While Apple’s WWDC 2026 keynote address on Monday focused mostly on Siri AI, there were some mentions about Apple’s upcoming watchOS 27 for Apple Watch.
Perhaps the biggest change for the Apple Watch this year is a new dynamic app grid that surfaces and rearranges five apps based on your current context and general usage, with Siri as the centerpiece. When you press the Digital Crown on your Apple Watch, you’ll see the new grid, which will appear whether you traditionally use the app grid or the list view to access your apps. If the dynamic grid doesn’t display your needed app, a slight turn of the Digital Crown reveals the rest of your apps in your preferred view.
Apple says the grid is designed to get you to the app you want, just faster. The grid is the most obvious and visual change you’ll actually see, although there are at least six others that happen out of sight. They include:
watchOS 27 requires an iPhone 11 or later or iPhone SE (2nd generation or later) with iOS 27. The new software also requires one of the following Apple Watch models: Apple Watch SE 3, Apple Watch Series 9, 10, 11, and Apple Watch Ultra 2 or 3. This means, watchOS 27 drops support for the Apple Watch Series 6, Series 7, and Series 8, as well as the original Ultra and SE 2. The new software is currently available as a developer beta and a public beta is expected in July. A wide public release will happen in the fall.