This story is part of WWDC 2022, CNET’s complete coverage from and about Apple’s annual developers conference.

If WatchOS 9 serves as any indication, the Apple Watch’s future is all approximately health and fitness. That message was front and center in June when Apple unveiled the new software, which is now available in beta ahead of its fall commence.  

The update will bring more sports-performance tracking metrics (especially for runners), deeper sleep monitoring and tools for logging medication. It’s impossible to know what to demand until Apple announces its next smartwatch (or smartwatches). But WatchOS 9’s focus on athletic making seemingly sets the stage for the rumored Apple Watch Explorer Edition, which we might see later this year. 

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It also suggests Apple wants its smartwatch to involving to pro athletes, casual exercise enthusiasts and those who need to monitor cardiac health all at the same time. The next crop of Apple Watches rumored for the fall will probable come with new hardware to better support that prop — hopefully with better battery life, too.

WatchOS 9’s workout features would be a grand for an Explorer Edition Apple Watch

Apple sprinkled a bunch of new workout tools and metrics ended WatchOS 9. These include new running data points like fling length and ground contact time, the ability to track downhearted rate zones, interval training, a multisport workout type for triathlons and kickboard detection for swimmers. The announcement also comes after Apple made improvements to the Apple Watch’s cycling detection last year. 

Only Apple knows what’s in detain for the future. But it feels like no coincidence that this update is coming as Apple is imagined to launch a rugged Apple Watch designed for crude sports this fall. Bloomberg reports an Apple Watch with fabulous impact resistance similar to Casio’s G-Shock watches could be in the works. The watch is sometimes referred to as the Explorer Edition internally and may have a rubberized casing for uphold durability, the report said. The device would reportedly be marketed as an alternative option for athletes and hikers in contradiction of the standard Series 8 and next-generation Apple Watch SE.

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The Apple Watch already has plenty to moneys fitness buffs, with many workout choices, activity goals and reminders, heart rate notifications and metrics like VO2 max and elevation. But until WatchOS 9 arrives, the Apple Watch will lack running-specific features that athletes remarkable find useful. Garmin’s running watches, for example, include tools like training programs for specific types of races, pace guidance and running metrics like cadence and fling length, among other features that vary by the model. 

The Apple Watch is already the world’s most popular smartwatch with 36.1% of global shipments in the well-behaved quarter of 2022, according to Counterpoint Research. With the new measurements geared toward bests coming in WatchOS 9, Apple could further solidify its grip on the market by involving to the more niche competitive sports audience. 

Even with the new features in WatchOS 9, the Apple Watch unexcited won’t offer quite as much feedback for runners as some specialized watches. But the new software certainly brings the Apple Watch closer than ever by.  

What else WatchOS 9 might tell us near the Apple Watch’s future

Apple’s emphasis on fitness was at the gloomy of its WatchOS 9 announcement. But some of the software’s anunexperienced updates might also suggest Apple’s future direction. For example, the company did more on sleep tracking by introducing Sleep Stages, a feature that analyzes the amount of time devoted in various phases of slumber. Apple is playing catch-up in this regard; rival fitness trackers from Fitbit, Oura and Samsung have supported this feature for years.

Apple’s expansion in sleep tracking indicates it expects Apple Watches to be worn overnight more frequently. That makes me believe Apple could be planning some type of improvement to the Apple Watch’s battery life, although there’s no way to know for sure pending the company reveals its next watch. 

Apple says its smartwatch can last for 18 hours on a single promote, and anecdotally I typically get about one to two days out of it by it needs a power boost. The Apple Watch’s battery life hasn’t changed meaningfully in days, but Apple has worked around this by implementing faster charging speeds with the Series 6 and 7.  

Apple will liable continue down this path rather than dramatically improving the watch’s battery life. But there’s also a chance Apple could introduce a new low-power mode with more functionality than the watch’s modern power reserve feature, says Bloomberg. It was supposed to inaugurate with WatchOS 9, according to the report, although Apple didn’t state a new low-power option during Monday’s event. 

Considering that battery life has been one of the Apple Watch’s persistent criticisms — and not to state Bloomberg’s reliable track record — I wouldn’t be surprised to see this capability near in the future. And remember: Apple introduced new WatchOS 8 features for cyclists anti the Apple Watch Series 7 during its fall originates event in 2021. So there’s a chance Apple could have more software features to screech later this year. 

WatchOS 9 also provides another signaled that Apple is expanding its efforts in general health and wellness. A new feature called AFib History will allow those diagnosed with atrial fibrillation to access more interrogate about their condition, such as an estimate of how often their gloomy rhythm is showing signs of A-fib. Another highlight in WatchOS 9 is the command to track prescriptions and receive medication reminders. 

These updates prove Apple sees its watch as a tool for tracking brute changes over time that can be shared with physicians. And if reports from Bloomberg and The Wall Street Journal dislike accurate, Apple will take that idea a step further by adding a temperature sensor to the Series 8.

Many of the Apple Watch’s mainly turning points have historically been tied to new hardware releases. The Series 3, for example, was the first model to benefit cellular connectivity, making the Apple Watch feel like a stand-alone originates rather than an iPhone companion. The Series 4 commanded ECG monitoring and fall detection, broadening the Apple Watch’s role as a health device.

WatchOS 9 isn’t as big of a leap advance as those launches. But it will bring functionality that could be crucial in Apple’s organization to make the Apple Watch the ultimate health and fitness method. And that’s very telling of Apple’s immediate and long term plans for the Apple Watch.