CNET

These New WatchOS 26 Features Are Coming to the Apple Watch

Your Apple Watch is about to get a workout buddy and a new design, but not everyone will get it. We’re breaking down all the good news, along with the not so great news from the keynote. Find the products mentioned in this video linked below Apple Watch Ultra 2 [GPS + Cellular 49mm] Apple…

Published

on

Your Apple Watch is about to get a workout buddy and a new design, but not everyone will get it. We’re breaking down all the good news, along with the not so great news from the keynote.

Find the products mentioned in this video linked below
Apple Watch Ultra 2 [GPS + Cellular 49mm]
Apple Watch Series 10 [GPS 46mm case]
Apple Watch Series 10 [GPS 42mm case]
*CNET may get a commission on these offers

Read more about Apple’s watchOS updates on CNET.com
Apple’s Workout Buddy Is Friendly, but What if It Could Adopt Other Personalities?

0:00 WATCH OS
0:32 DESIGN
1:13 WORKOUT BUDDY
2:50 LIVE TRANSLATION
3:17 FLICK GESTURE
3:27 SMARTSTACK
4:42 FINAL THOUGHTS

Subscribe to CNET on YouTube:
Never miss a deal again! See CNET’s browser extension 👉
Check out CNET’s Amazon Storefront:
Follow us on TikTok:
Follow us on Instagram:
Follow us on Bluesky:
Follow us on X:
Like us on Facebook:
CNET’s AI Atlas:
Visit CNET.com:

#apple #watchos #applewatch #applewatchultra

45 Comments

  1. @MiltBrady

    June 16, 2025 at 8:17 am

    welcome back

  2. @cuteatif19

    June 16, 2025 at 8:24 am

    “Workout buddy is powered by apple intelligence”, means its a handicap 🤣🤣🤣

  3. @willharrah9381

    June 16, 2025 at 8:39 am

    So excited about your videos you do such a great job 🎉

  4. @timmywen1162

    June 16, 2025 at 9:56 am

    Notes app integration is actually my most anticipated feature for watchOS 26.

  5. @Valentijn-Driessen

    June 16, 2025 at 10:09 am

    They went from 12 to 26 because then they think they have overtaken Samsung. Apple is years behind Samsung. Overall it looks pretty WOKE to me.

    • @Wheal1995

      June 16, 2025 at 12:53 pm

      I don’t think you know what woke means

  6. @sarid246

    June 16, 2025 at 10:31 am

    awesome , I like it

  7. @sleepyheadoutsho2656

    June 16, 2025 at 10:47 am

    I am from South Africa and i use an iPhone 16 Pro. My friend has a Huawei P Series and that workout buddy thing they’ve had since BC 🥹 Now i get why the USA banned Huawei shame.

  8. @cesarreinoso2203

    June 16, 2025 at 11:27 am

    Useless, even MapmyRun has the same feature but it actually gives you real tips, based on your running and target. On top of that workout buddy sounds super robotic

  9. @Ayushr0129

    June 16, 2025 at 12:25 pm

    Favorite new Apple Watch feature : liquid glass

  10. @icycold9406

    June 16, 2025 at 12:55 pm

    Will this support Apple Watch Series 5? ⌚️

    • @JosueSerrano7

      June 16, 2025 at 2:34 pm

      nope

    • @icycold9406

      June 16, 2025 at 4:37 pm

      @@JosueSerrano7☹️

  11. @TrustaBro1914

    June 16, 2025 at 1:25 pm

    I love how tech reviewers try and sell us on how Apple change the operating systems name to ios26

  12. @barbnd1512

    June 16, 2025 at 1:41 pm

    Round and round with the same old stuff. Nothing new, just recycled. Blah

  13. @foetor

    June 16, 2025 at 2:15 pm

    More second hand watchfaces for AW10

  14. @hankuk777

    June 16, 2025 at 2:24 pm

    meh.. yawn…😅

  15. @paultopping7413

    June 16, 2025 at 3:03 pm

    The work out buddy sounds so patronising!! But I suppose if it gives some people the validation they crave that’s up to them!

  16. @CNET

    June 16, 2025 at 3:32 pm

    Read more about Apple’s watchOS updates on CNET.com: Apple’s Workout Buddy Is Friendly, but What if It Could Adopt Other Personalities?

  17. @josejuanterrasa

    June 16, 2025 at 7:01 pm

    What ever happened to the health app advisor feature that was supposed to launch now?

  18. @Patty100ish

    June 16, 2025 at 7:13 pm

    “Glow up” is cringy. And if anyone comments stupid crap. Here is my response:

    Your mother.

  19. @jakekisiel7399

    June 16, 2025 at 8:40 pm

    Even ultra?

  20. @jakekisiel7399

    June 16, 2025 at 8:46 pm

    I did not care about any of these new features. 😢

    • @coltonpiper6156

      June 17, 2025 at 8:46 pm

      The motivational speaker actually will annoy me more than anything lol

  21. @culticfrog

    June 16, 2025 at 9:37 pm

    I’m purchasing the Pixel Watch and trading in my Apple Ultra 2. The primary reasons for this decision are:

    1. The Oxygen sensor works effectively.
    2. In case of a heart attack, 911 can be immediately notified, potentially saving a life.
    3. The upcoming early earthquake warning feature is also a life saver. That’s coming soon.

    On the other hand, the Apple Watch lacks some essential features. For instance, it has a clumsy gesture control system that is only suitable for lazy people. It also doesn’t have an Oxygen sensor, and its Health app is a pathetic comparison to Fitbit and others.

    • @BruceLeeRoy26

      June 17, 2025 at 6:45 am

      You’ve never owned an Apple Watch huh? lol

  22. @MCigarz

    June 16, 2025 at 11:10 pm

    Apple is still behind the times. They should be focused on satellite connectivity.

  23. @SamZedder

    June 17, 2025 at 9:27 am

    0:14 we’ve heard this joke enough already thanks.

  24. @JCGonzaYT

    June 17, 2025 at 10:22 am

    Version 26 sucks tbh. It feels like a rushed out idea and it messes with readability. A frosted version would have been a bit better on the eyes but what do I know. Anyway battery life seems to be underperforming in comparison to stable versions but of course this is a beta so I hope it gets ironed down before official launch.

    • @Thunder025

      June 17, 2025 at 8:29 pm

      Since about 5 years ago, Apple stopped revealing the full feature list of watchOS at dubdub choosing instead to break it off and reveal the other features with the hardware reveal (because most of the hardware is iterative anyways)

  25. @donmawele5607

    June 17, 2025 at 11:31 am

    I miss the old CNET, when it covered all kinds of tech from gadgets and PCs to cars and quirky future tech not just Apple products. Shows like The Buzz Report, Top 5, First Look, Crave, Prizefight, and The 404 Show made it fun, fresh, and unpredictable. Brian Cooley’s car tech reviews and Molly Wood’s sharp takes gave it real balance. Now it feels too Apple-focused and has lost the excitement and variety it once had.😢

  26. @B.Mars-k3c

    June 17, 2025 at 12:55 pm

    Most of the Apple watch workouts is fake, for example, the indoor rowing, it’s completely fake, it’s a simple counter, doesn’t have any smart features for detecting the actual rowing. In fact, I have disabled all the features of my Ultra, except a basic clock, alarm and timers, nothing else. If you used Garmin before, you won’t be happy with apple watch.

    • @thereecious

      June 22, 2025 at 6:34 am

      Why would you spend that much money on a watch if you’re just going to disable major features? I don’t understand why you would even do that.

    • @B.Mars-k3c

      June 22, 2025 at 8:48 am

      @@thereecious youtubers! I had a Garmin watch, not perfect but far ahead of Apple watch. You charge it once a week, automatically detects different workouts, record them properly. With apple watch, I had to take off winter gloves, and tap 20 times before I could finish a workout recording. It detects cycling, running, walking, but only almost when you finish the workout. The rest of the workout types are fake, they’re basic counters that don’t have any intelligence behind them.

      Youtubers nowadays sell stuff, instead of honest reviews, unfortunately.

  27. @Andreas-xi9rz

    June 17, 2025 at 4:45 pm

    It’s starting to feel like Apple is running out of innovations with watchOS 26. All the new functions are simply boring. Apple should set other priorities for watchOS 26, such as improved battery life, and not some gimmicks that nobody needs.

  28. @markcooley7261

    June 17, 2025 at 6:32 pm

    Were is the camera??????

  29. @adiposerex5150

    June 17, 2025 at 6:37 pm

    Liquid glass is so intriguing.

  30. @latteMelb

    June 17, 2025 at 6:56 pm

    Best features for me. 1.wrist flick. 2. Notes app

  31. @Thunder025

    June 17, 2025 at 8:27 pm

    People are making the 26 naming way more complicated than it needs to be:

    You’ll be using this OS through the most part of 2026, thus “26”.

  32. @akiciao6028

    June 18, 2025 at 5:20 am

    Software gimmicks nothing useful and waste of money..

  33. @milgrim

    June 18, 2025 at 8:55 am

    Do they last longer? Nope. Well, still not buying.

  34. @TRTL

    June 20, 2025 at 8:04 am

    So basicly nothing…

  35. @SlickEdge

    June 20, 2025 at 5:44 pm

    Apple has already partnered with OpenAI for ChatGPT search extensions in Siri, they should really just use ChatGPT’s new updated voice mode as an in-settings voice option for Siri across Apple devices, this would include the new “workout buddy,” that voice sounds absolutely terrible.

  36. @SecretOfMonkeyIsland784

    June 21, 2025 at 3:07 am

    0:24 – Remember when Microsoft used to name OS releases after the year …. well that lasted a long time. Windows 95, 98, Millenium Etd … cough “XP!” then it died …waste of time.

  37. @SecretOfMonkeyIsland784

    June 21, 2025 at 3:12 am

    A very underwhelming update

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Trending

Exit mobile version