I’m convinced watchOS 11 is hinting at an Apple Watch 10 with better battery life
An Apple Watch 10 with a 36-hour battery life? We can dream
When you purchase through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission.Here’s how it works.
In the midst of features such asAppleIntelligence, the big Siri/ChatGPTupdate, the iPad Calculator app and spacial photos on visionOS 2, watchOS 11 was a little bit lost in the noise ofWWDC 2024.
The update to theoperating systemsfor thebest Apple Watchesbrought a number of exciting new features, such as an improved widget stack, live activities, new GPS workout profiles, AI-assistant photo collections for your watch face, improved women’s health tracking and a new Vitals app. Some good features, but it wasn’t as big a change as we saw last year, and it was jostling for space with showstoppers like the examples listed above. Consequently,watchOS 11has been somewhat forgotten about by most pundits, who are focusing onApple Intelligenceand other AI features, and what they could mean for Apple going forward.
However, I think there’s a little bit more to watchOS 11 than meets the eye. This year, watchOS’s biggest changes are all about theApple Watch’s capabilities to monitor more holistic health, rather than workouts and adventurous fitness-related pursuits. The Vitals app – designed to monitor sleep, skin temperature, and recovery – along with the Sleep app’s automatic sleep tracking functionality, are two such examples.
This is in line with allthe best fitness trackers right now: last year’sSamsung Galaxy Watch 6had a big sleep emphasis, and the best smart rings – tiny fitness trackers that passively, invisibly monitor heart rate, blood oxygen, stress and sleep quality – are all the rage right now. Fitness is out (or at least, as “out” as fitness can be) and wellness is in. It’s unsurprising Apple is following suit, but there’s a big barrier in the way of Apple rubbing shoulders with some of the other best sleep trackers on shelves right now: that damn battery life.
At the time of writing, Apple Watches are listed by Apple as lasting for 18 hours, less than a day. While, as a rule, this statistic tends to be very conservative, if you’re using some battery-draining features such as GPS workouts for runs, cycles, walks, or swims, you’re likely to get less than a day’s use out of a standard Apple Watch. TheApple Watch UltraandApple Watch Ultra 2get more at 36 hours, but they’re much more expensive than the more basic models.
Despite the fact that Apple Watches charge very quickly, many people aren’t in the habit of wearing their watches overnight. They’ll end up charging them twice: once before bed, once in the morning - and, in my experience, the watch is usually left off the wrist at night, often on a wireless charger.
The emphasis on sleep features this year could mean that Apple is set to debut an Apple Watch 10 with better battery life, a highly requested feature from almost every Apple Watch user out there. I would love to see the inner workings of exactly how many people use Apple’s sleep tracking features – I’m willing to bet cash that it’s not that many – but I believe a revamp of the Watch’s sleep tracking capabilities signals intent to create a device that isn’t designed to be taken off for a long period of time.
It would be fantastic if Apple is able to incorporate the Apple Watch Ultra 2’s 36-hour battery life into the baseApple Watch 10. The standardSamsungGalaxy Watch 6’s battery life tops out at 40 hours, and I’d love it if Apple followed suit and made another, cheaper watch that could go the distance, lasting you through the night and into the following day.
You might also like…
Get the best Black Friday deals direct to your inbox, plus news, reviews, and more.
Sign up to be the first to know about unmissable Black Friday deals on top tech, plus get all your favorite TechRadar content.
Matt is TechRadar’s expert on all things fitness, wellness and wearable tech. A former staffer at Men’s Health, he holds a Master’s Degree in journalism from Cardiff and has written for brands like Runner’s World, Women’s Health, Men’s Fitness, LiveScience and Fit&Well on everything fitness tech, exercise, nutrition and mental wellbeing.
Matt’s a keen runner, ex-kickboxer, not averse to the odd yoga flow, and insists everyone should stretch every morning. When he’s not training or writing about health and fitness, he can be found reading doorstop-thick fantasy books with lots of fictional maps in them.
Get the Fitbit Versa 4 for a record-low price at Amazon ahead of Black Friday
The Samsung Galaxy Ring 2 could launch sooner than expected – with new features and a thinner design
Nokia confirms data breach leaked third-party code, but its data is safe
