How to Personalize Your Watch Face and Complications in watchOS 2

[MacRumors]

watchOS 2, the first major update to the Apple Watch's operating system, was released in September, just five months after the device's debut. If you didn't face any download issues getting watchOS 2 on your Apple Watch, you are well on your way towards looking for the new features the update brings.

One major change we'd been anticipating for months is the ability to personalize watch faces with the photos we've taken, and third-party complications are another fantastic addition that will add more variety and more functionality to the look of the Apple Watch. A third addition, time-lapse video watch faces, is sure to wow your friends and will give you some dynamic scenery to look at each time you raise your wrist.

To help you get started, we've created this how-to guide to show you how to set up each of the new watch face features.

This guide assumes you know how to customize your Apple Watch's watch face. If you don't already know the process, head over to our how-to guide on that topic for reference.

Photos Watch Faces

Adding photos to your watch face only takes a few minutes to set up. In watchOS 2, you can either select a specific photo to display all of the time, or choose a photo album to see a different image every time you wake your watch.


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Article Link: How to Personalize Your Watch Face and Complications in watchOS 2

 

[hipnetic]

I'm sorry, but this is so lame compared to Android Wear. Hopefully Apple will see the light and make a 2nd gen round watch and allow developers to fully customize the watch face.

 

[C DM]

I'm sorry, but this is so lame compared to Android Wear. Hopefully Apple will see the light and make a 2nd gen round watch and allow developers to fully customize the watch face.

Apple's approach to things is different than Google's/Android's as far as customization and options go.

 

[hipnetic]

Apple's approach to things is different than Google's/Android's as far as customization and options go.

Yes, that's become painfully obvious. But they've taken it too far with locking down the watch faces. And it seems to be more about them wanting to cut special deals with designer brands who then get to customize the watch face, pair it with a leather band, and sell it for obscene amounts of money.

All that said, it doesn't much matter with their current watch design, anyway. The rectangular screen combined with the ridiculously large dead space around the actual screen area means that there's not much to work with for making lots of attractive and different-looking watch faces. Compare that to the recent round Android watches that have screen area that goes all the way to the physical bezel. You can have watch faces/backgrounds in any color you want, and it can look good. On the Apple Watch, any background color other than black just draws attention to how large the dead space is.

 

[haruhiko]

Rectangular watch face is okay.

If Motorola or other android manufacturers make rectangular watches we will see praise of it here again.

 

[Canubis]

Round (=circle) watches simply are a waste of space. UI controls, text, images etc all works better on a rectangular screen that has the same width and height everywhere. The more the Apple Watch will do the clearer this will become.
The Apple Watch being rectangular is one example of form following functionality, even though Apple is currently not advertising it this way with fashion in mind.

 

[OllyW]

Moderator Note:

The off-topic post which derailed the thread have been moved to the Getting sick of MacRumors click and bait articles feedback thread.

 

[Keane16]

I'm sorry, but this is so lame compared to Android Wear. Hopefully Apple will see the light and make a 2nd gen round watch and allow developers to fully customize the watch face.

I hope not. All the screens on my electronic devices are rectangular for good reason. Putting a round screen on a watch designed to display a wide variety of screens is silly and provides a worse experience for the user.

Round faces look great on analogue watches, but add in smart functionality and it's a different story.

And it seems to be more about them wanting to cut special deals with designer brands who then get to customize the watch face, pair it with a leather band, and sell it for obscene amounts of money.

Or maybe it's to provide a consistent experience. You know, like the iPhone.

Otherwise why wouldn't Apple have brand exclusive iPhone screens.

Round (=circle) watches simply are a waste of space. UI controls, text, images etc all works better on a rectangular screen that has the same width and height everywhere. The more the Apple Watch will do the clearer this will become.
The Apple Watch being rectangular is one example of form following functionality, even though Apple is currently not advertising it this way with fashion in mind.

Fully agree, the UI on a lot of Android Wear apps is awful when shown on a round screen. You have the full width at only the middle of a round screen, then less and less space either above or below.

It's funny as it's normally Apple being called out for leading with form over function. I guess the good thing is there are options on Android Wear for rectangular screens too - although a lot of the flagships seem to be favouring round for now.

 

[Benjamin Frost]

If Apple allowed customised watch faces, personalisation would be easier. Perhaps they will.

Time will tell.

 

[Kaibelf]

I'm sorry, but this is so lame compared to Android Wear. Hopefully Apple will see the light and make a 2nd gen round watch and allow developers to fully customize the watch face.

Or, you can just buy something else. Problem solved. If you like Android Wear so much, just buy it instead of coming around here and complaining about how much you disapprove of Apple's business decisions.

 

[tubular]

The rectangular screen combined with the ridiculously large dead space around the actual screen area means that there's not much to work with for making lots of attractive and different-looking watch faces. Compare that to the recent round Android watches that have screen area that goes all the way to the physical bezel. You can have watch faces/backgrounds in any color you want, and it can look good. On the Apple Watch, any background color other than black just draws attention to how large the dead space is.

I'll second that. I've been teetering on the edge of getting an Apple Watch (and it's pretty rare for me to buy a first-round Apple product, which I haven't done since the original iMac), but the little voice inside me keeps saying: maybe the next edition will be round. I don't want half a dozen complications on my watch face. I'd be happy to tap or swipe or shake to get them *when I want them*. I want my watch face to be a watch face, and the circle is simply a more graceful embodiment for it. If I wanted a square watch, I'd have gotten a watchband for the iPod nano a few generations ago when it was wearable.

 

[Kara_K_818]

I wish the time-lapse pictures somehow played longer than three seconds. The other motion face with the flowers/jelly fish/butterflies plays longer. Even playing a loop would be better than three seconds and then a still photo.

 

[hipnetic]

Rather than quote anyone in particular, I'll just respond to some of the statements made here:
1) "If you dislike it so much, get something else and go away". I am deep in the Apple ecosystem. I'm also an Apple stockholder. If I don't like something they're doing, I'm going to complain about it. I want them to make things I want to buy and, as a stockholder, I want them to make things that I think others will want to buy.
2) And as a side-point to #1, I *DID* buy something else. I bought a 1st gen moto 360 when they went on sale for $150. There's a lot to love about it and the price is right, but I'm hobbled in what I can do with this watch when paired with my iPhone, and much of that is due to Apple not allowing 3rd party iPhone apps to communicate with Android Wear watches to the extent that 3rd party apps can communicate with an Apple Watch.
3) Another side-point to my pointing out in #2 that the moto 360 I bought for $150 was a great deal...I see these devices as accessories to my smartphone and also as fashion accessories. I don't want to spend a lot on an accessory, and I think that Apple is overpricing these things significantly, which is another complaint of mine. It's bad enough how much they charge for the watch itself, but then you can't buy another Apple-branded plastic wristband for under $50? And a metal band will set you back $150? Come on.
3) "The round screen of many Android Wear watches is a horrible design because data gets cut off." You're absolutely correct that a round screen is inferior to a rectangular screen for a productivity standpoint. But, again, these watches are equal parts computer and fashion accessories, and many people will happily trade the productivity advantage of a rectangular screen for the more fashionable look of a round screen. Don't take my word for it...the square digital watch was invented many years ago, yet today the most expensive and most desirable watches are round and still use analog clocks.

Also, no one really addressed my other big criticisms of the current Apple Watch:
a) The watchface can't be completely customized by 3rd party developers.
b) There's too much wasted black space around the actual screen.

 

[ixthus12]

Rather than quote anyone in particular, I'll just respond to some of the statements made here:
1) "If you dislike it so much, get something else and go away". I am deep in the Apple ecosystem. I'm also an Apple stockholder. If I don't like something they're doing, I'm going to complain about it. I want them to make things I want to buy and, as a stockholder, I want them to make things that I think others will want to buy.
2) And as a side-point to #1, I *DID* buy something else. I bought a 1st gen moto 360 when they went on sale for $150. There's a lot to love about it and the price is right, but I'm hobbled in what I can do with this watch when paired with my iPhone, and much of that is due to Apple not allowing 3rd party iPhone apps to communicate with Android Wear watches to the extent that 3rd party apps can communicate with an Apple Watch.
3) Another side-point to my pointing out in #2 that the moto 360 I bought for $150 was a great deal...I see these devices as accessories to my smartphone and also as fashion accessories. I don't want to spend a lot on an accessory, and I think that Apple is overpricing these things significantly, which is another complaint of mine. It's bad enough how much they charge for the watch itself, but then you can't buy another Apple-branded plastic wristband for under $50? And a metal band will set you back $150? Come on.
3) "The round screen of many Android Wear watches is a horrible design because data gets cut off." You're absolutely correct that a round screen is inferior to a rectangular screen for a productivity standpoint. But, again, these watches are equal parts computer and fashion accessories, and many people will happily trade the productivity advantage of a rectangular screen for the more fashionable look of a round screen. Don't take my word for it...the square digital watch was invented many years ago, yet today the most expensive and most desirable watches are round and still use analog clocks.

Also, no one really addressed my other big criticisms of the current Apple Watch:
a) The watchface can't be completely customized by 3rd party developers.
b) There's too much wasted black space around the actual screen.

 

[ixthus12]

That is not true. The problem with the Apple Watch is not that it is rectangle and not round but that it doesn't have rectangle watch faces to choose from. There are many, very expensive analog watches that are rectangle in shape; I.e. Jäger couture. They sell for as much as $30,000. I think that Apple must have made a deal with Hermes not to have a comparable rectangle watch face choice to compete with their watch face. Maybe? I don't know why else they would not offer a rectangle watch face when the watch is rectangle. Some say because you wouldn't be shale to utilize complications, but they already offer watch faces that don't let you choose any added complications. I go with the whole Hermes issue. I hope they will offer the rectangle face option as it is my favorite type of watch face. I have two analog watches with rectangle faces and I think they make more sense in that it offers more to the watch face and it is really a cool look.

 

[Keane16]

*snip*

1. Complaining / voicing an opinion is fine. Also use the Apple feedback form and let them know - http://www.apple.com/feedback/watch.html (assuming you haven't already). Also be aware of where you are - the internet gives people the opportunity to act in crazy ways in response - just focus on the constructive stuff.

2. As an educated customer you knew what was possible before you bought. Apple's ecosystem works in a certain way and works well for them (and for your stock to date). Be careful what you wish for.

We've seen recently as Apple's software has increased in complexity how quality has taken a hit. Adding additional complexity (such as an Android Wear interface) will only add to that. On one hand you have people who want more and more features quickly. On the other you want those that want stability and smoothness. They fight each other. And it's not an easy balancing act.

An Apple Watch might be "a lot" to you in terms of price. But it wasn't to many. It was cheaper than my daily wear analogue watch (that it replaced). I think it's well built and uses good materials. I'm happy with the price. Again more feedback for Apple. And if price is a big problem for Apple then they'll drop it - like they did with the original iPhone soon after launch.

General advice would be to stay away from Apple products if the customer is price sensitive - there are many alternatives that do similar jobs for a lot less. You have to figure out if getting into the Apple ecosystem (with all the added extras you may not get with competitors is worth it - Apple Store, Privacy, Fair Labour initiatives in factories, renewable energy etc. All that "Apple Tax" pays for things - do you care or do you need them?). There's also no shame in buying third party bands for lower cost if price is an issue.

3. This is completely subjective. Design trade offs at play. I can't stand rectangular analogue watches. But others do - and there are many high end, expensive rectangular faced watches. I'm glad Apple went with rectangular for the Apple Watch - purely because it's more efficient in use with digital. "Fashionable" is such a personal thing - it's difficult to base an argument on that.

a. Reminds me of iOS home screens. Never say never, but I don't see it. But as always you can add weight to the argument by feeding back to Apple.

b. I hope it is narrowed in future generations. But I also hope they don't make the watch too small and use that space for a bigger screen.