Apple previewed watchOS 27 at WWDC 26, centering the update around Siri AI, its new Apple Intelligence‑powered assistant. The wrist‑based AI can answer open‑ended queries, carry multi‑turn conversations, and pull data from notes, licenses or travel codes without an iPhone. Developers can test the feature now via the first beta, with a public beta slated later in 2026 this year.

Beyond AI, watchOS 27 deepens health tracking with expanded menstrual cycle monitoring, including perimenopause alerts, and richer run metrics tied to pace, distance and duration. Workout Buddy gains Spanish support and personalized coaching insights drawn from a user’s fitness history, delivering real‑time feedback without requiring an iPhone during exercise for runners seeking deeper analysis and motivation throughout their sessions daily.

The UI also gets a one‑hand gesture for widget selection and a smarter Smart Stack that surfaces context‑aware prompts—birthday reminders, parked‑car locations, transit‑card balances, and sleep‑alarm tweaks. Wallet now accepts custom QR and barcode passes, while family controls let parents manage Apple Watch for kids without iPhones. The update rolls out to compatible watches this fall for the latest models.