The topic watchOS 27’s rumored new Apple Watch face has me very intrigued is currently the subject of lively discussion — readers and analysts are keeping a close eye on developments.
This is taking place in a dynamic environment: companies’ decisions and competitors’ reactions can quickly change the picture.
watchOS 27’s big reveal is just a few weeks away, and one rumor indicates it could add a new Apple Watch face that’s inspired by my all-time favorite option. Here’s why the rumor is especially intriguing.
Apple has a lot of different watch faces available in watchOS, but my favorite is easily Modular Ultra.
Modular Ultra is exclusive to Apple Watch Ultra models, despite recent Series models having similarly sized displays.
And as I’ve written before, I view Modular Ultra as the biggest advantage Apple Watch Ultra has over the Series models.
So much so that if Modular Ultra became available on this year’s Apple Watch Series 12, I’d strongly consider switching away from my current Ultra 3 model.
Which makes one of the few watchOS 27 rumors we have so far especially intriguing. Earlier this month, Mark Gurman wrote at Bloomberg:
For watchOS 27, code-named Orchid, Apple is testing multiple new faces. One in particular stands out: a simplified take on the Modular Ultra design. It has the same large clock as the Ultra face but removes the option for a big complication in the center, the row of three smaller complications above the time and information placed around the bezel. The result is a large clock that fills the top two-thirds of the display, with a row of three smaller complications beneath it. The move appears aimed at bringing a version of the Modular Ultra experience to standard Series watches
The idea of “a version of the Modular Ultra experience” coming to Apple’s Series models sounds like my wish could be granted.
But the details, at least as Gurman’s reported them, don’t actually sound very Modular Ultra-like at all.
If this new face truly only offers a large clock, and three complications at the bottom, I’m not sure how useful that will be. It seems like a potential minor new setting for the classic Modular face.
There are plenty of faces that already give you a large digital clock and some complications. I don’t know why Apple would need to create a new Modular face for that.
But my hope is that what Gurman’s seen is only part of the story. If the new face truly does aim to bring a version of Modular Ultra to more Watch models, perhaps it will offer more flexibility than reported.
I’d love to see a full Modular Ultra copy/paste for Series models. Short of that, however, I’m still holding on to hope that this new watchOS 27 face will offer a bit more versatility than what’s been described.
Are you interested in the new Modular face in watchOS 27 as Gurman describes it? Let us know in the comments.