Apple is working on a simplified version of the Modular Ultra watch face for watchOS 27, internally codenamed Orchid, that will bring elements of the Apple Watch Ultra’s distinctive design language to standard Apple Watch Series models for the first time. The development was reported by Bloomberg’s Mark Gurman, who described the new face as a standout addition among the watch face updates being tested ahead of watchOS 27’s expected unveiling at the Worldwide Developers Conference in June 2026.
The redesigned watch face removes the information-dense complications that made the original Modular Ultra exclusive to Apple’s premium outdoor-focused wearable, creating a new, cleaner layout suitable for smaller displays on Series models. 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 centre 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 prioritises 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 specialised 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. Specialised 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 democratises 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 also planning 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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