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Why Users Want More Apple Watch Faces
Choice is good
By Sascha Brodsky Sascha Brodsky Senior Tech Reporter Macalester College Columbia University Sascha Brodsky is a freelance journalist based in New York City. His writing has appeared in The Atlantic, the Guardian, the Los Angeles Times and many other publications. lifewire's editorial guidelines Updated on September 22, 2021 10:48AM EDT Fact checked by Rich Scherr Fact checked by Rich Scherr University of Maryland Baltimore County Rich Scherr is a seasoned technology and financial journalist who spent nearly two decades as the editor of Potomac and Bay Area Tech Wire. lifewire's fact checking process Tweet Share Email Tweet Share Email Smart & Connected Life Mobile Phones Internet & Security Computers & Tablets Smart Life Home Theater & Entertainment Software & Apps Social Media Streaming Gaming Key Takeaways
Apple offers a bunch of new options for Apple Watch faces with its latest update. The new Portraits watch face uses portrait photos shot on iPhone. Google’s Wear OS for smartwatches offers a lot more customization than Apple. Apple The latest Apple Watch update offers new watch faces, but many users still aren't satisfied with the selection. Watch OS 8 brings new looks to Apple Watch with world time and portraits faces. Cupertino's selection is still far more limited than those available on Google's rival Wear OS. "Apple has always been selective about watch faces and has taken 'a less is more' approach," smartwatch owner Tim Absalikov told Lifewire in an email interview. "On Wear OS, besides changing the strap, you can customize the watch face as you wish." Customize With Limits
You've got some more choices with Apple's latest watch faces. The new Portraits watch face, for example, uses portrait photos shot on iPhone. Apple describes Portraits as offering an "immersive, multilayered effect, intelligently recognizing faces in photos and cropping in to highlight the subject," according to a news release. There's also a classic-looking World Time face, which Apple says is "based on heritage watches and ideal for travelers." This new face tracks the time in 24 time zones around a double dial. Apple Watch users say they want even more options, however. Amy Jackson describes herself as a busy mother and business owner. She relies on her Apple Watch to keep her notified about when someone is trying to reach her, what's next in her family's schedule and her work schedule, the weather, and meeting exercise goals. "I've toggled between a photo album of my kids as my watch face, the weather, my calendar, and my rings," she told Lifewire in an email interview. "Ideally, I wouldn't have to choose." Jackson wants a watch face that combines everything: what's next on the calendar, today's weather by the hour, progress against my rings, and news alerts. "A photo of my kids would be the icing on top," she said. The available Apple Watch faces quickly get boring, many observers say. "People enjoy customization," Apple Watch user Kyle MacDonald told Lifewire in an email interview. "Graphics, colors, and even fonts can impact individual emotions differently, so people value being able to make their own adjustments." Apple has always been selective about watch faces and has taken 'a less is more' approach. MacDonald says he prefers the Breathe watch face. "As a very busy and often stressed out individual, seeing this watch face reminds me to relax and take a deep breath," he added. Wear OS Beats Apple for Customization
Google's Wear OS for smartwatches offers a lot more customization than Apple. Android owners can enjoy a wide variety of watch faces that can be downloaded from the app store. However, the functionality of Wear OS is limited when used with an iOS device. For Android phone users, Absalikov recommends Wear OS face is Neo Watch that displays both digital and analog time. "While the free version is limited to features such as weather, battery indicator, background colors, and 24-hour time format, the premium version showcases 3-day weather forecast, Google FIT step counter, music player, shortcuts to apps (such as Hangouts, Google Keep, Google Maps, Alarm Clock) and animation among other cool features," he said. Daivat Dholakia told Lifewire in an email interview that he likes options when it comes to Wear OS smartwatches. He recommends Pixel Minimal "for those who like minimization and simplicity." The Neo Watch face for Wear OS. Rich Face The watch face Google Fit is a good option for those who like to track their health. The more minimalist Bubble Cloud Wear works for users "who just want to be able to quickly and easily access their apps," he said. Some Apple Watch users still haven't found the perfect face. Leah Russell said she's a longtime Apple Watch fan and is always looking for new options for watch faces but sticks with the classics. "I have tried most of the current ones and have a decided preference for those that are interactive," she told Lifewire in an email interview. "In fact, the ones that I have used for quite a while were the Mickey and Minnie Mouse watch faces." Was this page helpful? Thanks for letting us know! Get the Latest Tech News Delivered Every Day Subscribe Tell us why! Other Not enough details Hard to understand Submit More from Lifewire Apple Watch: Everything You Need to Know The 5 Best Features of Wear OS Apple Watch Series 8: Release Date, Specs, Price, and News How to Get Weather on Your Apple Watch Face Wear OS vs. watchOS: Which Is the Better Software? Skagen Falster 3 Review: A Tech-Savvy Smartwatch with Classic Style How to Back Up Your Apple Watch The 8 Best Wear Watch Faces of 2022 Mobvoi TicWatch Pro 3 GPS Review: Dual Displays Extend Battery Life Expert Tested: The 9 Best Smartwatches in 2022 Michael Kors Access Gen 5E MKGO Review: Luxury Styling Combined With Smart Chops How to Use Your Apple Watch The Most Stylish Wear Watch Faces of 2022 The 9 Best Smartwatches for Women of 2022 The 10 Best Samsung Galaxy Watch Faces of 2022 The 8 Best Apple Watch Alternatives of 2022 Newsletter Sign Up Newsletter Sign Up Newsletter Sign Up Newsletter Sign Up Newsletter Sign Up By clicking “Accept All Cookies”, you agree to the storing of cookies on your device to enhance site navigation, analyze site usage, and assist in our marketing efforts. Cookies Settings Accept All Cookies