Apple Watch To Get Better Stability And Consistency Before Third-Party Watch Faces

Apple Watch users will have to wait a lot longer to download and use third-party watch faces. The product still needs to improve in terms of stability, consistency, and presumably stability.

Apple Vice Presidents Kevin Lynch and Deidre Caldbeck addressed the long-demanded feature which would allow third-party watch faces for the Apple Watch. The duo has categorically mentioned that the feature is still a long way off from general public release.

Apple Revising Strategy For Operating Systems?

At WWDC23, Apple launched the latest version of iOS, iPadOS, macOS, and watchOS. Interestingly, none of the updates had a big list of newly added features and functions, primarily because Apple focused on stability, performance, and bug fixes.

Apple appears to have taken a cautious approach with its operating system updates. It has a large number of devices, which now include a new Mixed Reality headset. Additionally, the Apple Vision Pro runs on its own visionOS operating system.

Ensuring the myriad products and their software function reliably, is Apple's top priority, indicated Lynch. The watch face is the Apple Watch's home screen, and therefore, needs to remain consistent and stable.

Apple wants to ensure that any watch face for the Apple Watch continues to function seamlessly even after major watchOS updates. Only by maintaining control over watch face development, can Apple guarantee compatibility with other operating system elements, implied Lynch.

While third-party watch faces offer a large number of visual and cosmetic customization options, Apple's focus on stability outweighs the introduction of this feature for now, concluded Caldbeck.

Apple Watch Won't Get Third-Party Watch Faces This Year?

Caldbeck note that Apple always tries to ensure all the Apple Watch faces work reliably throughout updates. He implied that the same guarantee cannot be extended with third-party watch faces.

The duo assured that Apple continues to prioritize user feedback in refining the Apple Watch experience. Hence, the upcoming watchOS update will bring changes like repurposing the Digital Crown button press for easier access to the Control Center and the introducing of a new widget system to enhance data accessibility.

Apple Watch users, however, should not expect support for third-party watch faces in the near future. In fact, Apple recently removed "Force Touch", a useful feature that allowed access to additional functions by pressing the screen a little harder than normal.

While it is difficult to say for sure, it is possible that Apple may gradually unlock the feature but may limit the same to visual and cosmetic effects only. It may limit the number of functions and unlock them only when users switch to watch faces that Apple provides.