There are just a few days left until Apple celebrates its WWDC25, where we will see iOS 26 and the rest of the company’s new operating systems, including watchOS 26. The new Apple Watch operating system is expected to arrive with an interesting redesign; some interesting things have already been leaked about the new features of watchOS 26. And now a very interesting new improvement arrives.
According to 9to5Mac, Apple is opening up the Apple Watch to third-party developers with an option we’ve already seen in iOS 18. The Apple Watch Control Center in watchOS 26 will be open to third parties. Something we have available in the Control Center of iOS 18.
WatchOS 26 will be a better operating system
The Control Center is a fairly prominent location on the Apple Watch. It’s activated by the side button and displays a series of buttons with quick settings: Wi-Fi, battery, sound, airplane mode, water mode, and any other buttons you might want to activate. However, as is traditionally the case with the iPhone’s Control Center, these buttons are fixed and created by Apple.
But things look set to change with watchOS 26. Apple will allow developers to create widgets or buttons for the Apple Watch’s Control Center, allowing us to customize it much more. This opens up a lot of possibilities for users.
Additionally, the same source claims that the Control Center will be fully customizable from the Watch app on iPhone, allowing users to add, remove, or reorder widgets from the Control Center on their Apple Watch much more easily than they can currently do from the watch itself.
It seems that watchOS 26 will also bring a significant facelift. I wouldn’t be surprised if the Control Center buttons in the new operating system were also circular, like those in the iPhone’s Control Center. That will pave the way for developers.
Many interesting new features about Apple’s new operating systems are leaking, and everything is shaping up toward their official unveiling. WWDC25 is one of the most important events of the year for Apple, probably the most important for the company. It marks the future of the millions of devices they have around the world.
