The enhanced Low Power Mode for the Apple Watch, according to Bloomberg’s Mark Gurman in his Power On email today, is still being developed and is expected to be released with watchOS 9 later this year.
Even while Apple Watch currently has a Power Reserve mode that shows simply the time on the screen, Gurman claimed the extended Low Power Mode will enable for applications and other functionalities to be used in a low-power condition. WatchOS 9 was unveiled at Apple’s developer conference WWDC in June, however the functionality was not mentioned when it was initially reported by Gurman in April.
Like the new Lockdown Mode for iOS 16, Gurman thinks Apple will reveal the new Low Power Mode at a later date. A new Apple Watch Series 8 and a new Apple Watch SE are slated to be announced in September, along with watchOS 9, which is likely to be rolled out at the same time.
There is speculation that the Low Power Mode is a “hardware-exclusive function” for the Apple Watch Series 8 and maybe other newer models, according to Gurman. Apple Watch’s new Low Power Mode may work well with some of the watch’s new functions, according to Gurman in his email today.