{"id":22223,"date":"2025-06-23T14:15:38","date_gmt":"2025-06-23T18:15:38","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/blog.tmcnet.com\/blog\/rich-tehrani\/?p=22223"},"modified":"2025-06-23T14:19:37","modified_gmt":"2025-06-23T18:19:37","slug":"watchos-26-beta-2-brings-apple-intelligence-to-your-wrist","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/blog.tmcnet.com\/blog\/rich-tehrani\/ai\/watchos-26-beta-2-brings-apple-intelligence-to-your-wrist.html","title":{"rendered":"watchOS\u202f26 Beta\u202f2 Brings Apple Intelligence to Your Wrist"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<p><strong>Key Takeaways:<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\">\n<figure class=\"alignright size-full is-resized\"><a href=\"https:\/\/blog.tmcnet.com\/blog\/rich-tehrani\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/06\/image-94.png\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1237\" height=\"1414\" src=\"https:\/\/blog.tmcnet.com\/blog\/rich-tehrani\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/06\/image-94.png\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-22227\" style=\"width:234px;height:auto\" srcset=\"https:\/\/blog.tmcnet.com\/blog\/rich-tehrani\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/06\/image-94.png 1237w, https:\/\/blog.tmcnet.com\/blog\/rich-tehrani\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/06\/image-94-768x878.png 768w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1237px) 100vw, 1237px\" \/><\/a><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n<ul>\n<li>Apple has released watchOS 26 beta 2, expanding Apple Intelligence features to the Apple Watch.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>The update includes a new AI-powered Workout Buddy, smart gesture control, and contextual enhancements to Smart Stack.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Live Translation, a new Notes app, and on-device call screening are also featured.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>The update introduces a \u201cLiquid Glass\u201d visual design across the watch interface.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Apple Intelligence features require an iPhone 15 Pro or newer and will roll out to eligible watches later this year.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<hr class=\"wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity\"\/>\n\n\n\n<p>Apple\u2019s second developer beta of watchOS 26 is now available, offering a closer look at how Apple Intelligence is being integrated into the Apple Watch ecosystem. This beta lays the groundwork for a public release expected this fall, and introduces new features that reflect Apple\u2019s broader design and AI strategy.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>One of the standout additions is <strong>Workout Buddy<\/strong>, a generative AI fitness assistant designed to offer in-the-moment coaching and personalized workout feedback. The assistant adjusts to real-time performance data like heart rate and pace, offering encouragement or pace changes depending on the user\u2019s behavior. For now, Workout Buddy requires pairing with an iPhone 15 Pro or newer due to its on-device AI processing requirements.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Another core upgrade is the visual redesign of the watchOS interface, dubbed <strong>Liquid Glass<\/strong>. It brings semi-transparent, frosted elements to key UI surfaces like Control Center, Smart Stack, and app overlays, contributing to a lighter, more unified look across Apple\u2019s software platforms.<\/p>\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\">\n<figure class=\"alignleft size-full is-resized\"><a href=\"https:\/\/blog.tmcnet.com\/blog\/rich-tehrani\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/06\/image-96.png\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1181\" height=\"1475\" src=\"https:\/\/blog.tmcnet.com\/blog\/rich-tehrani\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/06\/image-96.png\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-22230\" style=\"width:231px;height:auto\" srcset=\"https:\/\/blog.tmcnet.com\/blog\/rich-tehrani\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/06\/image-96.png 1181w, https:\/\/blog.tmcnet.com\/blog\/rich-tehrani\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/06\/image-96-768x959.png 768w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1181px) 100vw, 1181px\" \/><\/a><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n<p>Apple also introduced a new <strong>gesture-based control<\/strong> feature. A flick of the wrist\u2014tilting the arm away and snapping it back\u2014now dismisses notifications and calls. This hands-free action is available on newer models like the Apple Watch Series 9, Series 10, and Ultra 2, making interaction easier when the screen isn\u2019t accessible.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The <strong>Smart Stack<\/strong> gains greater contextual awareness in beta 2, suggesting widgets like weather or health data when most relevant\u2014such as surf conditions before a scheduled ocean swim or pre-loading timers for workout sessions. This change signals Apple\u2019s growing use of ambient intelligence on wearable devices.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Live Translation<\/strong> also makes its debut, allowing users to translate spoken phrases in real time directly on the watch. This feature is intended for travel, multilingual work environments, or quick conversations in a second language, and is processed entirely on device for privacy.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>A new full-featured <strong>Notes app<\/strong> lets users view, edit, and create notes directly on the watch, including synced entries from their iPhone or Mac. Combined with dictation and voice-to-text improvements, the Notes app increases the standalone productivity potential of the Apple Watch.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Other features include <strong>automatic volume adjustment<\/strong> based on ambient noise levels and <strong>Hold Assist<\/strong>, which monitors long phone calls\u2014such as customer service wait times\u2014and notifies the user when a real person picks up.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Apple Intelligence features are hardware-limited to the latest-generation devices, a pattern seen across Apple\u2019s platforms this year. While watchOS 26 will run on the Apple Watch Series 6 and newer, Apple Intelligence components require hardware with the latest Neural Engine.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Developers testing beta 2 are also gaining access to additional AI-driven APIs, laying the groundwork for third-party app support of Apple Intelligence tools later in the year.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Le<em>arn how AI Agents can supercharge your company\u2019s profits and productivity at&nbsp;<a href=\"http:\/\/www.tmcnet.com\/\">TMC\u2019s&nbsp;<\/a><a href=\"https:\/\/www.aiagentevent.com\/\">AI Agent Event&nbsp;<\/a>in Sept 29-30, 2025 in DC.<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image\"><a href=\"https:\/\/blog.tmcnet.com\/blog\/rich-tehrani\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/06\/ai-agent-event-logo.webp\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1170\" height=\"630\" src=\"https:\/\/blog.tmcnet.com\/blog\/rich-tehrani\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/06\/ai-agent-event-logo-1170x630.webp\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-20922\"\/><\/a><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p><em>Rich Tehrani serves as CEO of&nbsp;<a href=\"http:\/\/www.tmcnet.com\/\">TMC<\/a>&nbsp;and chairman of&nbsp;<a href=\"http:\/\/www.itexpo.com\/\">ITEXPO<\/a>&nbsp;#TECHSUPERSHOW Feb 10-12, 2026 and is CEO of&nbsp;<a href=\"https:\/\/www.rt-advisors.com\/\">RT Advisors<\/a>&nbsp;and is&nbsp;a Registered Representative (investment banker) with and offering securities through&nbsp;<a href=\"https:\/\/www.4pointscapital.com\/\">Four Points Capital Partners LLC&nbsp;<\/a>(Four Points) (Member FINRA\/SIPC). He handles capital\/debt raises as well as M&amp;A. RT Advisors is not owned by Four Points.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The above is not an endorsement or recommendation to buy\/sell any security or sector mentioned. No companies mentioned above are current or past clients of RT Advisors.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The views and opinions expressed above are those of the participants. While believed to be reliable, the information has not been independently verified for accuracy. Any broad, general statements made herein are provided for context only and should not be construed as exhaustive or universally applicable.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><em>Portions of this article may have been developed with the assistance of artificial intelligence, which may have contributed to ideation, content generation, factual review, or editing<\/em>.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Key Takeaways: Apple\u2019s second developer beta of watchOS 26 is now available, offering a closer look at how Apple Intelligence is being integrated into the Apple Watch ecosystem. This beta lays the groundwork for a public release expected this fall, and introduces new features that reflect Apple\u2019s broader design and AI strategy. One of the<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":44,"featured_media":22224,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[194],"tags":[],"post_mailing_queue_ids":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/blog.tmcnet.com\/blog\/rich-tehrani\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/22223"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/blog.tmcnet.com\/blog\/rich-tehrani\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/blog.tmcnet.com\/blog\/rich-tehrani\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blog.tmcnet.com\/blog\/rich-tehrani\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/44"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blog.tmcnet.com\/blog\/rich-tehrani\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=22223"}],"version-history":[{"count":2,"href":"https:\/\/blog.tmcnet.com\/blog\/rich-tehrani\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/22223\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":22231,"href":"https:\/\/blog.tmcnet.com\/blog\/rich-tehrani\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/22223\/revisions\/22231"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blog.tmcnet.com\/blog\/rich-tehrani\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/22224"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/blog.tmcnet.com\/blog\/rich-tehrani\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=22223"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blog.tmcnet.com\/blog\/rich-tehrani\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=22223"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blog.tmcnet.com\/blog\/rich-tehrani\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=22223"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}