Apple Watch Needs Revamp Amid Screenless Rivals
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- Apple Watch is overdue for a shakeup over a decade after launch, according to Mark Gurman's Power On newsletter, as the wearables market pivots to screen-less bands, rings, and AI coaching from rivals Whoop, Oura, and Fitbit.
- iOS 27 will add default support for AirPlay alternatives including Google Cast, a change Gurman attributes to the EU's Digital Markets Act requirements.
- iOS 27 will overhaul the AirPods settings and control panel to be more functional, better organized, and more streamlined, per Gurman.
- iOS 27 will also include image quality improvements for Apple's visual AI models, upgrading Image Playground and Genmoji.
- watchOS 27 will prioritize stability, performance, and smaller refinements — including heart-rate tracking improvements — rather than major new capabilities, with the AI health coach "Mulberry" potentially delayed past launch.
Why it matters: Apple is optimizing a decade-old wearable formula while competitors have already moved to screen-less, AI-first designs; the reported delay of the Mulberry AI health coach underscores the risk that Apple's smartwatch line falls further behind Whoop, Oura, and Fitbit before its next real leap arrives.
