Kevin Lynch, Apple’s VP of Technology, and product marketing member Deidre Caldbeck shed some light on why watchOS 10 is still not welcoming third-party watch faces. The conversation, originally in German, was translated and highlighted by Benjamin Mayo of 9to5Mac.
Lynch emphasized the “enormous effort” Apple puts into every watch face to ensure uniformity and simplicity. Any additions or modifications in the future would demand careful planning to ensure these watch faces continue to function flawlessly, he added.
Caldbeck pointed out that developers can design complications for their watchOS apps, adding a customizable layer to watch faces. These complications can display easily accessible information, like a CARROT Weather forecast, for instance. In the newest watchOS 10, the Smart Stack widget feature also offers room for up to three complications.
This discussion about the lack of third-party watch faces was part of a larger conversation covering various other aspects of watchOS 10.
Apple plans to release watchOS 10 later this year, compatible with the Apple Watch Series 4 and newer models.
The beta version is already available for users with a free Apple developer account. Non-developers can look forward to a public beta release scheduled for July.