Apple Simplifies Modular Ultra Watch Face in watchOS 27

Apple is developing a simplified version of the Modular Ultra watch face for watchOS 27 that will bring elements of the Apple Watch Ultra’s distinctive interface to standard Apple Watch models.

According to media analysts, the redesigned watch face (codenamed Orchid internally) removes the information-dense complications that made the original Modular Ultra exclusive to Apple’s premium outdoor-focused wearable. This change creates a new, cleaner layout suitable for smaller displays on Series models, a stark change for Apple.

One in particular stands out: a simplified take on the Modular Ultra design. It has the same large clock as the Ultra face but removes the option for a big complication in the center, the row of three smaller complications above the time and information placed around the bezel.

The simplified face retains the large digital clock that fills the top two-thirds of the display from the original Modular Ultra design, however Apple removed the option for a large center complication, eliminated the row of three smaller complications that appear above the time, and stripped away the information displayed around the bezel. The resulting layout features only three small circular complications positioned along the bottom of the watch face below the prominent time display, creating a less cluttered interface that prioritizes readability over maximum data density.

Apple originally designed the Modular Ultra watch face exclusively for the Apple Watch Ultra lineup launched in 2022, featuring seven complications and six options for time size and layout alongside specialized features including Night Mode that turns all elements red to preserve night vision.

The face includes options to display real-time depth or elevation data around the outer bezel, Training bezel showing Vitals and training load data, or seconds counting up to a minute, making it popular among runners, hikers and underwater enthusiasts who require instant access to multiple data points during activities.

The move to adapt Modular Ultra for standard Apple Watch models represents a strategic shift from Apple’s previous approach of using exclusive watch faces to differentiate the Ultra lineup from the broader Apple Watch family.

Specialized faces including Wayfinder, Modular Ultra and Waypoint helped establish the Ultra models’ technical and outdoor-focused identity when the product line launched, however the simplified version democratizes one of the Ultra’s most visually distinctive features for mainstream users who do not need every edge of the screen filled with data throughout the day.

Apple is testing multiple new watch faces for inclusion in watchOS 27 ahead of the operating system’s expected unveiling at the Worldwide Developers Conference in June 2026, though Gurman specifically highlighted the simplified Modular Ultra as a standout addition.

The watchOS 27 update arrives as Apple continues iterating on the Apple Watch interface eight years after the product’s 2018 launch, with watch faces remaining one of the most visible and frequently updated aspects of the platform.

Apple also plans to introduce a new Pride Luminance face as part of watchOS 26.5 continuing the company’s annual Pride collection tradition, though the simplified Modular face represents the more substantive interface change coming to the broader Apple Watch user base later in 2026.

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