Apple Watch Collection 10 is the primary mannequin to refresh the seconds hand even whereas the always-on show is dimmed. On earlier fashions, together with Collection 5 by means of Collection 9, solely the hour and minute palms replace when the show is dimmed. At launch, nevertheless, solely three watch faces supported this new functionality.
Flux and Reflections are the primary two. Each proceed exhibiting ticking seconds even when the display is dimmed.
Flux makes use of a vertically rising line to symbolize the passing seconds all through every minute. Reflections presents conventional analog watch palms, with a seconds hand that sweeps when the display is totally on and ticks as soon as per second when dimmed. Reflections additionally is available in two kinds: a full-screen structure and a round model with 4 complication slots.
The third is an replace to Exercise Digital. Because the Collection 5, this face has included an possibility to point out seconds, however they beforehand disappeared when the show dimmed. On Collection 10, the watch face updates as soon as per second in always-on mode, so the digital seconds proceed counting in each show states.
Sadly, Apple hasn’t introduced this improved show habits to some other present watch faces. Nevertheless, it has added assist to 2 new faces launched because the launch of Apple Watch Collection 10.
The 2025 Unity Rhythm face arrived in January, that includes analog palms that replace seconds similar to Reflections. Most just lately, Apple launched the 2025 Delight Concord face with watchOS 11.5. It too makes use of analog palms and helps dimmed-second updates.
That brings the overall variety of watch faces optimized for Apple Watch Collection 10’s show to 5. In the meantime, greater than 40 watch faces nonetheless don’t benefit from the brand new {hardware}. After 10 generations, Apple Watch can lastly match the real-time second updates of a fundamental analog or digital watch—however 90% of watch faces nonetheless don’t assist this stage of timekeeping.
Hopefully, watchOS 12 brings seconds-hand assist to all faces. A typical analog clock design with hour numbers across the dial like Utility or California deserves this characteristic — particularly if Apple doesn’t plan to replace every face individually. Each face ought to make use of the {hardware}’s full capabilities.
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