I had hoped for big changes, but instead, the Apple Watch update of 2021 mainly puts dots on the i. In this opinion, I explain why watchOS 8 is a disappointment, through no fault of Apple.
Opinion: watchOS 8 disappoints
Expectations for the successor to watchOS 7 were high. Rumor has it that the 2021 Watch update would be nothing less than spectacular, bringing widgets to the Control Panel, for example. This allows you to check the weather forecast, control music or see what time the alarm goes off from your wrist.
Complications would also occupy a spot on this panel, and we seemed to be getting a taste of a really exciting health feature, the new Glucose app.
Did Apple actually announce this? No definitely not. The unveiling of watchOS 8 was like coming home from a cold fair. The innovations this year are very small.
→ Also interesting: watchOS 8: these Apple Watches are getting an update
Minor improvements
There are plenty of examples of this, but the fact that Apple takes extensive time in the press release to discuss a new Watch Face speaks volumes. watchOS 8 is a small update that mainly builds on its predecessor, and introduces few major innovations.
Here are two more examples to reinforce the point. The Breathing app is now called Mindfulness and it will encourage you throughout the day to think about things that make you calmer. In addition, the Apple Watch gets a Focus function (which actually comes from iOS 15) to distract the wearer less by muting notifications in a smart way.
These are certainly nice features, but they won’t keep you on the edge of your seat. And of course, there are other small features in watchOS 8 that are worth checking out, but many people – including me – expected more.
→ Also read: watchOS 8: 9 small features and improvements you didn’t know yet
Not Apple’s fault
It remains to be seen whether this is Apple’s fault. The company did not give us all kinds of teasers, and in the end gave us nothing. No, instead Apple (as always) kept its teeth tight and didn’t create any expectations. However, there were a lot of rumors beforehand.
These speculations ultimately set the bar too high for watchOS 8, making the announcement feel underwhelming. After all, the annoying thing about rumors is that they can also be wrong. That is clearly the case this time.
If you flatten the case, you will ‘just’ get an update for your Apple Watch later this year. This improves a few things, without drastic interventions. And best of all, you don’t have to pay for it. If you look at things from this perspective, watchOS 8 is “just” a decent update.
patience
The biggest addition in watchOS 8 was rumored to be the arrival of a Glucose app. This would be especially good news for people with diabetes. With the Glucose app you don’t have to draw blood all the time to measure your sugar levels.
Perhaps this feature will be announced at a later date. I also did not expect that Apple would already show the long-awaited Glucose app. The Apple Watch 7 – which would have an onboard glucose meter – will not be announced until later this fall. I had hoped for a preview or teaser; Apple does that often.
However, let’s learn from the disappointment and lower our expectations. There is a very good chance that the successor to the Apple Watch Series 6 will also bring few really major innovations, but will mainly dot the i’s.
According to Apple journalist Mark Gurman, who is usually well-informed, the Apple Watch Series 7 does not get a glucose meter at all. This feature would be carried over to the 2022 Apple Watch.
The only thing we as outsiders can do is not to be fooled by all kinds of rumors. We can of course hope for new functions, but in the end it is up to Apple whether or not to respond to this. What we do have control over are our expectations.
→ Also read: Apple Watch Series 7: 5 expectations for the new Apple Watch
Release this fall
You can download watchOS 8 this fall. The software update will appear on all Watches that can currently run watchOS 7. In the run-up to the release, you can get started with the public beta of watchOS 8 from July. This is available for everyone to download, but can be unstable.
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watchOS 8 disappoints, but that’s not Apple’s fault (Opinion)
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‘Apple Watch Series 7 has a bigger screen, but no glucose meter’
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watchOS 8: 9 small features and improvements you didn’t know about
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Video: Watch the WWDC 2021 keynote here
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watchOS 8: These Apple Watches get an update