This story is a part of Focal Level iPhone 2022, CNET’s assortment of reports, ideas and recommendation round Apple’s hottest product.
What’s occurring
The Apple Watch is a superb smartwatch and health tracker, however I would wish to see extra wellness instruments, longer battery life and extra makes use of for its U1 chip.
Why it issues
Apple is a frontrunner within the wearables market, however rivals Fitbit and Oura are forward in sure areas.
What’s subsequent
Apple is predicted to announce new Apple Watch fashions within the fall.
The Apple Watch has developed right into a complete health tracker and communication system within the seven years because the first mannequin launched. That stated, there are many enhancements I would wish to see.
Whereas the Apple Watch’s large choice of exercises, intuitive software program and addictive Exercise Rings have made it my favourite health tracker, I typically discover myself wanting extra. Different gadget-makers, similar to Oura and Fitbit, are outpacing Apple in sure areas, notably on the subject of exercise restoration. It is time for Apple to catch up, and I am hoping the Apple Watch Sequence 8 helps the corporate get there.
Apple usually releases new Apple Watch fashions within the fall, and we’re anticipating to see the Sequence 8, a brand new Apple Watch SE and the rumored Apple Watch Professional at its subsequent occasion on Sept. 7. Apple can even seemingly announce a launch date for WatchOS 9, the brand new software program coming to the Apple Watch Sequence 4 and later, throughout the identical occasion. Here is what I would wish to see.

The Apple Watch Sequence 7 can cost sooner, however I additionally need longer battery life.
Lisa Eadicicco/CNET
Longer battery life
Battery life has lengthy been the Apple Watch’s Achilles’ heel. Whereas the Apple Watch can normally get me by means of a few day and a half, Fitbit trackers and watches can final a number of days on a single cost. The Fitbit Sense, for instance, can usually perform for 2 to 4 days earlier than requiring a cost, whereas the Fitbit Versa 3 has lasted as much as six days in accordance with CNET’s evaluations. (However keep in mind that battery life will all the time differ relying on utilization.)
I would like to see multiday battery life from the Apple Watch, even when it is solely three days. That will be sufficient to take my Apple Watch on a weekend journey with out having to fret about plugging it in or packing a charger. It could additionally make the Apple Watch a extra viable sleep tracker. I have not been utilizing the Apple Watch to trace sleep fairly often as a result of I discover its train and exercise monitoring to be a extra helpful use of its battery. However extending the period of time between expenses might change that.
To be honest, Apple has labored round this by bettering the Apple Watch’s charging pace with the Sequence 6 and seven. And that’s useful to some extent. In the event you put on your Apple Watch in a single day, you’ll be able to prime it off throughout your morning routine and nonetheless have sufficient juice to make it by means of the day.
For most individuals, that is an enough resolution. However since I am so obsessive about closing my Exercise Rings, my Apple Watch stays strapped to my wrist for so long as I am awake. I additionally depend on it to maintain me on schedule as I am on the brink of depart the home within the morning, so I would fairly have it sitting on my wrist than its charger.
Apple might need one other battery workaround in its pipeline that would debut with the Apple Watch Sequence 8. The brand new watch may embody a brand new low energy mode that might allow the Apple Watch to run some apps and options whereas preserving its battery, in accordance with Bloomberg. It feels like the brand new characteristic will permit for extra performance than the watch’s present energy reserve mode, which solely reveals the time. The publication beforehand reported this characteristic would arrive in WatchOS 9, however there was no point out of it at WWDC. The rumored Apple Watch Professional can also be stated to have longer battery life than the common Sequence 8, in accordance with Bloomberg.
Learn extra: A New Apple Watch SE Truly Sounds Extra Thrilling Than the Sequence 8

The Oura app’s day by day Readiness rating, a mix of a number of measurements.
Scott Stein/CNET
Exercise restoration options
My Apple Watch can inform me a number of issues, like what number of lively energy I’ve burned and long-term progress towards my health targets. However one factor it may possibly’t inform me is whether or not I want a relaxation day.
Since I am normally very fixated on closing my Exercise Rings, I typically push myself to work out once I most likely have to take a break. There are additionally occasions once I know I can push myself more durable, however I nonetheless go for a better exercise. It could be nice if the Apple Watch might assist me navigate these selections based mostly on bodily indicators, my latest exercise and sleep.

Fitbit’s day by day readiness rating.
Screenshot by Lexy Savvides/CNET
Oura and Fitbit already supply metrics like this: readiness scores. Because the title implies, a readiness rating signifies whether or not your physique is rested sufficient to sort out a heavy exercise, or if you happen to ought to skip the fitness center and relaxation up. Each Oura and Fitbit additionally supply recommendation and might alter your health targets based mostly in your rating. For instance, these apps may inform you to concentrate to how you feel and get some relaxation if you happen to obtain a low rating. And if you happen to obtain a very good or common rating, they may recommend a average exercise.
The Apple Watch can nudge you to maneuver if you have not made a lot progress towards closing your rings. It may well additionally congratulate you if you’ve had a very lively day. Nevertheless it would not have a selected metric that prioritizes restoration like Oura and Fitbit’s readiness scores. The Mindfulness app and Apple Health Plus’ mediation packages actually assist, however it might be good to see restoration constructed into the Apple Watch’s targets and metrics in a significant manner.
It sounds minor, however ideas like this go a great distance. On days once I’m feeling drained, a low readiness rating together with a reminder to take it straightforward gives additional validation that I need not decide to a full exercise if I do not really feel as much as it. The Apple Watch’s mindfulness reminders do not go far sufficient since they’re straightforward to disregard. The readiness rating normally correlates extra intently with how I am feeling based mostly on my sleep and exercise, so it feels extra significant than a reminder to take a deep breath.
The Apple Watch’s Exercise app is getting new metrics in WatchOS 9 like coronary heart fee zones and the flexibility to customise restoration intervals throughout a session, which might make it simpler to handle your depth throughout a exercise. However the Apple Watch nonetheless will not have a substitute for the readiness scores present in apps from different health system makers.
The Apple Watch already does a very good job motivating me to maneuver. Now it simply must remind me to relaxation.
Learn extra: Apple, Google and Samsung Might Have Thrilling Smartwatch Plans for 2022

The Apple WatchOS 7 sleep app reveals simply total sleep time, whereas units just like the Fitbit Versa 2 (proper) present estimated mild/deep and REM phases, plus a sleep rating.
Scott Stein/CNET
A sleep rating
The Apple Watch will get a giant improve to its sleep monitoring capabilities when WatchOS 9 arrives this fall. Apple is lastly bringing the flexibility to measure completely different phases of sleep to the Apple Watch, a long-requested characteristic that different health units from Oura and Fitbit have supplied for years. Whereas this can be a main enchancment, it appears just like the Apple Watch nonetheless will not present the extent of sleep teaching discovered on different units.
Oura, Fitbit, Samsung, Amazon and Withings all supply a sleep rating that assesses the standard of your sleep that can assist you make extra sense of all of the metrics these units collect in a single day. Much like the beforehand talked about restoration characteristic, these scores assist me contextualize my sleep and assist encourage me to get extra relaxation once I want it. Samsung and Fitbit additionally supply sleep teaching packages that make observations about your sleeping patterns over a time period to offer extra focused recommendation.
The Apple Watch can already file information about sleep length, time spent in mattress, sleeping sample developments and respiratory fee. The addition of sleep phases is a giant step towards making the Apple Watch really feel like an much more well-rounded wellness system, however I would nonetheless wish to see extra.

I would love to vary my Apple Watch’s exercise targets relying on the day.
Lisa Eadicicco/CNET
Totally different exercise targets for particular days of the week
It is uncommon that any given day is precisely the identical on the subject of train. Components like how a lot sleep I obtained the night time earlier than, social plans, what I’ve eaten that day and whether or not I am commuting to the workplace all impression how lively I’m. That is why I want I might alter the Apple Watch’s targets in accordance with every day of the week.
You possibly can change your transfer, stand and train targets on the Apple Watch by opening the Exercise app and tapping the Change Targets button. However there are not any choices for tailoring these targets to particular weekdays. I would love to extend my transfer purpose on days once I know I will be heading into the workplace, since my commute entails a number of strolling.
Learn extra: Why Apple Ought to Launch an iPhone Subscription Plan

The HomePod Mini makes use of the U1 chip to enhance the way in which audio is transferred between units.
Apple
Extra makes use of for the U1 chip
The Apple Watch Sequence 6 and seven in addition to the iPhone 11, 12 and 13 have Apple’s U1 ultrawideband chip. UWB is a wi-fi short-range protocol that enables for exact location monitoring. However do not consider it instead for GPS. Somewhat, UWB is usually used to assist units talk with close by devices throughout the identical room. It makes Apple’s AirDrop sharing characteristic work extra rapidly since it may possibly find different close by iPhones with extra precision.
UWB additionally improves the way in which the iPhone and Apple Watch fashions perform as digital automotive keys. Suitable automobiles can acknowledge your system when it is close by, which means the automotive will unlock as you strategy it fairly than requiring you to carry your cellphone or Apple Watch close to a key reader.
It is a promising begin, however I would like to see much more intelligent use instances for the U1 chip. In concept, UWB might give our units one other layer of intelligence that basically permits close by devices to react to your presence. My colleague Stephen Shankland got here up with some concepts for how UWB might be virtually helpful when he wrote in regards to the know-how final 12 months.
Think about in case your TV might mechanically swap to the best Netflix profile as soon as it acknowledges that your cellphone or watch is close by. Or what in case your good speaker solely gave calendar alerts related to the individuals within the room? Apple appears to be transferring on this route as evidenced by the HomePod Mini, which might present sure haptic results when transferring audio to an UWB-equipped iPhone. I am hoping to see much more performance like this constructed into the Apple Watch.
We’ll seemingly have to attend till the autumn to study what’s in retailer for the following Apple Watch. Based mostly on Apple’s historical past, it appears believable to count on routine upgrades like a brand new processor. However because the Sequence 7 felt extra like a refinement of the Sequence 6 fairly than a generational improve, I am hoping to see greater updates within the close to future.