Widgets are coming (back) to the Apple Watch with watchOS 10

The Apple Watch is one of Apple's most succesful products of all time, but it didn't start out as good as it is today. It was only okay at launch, but Apple did a solid job with software updates, bringing features that have since then gone on to make Apple Watch the best-selling watch (not just smartwatch) of all time. Now, it seems like we may get a whole new bunch of features for the Apple Watch, including widgets.

According to Mark Gurman in his latest Power On newsletter, the watchOS 10 update will bring widgets to the Apple Watch. It is expected to be announced at Apple's WWDC 2023 in June. We reported about watchOS 10 being a major upgrade recently, and widgets are a definite sign of just how big Apple is going with this iteration.

Glances 2.0? A new widgets interface for Apple Watch

Gurman reiterates that watchOS 10 is going to be one of the biggest software updates since launch, bringing fundamental changes to how the Apple Watch works, and widgets. Apple had a Glances feature for the Watch when it launches, but pivoted away from it over the years. Now, widgets are coming back to the Apple Watch as a "a central part of the interface."

Gurman wrote "The new widgets system on the Apple Watch will be a combination of the old watchOS Glances system and the style of widgets that were introduced in iOS 14 on the iPhone. The plan is to let users scroll through a series of different widgets — for activity tracking, weather, stock tickers, calendar appointments and more — rather than having them launch apps."

Gurman also says that this feature will be available as an overlay for any watchface. He wrote, "The new interface will be reminiscent of the Siri watch face (shown above) introduced in watchOS 4, but it will be available as an overlay for any watch face. It’s also similar to widget stacks, a feature in iOS and iPadOS that lets users pile many widgets into one and scroll through them."

Apple is also considering switching up button functions to accommodate this feature. Gurman says Apple may remap the Digital Crown button press to launch widgets. Widgets may come as an optional one at launch, however, given how it seems to be a shift away from using apps on the Apple Watch.

The best Apple Watch models will get watchOS 10 later this year, following a reveal at WWDC 2023 and a beta testing period.