New Delhi – Apple is getting ready to make fitness more engaging with its upcoming watchOS 26 update, introducing an intelligent new feature called Workout Buddy. This AI-powered fitness assistant is designed to provide personalized coaching, real-time feedback, and motivation, all from your wrist.
What is Workout Buddy?
Workout Buddy is Apple’s latest innovation for the Apple Watch, set to launch later this year. Powered by Apple Intelligence, the feature acts like your virtual fitness coach, speaking to you throughout your workouts to offer motivation, track your progress, and celebrate milestones.
For instance, when you head out for a run, Workout Buddy might greet you with, “Nice job hitting the pavement this Thursday morning!” During the session, it keeps you updated with pace changes, distance milestones, and more. At the end, it summarizes your workout—covering everything from heart rate to average speed—and gives a positive send-off.
How Does It Work?
Workout Buddy leverages on-device AI analysis to read your workout stats, including:
- Heart rate
- Distance
- Pace
- Activity Ring progress
Using a natural-sounding AI voice, modeled after real Fitness+ trainers, the feature delivers spoken updates that sound conversational and human. Best of all, all processing is done locally on your Apple Watch and iPhone, keeping your data private and secure.
Workouts Supported at Launch
Workout Buddy will initially support a range of popular workout types, including:
- Outdoor & indoor running
- Walking
- Outdoor cycling
- High-Intensity Interval Training (HIIT)
- Strength and functional training
The feature will launch first in English, with more languages expected to roll out over time.
Device Compatibility: What You’ll Need
To use Workout Buddy, here’s what you’ll need:
- An Apple Watch that supports watchOS 26
- A compatible iPhone with Apple Intelligence
- Bluetooth headphones (to hear the AI voice feedback)
Supported iPhones include:
- iPhone 16 lineup (16, 16 Plus, 16 Pro, 16 Pro Max, 16e)
- iPhone 15 Pro & 15 Pro Max
Make sure your iPhone and Apple Watch are paired and within range during workouts to enable full functionality.
What Else is New in watchOS 26?
Beyond Workout Buddy, watchOS 26 introduces a sleek Liquid Glass design, smarter notification handling, and personalized music suggestions tailored to your workouts. The Workout app UI is also getting a facelift, with larger buttons, streamlined controls, and smart music integration based on your activity and preferences.
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