Apple’s Worldwide Developers Conference (WWDC) is still a few weeks away but that doesn’t mean we can’t start daydreaming about the features we want for WatchOS 12, the next version of Apple Watch software.
With Apple Watch sales down 19% in 2024 and new competitors like the Oura ring gaining market share, WatchOS 12 could be a chance for Apple to show that it hasn’t been asleep at the wrist.
I teamed up with a few longtime Apple Watch users and fellow CNET editors to put together a wish list of the most requested (and most realistic) features we hope to see in 2025. We’ll save the holographic FaceTime calls for another list.
Improved battery life
A long battery life may not sound as exciting as some of the flashier features on this list but it easily wins the popularity contest among our editors (myself included). We didn’t have a wish list when the Apple Watch launched a decade ago but if we had, I’d bet battery life would’ve been at the top — because that’s how long we’ve been asking for it.
CNET editor-at-large Scott Stein wants a longer battery life and faster charging, especially if Apple wants people to really take advantage of sleep tracking.
The Series 10 charges faster than earlier Apple Watches but the battery lasts the same length of time.
A dream scenario would be for the regular Apple Watch and SE version to have the same three-day battery life of the Apple Watch Ultra 2. But software alone can’t work miracles; it still has to operate within the limits of the physical battery. So we’d settle for incremental improvements and optimizations to WatchOS 12 that minimize how much power gets used. That could come in the form of smarter battery-saving modes that automatically kick in when power-hungry features aren’t needed or a more efficient bedtime mode that doesn’t leave the battery drained by morning.
At a prequel to its developer’s conference, Google announced that its own Wear OS 6 will boost battery life by up to 10 percent. It’s not a huge leap, but it’s a welcome one — and a good reminder that meaningful improvements are possible through software alone.
UI tweaks and customization
Apple’s come a long way with letting us customize the Apple Watch’s UI but there’s still room for improvements. The app list, for example, is in desperate need of a refresh. You’re still limited to viewing it as either a grid or list and there’s no way to organize apps by how you actually use them. CNET Managing Editor Patrick Holland suggests adding options to sort by favorites or most used to cut down on the endless scrolling it takes to find what you need.
Genmoji uses Apple Intelligence to create custom emojis from prompts.
And while we’re on the subject of Apple Intelligence, the Watch could benefit from a smarter approach to notifications. Notification summaries on the iPhone are still hit-or-miss, but on a tiny screen they could actually be more helpful if done right. The current notification layout on the Watch feels crowded, and it’s hard to separate the important alerts from the rest of the noise.
Spam handling on the watch is another area that could use attention. “I’d like to be able to delete and report spam texts and calls the way you can in Messages or Phone on the iPhone — preferably right from the notification,” says Carlson. Right now, blocking a sender on the Watch requires several steps which defeats the purpose of having quick interactions on the wrist.
Smarter Siri
Offline Siri has been a welcome improvement (Series 9 and later). But even offline, Siri is not the brightest bulb. And Apple’s voice assistant is long overdue for an upgrade.
At the very least, it would be great if Siri could understand requests on the first try. But as this is a wish list, why not ask for more? Smarter, more context-aware responses would make Siri far more useful, especially if the assistant can tap into its new Apple Intelligence tools. And please: fewer website links as answers. I’m not about to open a full webpage on my wrist.
Customizable workouts
I also wish the Apple Watch had a way for me to flag external factors like weight or resistance that could impact workout metrics. This could be running or walking with a weighted vest, which in my case is a human child on a harness, or pushing a stroller while on a run.
The Apple Watch added sleep tracking to its list of metrics and can now track sleep stages.
Gragert would also like to see the Apple Watch take a cue from other wearables and offer energy and sleep scores based on the data it collects.
The sleep coach would then help interpret the data and give tangible recommendations on how to improve toward better recovery and energy. And no, the current bedtime reminder doesn’t count. That’s just a glorified alarm and a pretty annoying one at that.
Smarter vitals and health coaching
We’re already seeing Apple bring more health data together on the Watch, thanks to the Vitals app, which combines metrics like heart rate, sleep, respiratory rate and skin temperature. But for now, it’s still up to us to figure out what that data actually means and what to do with it.
