New Apple Watch models, WatchOS 2 coming on September 16

New update drastically increases the capabilities of third-party apps.

SAN FRANCISCO—Those of you who have bought an Apple Watch since they launched in April will soon be able to download your first major software update. Apple has announced that the final version of WatchOS 2 will be available to the public on September 16. To update the Apple Watch, open the app on your phone, tap General, and then tap Software Update.

Most of WatchOS 2’s new features let third-party developers do stuff that Apple could already do with the hardware. This includes full access to the watch’s sensors, the Digital Crown, the microphone, and the Taptic Engine. Developers will be able to build more complex animations, too—current WatchKit apps are much more limited by comparison, and they’re largely made up of static cards.

Developers can’t make custom watch faces quite yet, but they can design complications for Apple’s existing faces. This still isn’t as flexible as it could be, but it’s a pretty obvious candidate for future WatchOS updates.

Jeff Williams, senior vice president of operations at Apple, took the stage to show off some of the newest things in WatchOS 2. “We’re adding transit to Maps, making it easier to find and use public transportation,” he said, adding, “There are over 10,000 watch apps on the app store.”

We’ll give WatchOS 2 a closer look when we’ve had more time to play with the operating system and the third-party apps that developers create.

Apple also announced some new Watch form factors. The company started by showing off a partnership with Hermes and then launched into a video of new Apple Watch models and watch bands, including gold and rose gold in anodized aluminum finishes.

When we originally reviewed the Apple Watch, we said that most people should wait until the operating system and app ecosystem had some time to mature. Assuming that developers use the new WatchKit capabilities to make apps that are more like the first-party versions, WatchOS 2 should usher in that maturity. You should still probably wait for second-generation hardware if you can, but WatchOS 2 should at least bring the software side of things closer to its full potential.

Apple’s event is still ongoing, and you can check our liveblog for more updates as they come in.