Apple announced watchOS 9 at WWDC 2022 along with iOS 16 and other software updates. With watchOS 9, Apple Watch users will get new and updated watch faces, as well as enhanced health features, medication reminders, and more. Apple has also added new APIs in watchOS 9 so third-party apps can now have a shared sheet and built-in VoIP integration.
Share sheet
The Share Sheet has been available in iOS for years, but watchOS didn’t have a menu to easily share things with other people. Last year with watchOS 8, Apple already shared some of its apps, including Photos and Music.
Now with watchOS 9, developers have access to a new API to implement a share sheet in their Apple Watch apps. The feature will work much the same in third-party apps, showing the user options for sharing content through apps like Messages and Mail.
Photo selection
In addition to the shared sheet, watchOS 9 also introduces a photo selection API for the first time. With this API, apps like Telegram and WeChat can implement a button that allows users to send photos through those apps directly from the Apple Watch.
CallKit API in watchOS 9
CallKit was first introduced on the iPhone with iOS 10 and is now finally on the Apple Watch with watchOS 9. For those unfamiliar, this API allows developers to integrate their VoIP applications directly into the system’s native calling interface.
On iOS, apps like WhatsApp, Telegram, and Messenger already use this API. When users receive a call from one of these apps, they can answer it directly from the lock screen or by pressing the answer button without opening the app. The same experience will now be available to Apple Watch apps as part of the new watchOS 9 APIs.
Additional watchOS 9 APIs
watchOS 9 has other new APIs as well. For example, Apple has updated the Apple Watch SDK to allow developers to create even more sophisticated extensions for their apps. Another new watchOS 9 API allows apps that work with Bluetooth devices to connect in the background to send “timely critical alerts.”
watchOS 9 is currently available as developer beta software on the Apple Developer website. The public beta will be released next month, with an official release expected this fall.
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