Last year was my first covering the watchOS beat with version 11. It turned out to be a trial by fire, with the annual software update for the world’s most popular smartwatch proving to be both sizable and significant.
While controversy reigned over iOS, iPadOS, and macOS regarding new Apple Intelligence features, watchOS took an exit off of that highway to a more peaceful, focused road that contained real, tangible updates. There were long-requested customizations to Activity Rings, as well as added power and functionality in the Smart Stack. Brand new features like Training Load and the Vitals app started to hint that Apple was maybe, finally, getting serious about, well, serious athletes.
If I’m being honest, I expected more of the same this year. The watchOS team seemed to be on a roll. Unfortunately, that hasn’t come to pass with watchOS 26, which – unlike watchOS 11 with Apple Intelligence – has been brought along for the ride with this year’s big controversy: Liquid Glass.
Can watchOS 26 handle this big UI overhaul and still deliver some tangible additions in this, the year of the Apple Watch’s tenth anniversary? Let’s take a look.
a.button { text-decoration: none !important; padding: 8px; margin: 8px; white-space: nowrap; display: inline-block; line-height: 1.18; text-align: center; }
a.button:hover { transition: none; }
a.club { isolation: isolate; position: relative; z-index: 1; width: max-content; padding: 8px 16px; background: transparent; border: none; border-radius: 25px; transition: transform 400ms, box-shadow 400ms; will-change: transform, box-shadow; transform: translateY(0); }
a.club:hover { box-shadow: 0 0 4px #d4af37; transition: transform 200ms, box-shadow 100ms; transform: translateY(-1px); padding: 8px 16px; }
a.club:after { transition: transform 200ms; transform: translateY(1px); }
a.club:active { box-shadow: 0 0 2px hsl(0 0 0 / 0.4); transition: transform 100ms, box-shadow 100ms; transform: translateY(0); }
a.club:active:after { transition: transform 200ms; transform: translateY(0); }
a.club:before { content: ”; position: absolute; isolation: isolate; z-index: -1; top: 0; left: 0; width: 100%; height: 100%; border-radius: 25px; box-shadow: 0 1px 2px hsl(0 0 0 / 0.4); background: linear-gradient( hsl(46, 88%, 80%) 0%, hsl(45, 44%, 47%) 100% ); }
a.club:after { content: ”; position: absolute; isolation: isolate; z-index: -2; background: transparent; top: 0; left: 0; width: 100%; height: 100%; border-radius: 25px; background-color: hsl(0 0 0 / 0.4); box-shadow: 0 2px 2px hsl(0 0 0 / 0.4); will-change: transform; transform: translateY(0); transition: transform 400ms; }
a.plan-club, a.plan-appstories, a.plan-plus, a.plan-premier { min-width: 150px; font-weight: 700 !important; }
a.plan-club span { display: block; color: #000; font-weight: 400; }
a.plan-appstories span { display: block; color: #000; font-weight: 400; }
a.plan-plus span { display: block; color: #000; font-weight: 400; }
a.plan-premier span { display: block; color: #000; font-weight: 400; }
a.plan-club { color: hsl(358, 89%, 36%) !important; }
a.plan-appstories { color: #210a30 !important; }
a.plan-appstories:before { background: linear-gradient(hsl(204, 100%, 75%) 0%, hsl(204, 100%, 40%) 100%); }
a.plan-appstories:hover { box-shadow: 0 0 4px #0099FF; }
a.plan-plus { color: #760087 !important; }
a.plan-premier { color: #060e1d !important; }
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