Apple Developing New Modular-Style Watch Face for watchOS 27 [Report]

Apple is testing a simplified version of the popular Modular Ultra watch face in a form that may be suited to more Apple Watch models ahead of the watchOS 27 release later this year.



The interface, currently in development under the internal codename Orchid, appears to bring elements of the Modular Ultra design to a broader set of devices. According to Mark Gurman, the new face borrows the large digital clock from the Modular Ultra layout but strips away many of the denser data elements. Apple has removed the option for a large center complication and simplified the information typically displayed around the outer bezel.


The resulting design features a clean, highly legible digital clock that fills the top two-thirds of the display, with a row of three smaller circular complications along the bottom. It creates a layout that may be better suited to smaller displays while still offering glanceable information.

This provides an early look at the watchOS 27 software cycle, which Apple is expected to unveil at its Worldwide Developers Conference in June. In the meantime, the company is preparing to release its annual Pride watch face, dubbed Pride Luminance, as part of the watchOS 26.5 update arriving later this month.

That update follows the recent public release of watchOS 26.4, which focused on bug fixes and system stability.