Apple Reportedly Bringing Apple Watch Font to iOS 9, OS X 10.11

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Posted May 20, 2015 at 4:46pm by iClarified Staff

Apple plans on refreshing iOS 9 and OS X 10.11 with the new Apple Watch Font, San Francisco -- according to sources that spoke to 9to5mac.

Apple-designed San Francisco will replace Helvetica Neue which launched with iOS 7 and OS X Yosemite. Apple developed San Francisco specifically for legibility, which first appeared on the Apple Watch last September. The font reportedly scales more dynamically which allows it to maintain clarity and legibility -- regardless of the size.

According to the sources familiar with the decision to move to the San Francisco type face on iOS and OS X, Apple higher-ups also believe that the new look will serve to refresh its familiar operating systems, helping iOS and OS X to avoid becoming stale. However, some Apple engineers have told us that they are not fans of the new font, which may look particularly rough on non-Retina screens.

Installing a new system wide font is an arduous process that requires lots of tweaks to bundled applications and extensive QA testing. Multiple Apple employees reported that daily builds of both OS X 10.11 and iOS 9 began to include the new font towards the end of March.

Apple plans to reveal both iOS 9 and OS X 10.11 to developers at WWDC in June.

What do you think of the new font? Do you prefer Helvetica Neue or San Francisco?

[Mockups of what Apple Watch Font on iPhone could look like] If you're jailbroken, you can get the new font here.

Apple Reportedly Bringing Apple Watch Font to iOS 9, OS X 10.11

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Alen - May 21, 2015 at 3:01am

I prefer Helvetica Neue

paulMOGG - May 20, 2015 at 10:53pm

Like thrones font just waiting to get it ?

gamerscul9870 - May 20, 2015 at 9:58pm

It's just new font. If it's that much of a deal, then just ignore it, besides you're all acting like the old font will be gone. What's the whole problem here anyway?

gamerscul9870 - May 20, 2015 at 9:46pm

Hype!!!

Renato Segundo - May 20, 2015 at 9:32pm

Whatever they do on the new iOS is fine for me. But please bring a new spring board!!! This one is sooooo 2006!!

gamerscul9870 - May 20, 2015 at 10:02pm

It's not like 2006. The old one had no texture compared to this.

JD - May 20, 2015 at 6:02pm

Happy with Helvetica Neue, This font looks nice too, give option to change the fonts

RR524 - May 20, 2015 at 5:45pm

I think it looks just fine. Seems like the letters are a bit more elongated and not so rounded. I like it.

andreymr5 - May 20, 2015 at 5:37pm

Looks unappealing, to say the least.

Donell - May 20, 2015 at 6:34pm

I agree. It does not look pleasing in this mock-up.

thbeeline - May 20, 2015 at 5:34pm

Smart move. With more open apertures, San Fran will work easily when scaled to whatever size, a plus for the Mac. Helvetica Neue, esp. Light looks quite elegant as a display font, but it was never intended to be run small. That's why designers use it for display. San Fran will offer greater legibility.

WZ - May 20, 2015 at 5:21pm

Looks very "poor" visually. I prefer Helvetica for sure.

iProService - May 20, 2015 at 5:15pm

Oh Steve Jobs.. Where are you?

gamerscul9870 - May 20, 2015 at 9:50pm

Oh reality check, why aren't you here? So what. We have different preferences with screen size and icons and many ways to change text, I doubt Apple would eliminate the current font.

M!Do Space - May 20, 2015 at 4:55pm

No!!! Helvetica Neue Ultra Light is the coolest!

Rawl - May 20, 2015 at 4:52pm

Speaking of legibility,i find it the least legible of all fonts. Please dont do this.

jingsk1 - May 20, 2015 at 4:49pm

I don't like this...