Apple Watch is finally adding a feature I’ve been requesting for years

It’s always fascinating to see what excites people during keynotes. There are the usual marquee items that make the biggest headlines. This week at WWDC 2024, that prize went to Apple Intelligence. Often, however, it’s the smaller items a presenter opts to breeze through that really fire people up.

The arrival of Calculator for the iPad got the biggest pre-AI pop of the event. Even before the company showcased its impressive equation-solving features, the mere mention of the app got the crowd riled up. Sometimes delayed gratification is enough.

As surprised as I am to admit it, the most exciting non-AI news came during the watchOS segment. It’s something that I’ve been requesting from Apple for several years, fueled by my own health struggles and the fact that I’ve somehow managed to contract COVID four times so far.

The ability to pause your activity rings is a minor feature update for most, but for those of us who obsess about such things to an unhealthy degree, it’s the best Apple Watch update in years. If you’re down due to a cold, on an international flight, or find that you’re vigorously shaking your wrist at 9 p.m. just to finish closing your rings, you can pause progress via the Watch or through the connected iPhone app.

There are several options for pausing: You can do it for one day, by day of the week or for entire months at a time. The system will still collect your metrics, but if you fail to reach the number that would normally close your ring, you won’t lose your streak.

WatchOS 11 brings further ring customization, allowing you to adjust your goals by day. If, for example, you use Sunday as a recovery day for marathon training, you can lower the exercise goal. Once entered, this will be the goal for that day of the week until it’s changed again.

Mostly, though, I’m just excited I won’t have to get in 30 minutes of exercise when I inevitably get COVID for the fifth time.