Apple tests a streamlined Modular dial for watchOS 27

07:42

By: Dakir Madiha

Apple tests a streamlined Modular dial for watchOS 27

Apple is developing a simplified version of the Modular Ultra watch face, originally designed for Apple Watch Ultra, to bring its core visual concept to the standard Apple Watch lineup. The new dial, known internally as “Orchid,” is currently being tested in early builds of watchOS 27, which Apple is expected to announce during its Worldwide Developers Conference on June 8. The goal is to preserve the high‑readability, centrally focused layout of the Modular Ultra while adapting it to the smaller display size of regular Apple Watch models, offering users a cleaner, more legible interface at a glance.

The current Modular Ultra dial, exclusive to Apple Watch Ultra, features a large digital time display that fills most of the upper third of the screen, paired with a dense set of complications and a peripheral ring that tracks metrics such as diving depth, altitude or workout data in real time. For the Orchid variant, Apple has reportedly removed the central big complication, the upper row of smaller complications and the outer data‑tracking ring that on Ultra models shows live sports or environmental measurements. This simplification frees up more visual space, reduces cognitive load and aligns the design with the more compact screens of the standard Apple Watch range without losing the dial’s signature emphasis on time and data clarity.

What remains in Orchid is a clear, highly legible digital clock positioned toward the center of the screen, accompanied by a single row of three small circular complications at the bottom. This layout keeps the immediate visual impact of the Modular Ultra—easy time reading and fast access to key information—but avoids the information density that can feel overwhelming on smaller displays. The original Modular Ultra supports up to seven customizable complications and six different time‑display layouts, making it one of the most feature‑rich faces Apple has ever offered; Orchid, by contrast, offers a trimmed‑down variant that prioritizes core functionality and visual harmony on non‑Ultra hardware, effectively porting the Ultra’s aesthetic philosophy to a broader user base.

The new dial fits into a broader watchOS 27 roadmap focused on performance improvements and AI‑driven features, mirroring strategic priorities seen in iOS 27. According to reporting, Apple plans to unveil watchOS 27 alongside iOS 27, iPadOS 27 and macOS 27 at WWDC, with a public release expected in the fall. Apple’s chief executive has recently stated that the company intends to ship a more personalized version of Siri this year, hinting at on‑device intelligence capabilities that could reshape how users interact with watch faces, notifications and health data. Ahead of that major update, Apple is preparing watchOS 26.5, due later this month, which will include a new Pride Luminance watch face ahead of Pride Month, underscoring the company’s ongoing effort to balance interface innovation with cultural and seasonal design gestures.