Five Hidden watchOS 11 Features You Might Have Missed at WWDC 2024

Apple rolled out a variety of new features with watchOS 11, but not all of them got center stage during the WWDC 2024 keynote. Here are five important features that slipped under the radar:

1. Training Load: This metric will provide an overall intensity measurement for a workout in respect to time and how much one is working out. This rating is derived from data such as heart rate, GPS, age, and weight, which gives an effort rating to each workout. The rating will let athletes know if they are supposed to push more or even take a rest day off. This feature will be integrated with the Vitals app so as to show exactly how the workouts are impacting overall health.
2. Enhanced Smart Stack: The watchOS 11 Smart Stack is way sharper in that it suggests widgets according to time, location, and activities one has done during the day. There are also a number of new widgets, of which include Shazam, Photos, and Distance—these would enable quick access to relevant information. For example, a severe weather alert widget might appear just before a storm.
3. Improved Pregnancy Tracing: The Cycle Tracker app can now log pregnancy-related information. It tracks gestational age and allows users to log symptoms commonly experienced during pregnancy. It will, moreover, let the user set their high heart rate notification threshold to a higher threshold since most heart rates go up during pregnancy.
4. Translation App: Another new app developed especially for Apple Watch, the Translation app itself supports 20 different languages and provides real-time audio translations directly from the wrist. This feature, very useful for travelers, where by the Smart Stack, will automatically suggest the Translation app widget whenever a user is in a country with a foreign language.
5. Custom Routes and Point-to-Point Directions: Hiking and custom walking routes are supported on Apple Maps in watchOS 11. Users can plan routes with several stops and loops and then sync them to the Apple Watch for offline navigation. This aspect proves very useful in being able to zero in on trails with detailed maps and elevation profiles for outdoor enthusiasts’ adventures.

These enhancements to watchOS 11 underline Apple’s commitment to richer user experiences through advanced health tracking, intelligent notifications, and seamless navigation, truly making the Apple Watch even more integral in the daily lives of its users.