to upgrade to the new version.

an Action button on the standard model

Since the Apple Watch Ultra launched in 2022, I've been waiting for the Action button to arrive on cheaper Apple Watch models. The Action button has proven to be a convenient way to quickly launch a workout or navigate between apps, and I've long argued that it should be part of the default Apple Watch experience. When I tried the Apple Watch Ultra in 2022, for example, I loved using it to start an outdoor walking workout with just a few taps. Using the OnePlus Watch 2, which has a customizable shortcut button, also made me realize the value of having a dedicated key for certain tasks.

Now that Apple has brought the Action button to the iPhone 15 Pro, I hope it spreads to other devices, like the anticipated Apple Watch X. Put the Action button on high-end products like the Apple Watch Ultra and iPhone

15 Pro was a good starting point, but it should become standard across the range โ€“ even on cheaper iPhone models.

Since widgets play a larger role in the overall navigation of the Apple Watch interface thanks to last year's WatchOS 10 update, there's more room for physical buttons to shine in specific circumstances, such as shortcuts. And that's especially important on a screen as small as the Apple Watch. Standard iPhone 16 models are also expected to receive the Action button, according to Bloomberg and MacRumors, further strengthening the argument for its appearance on cheaper Apple Watches.

The Apple Watch has come a long way since its arrival nearly 10 years ago. I'd like to see Apple take it to the next level by integrating more intelligence into health tracking. Apple could also update the Watch with useful features we've seen on other products, like the Action button. And it could embrace the device's roots as a fashion accessory with a new look.

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