Report: watchOS 10 May Bring Back Widgets to the Apple Watch

Apple’s upcoming watchOS 10 update for the Apple Watch is expected to be quite significant, according to a new report from Bloomberg’s Mark Gurman. Apple is reportedly planning to bring iOS-style widgets on the Apple Watch, with a twist.

As you may know, the Apple Watch did launch with a widgets system named Glances, but Apple eventually got rid of that Glances view with the watchOS 3 update back in 2016. According to Bloomberg, the new widgets system on watchOS 10 will combine the old Glances system with the functionality of the new iOS widgets.

“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. The new interface will be reminiscent of the Siri watch face 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,” the report says.

Apple is also said to be testing an option to change the functionality of some of the Watch’s buttons. As an example, a press of the digital crown could open up the new widgets interface instead of the home screen. Overall, these watchOS 10 changes could take some time to get used to for Apple Watch users, and Bloomberg suggests that Apple may decide to make these UI changes optional.

More and more information is starting to leak ahead of Apple’s WWDC conference on June 5-9: Apple is expected to unveil its mixed-reality headset at the event, and the 15-inch MacBook Air may also make an appearance.