Gallery: The Invisible Design Behind the Apple Watch's Many Faces
Apple01AppleWatch-Process-Book-HI-kwc01-11-16by9
Apple photographed many different species of jellyfish to make up a single, moving Watch face.
Apple02AppleWatch-Process-Book-HI-kwc01-13-16by9
The human interface team used Phantom cameras to shoot the jellyfish at 300 frames per second.
Apple03AppleWatch-Process-Book-HI-kwc01-16
Everything took place in Apple's design studio, and involved a lot of moving jellyfish around.
Apple04AppleWatch-Process-Book-HI-kwc01-15
The jellyfish on the Watch's face are upside-down. During the photoshoot, they swam towards a light at the bottom of the tank; the photographers had to flip their monitor 180 degrees to frame their shots.
Apple05AppleWatch-Process-Book-HI-kwc01-12-16by9
On to the Watch's tiny resolution, you can't see this much detail. But it's there.
Apple06AppleWatch-Process-Book-HI-kwc01-7-16by9
If you pick the Motion face, every time you raise your wrist you'll see a different image.
Apple07AppleWatch-Process-Book-HI-kwc01-4-16by9
Rather than animations, the blooming flowers are stop-motion time-lapse photos.
Apple08AppleWatch-Process-Book-HI-kwc01-3-16by9
One flower took Apple more than 285 hours and 24,000 shots to photograph.
Apple09AppleWatch-Process-Book-HI-kwc01-6-16by9
They picked different flowers to photograph, and then trained a camera on them for as long as it took.
Apple10AppleWatch-Process-Book-HI-kwc01-2-16by9
Every face is about time, whether it's flowers blooming over many hours or a butterfly's wings flapping quickly.
Apple11AppleWatch-Process-Book-HI-kwc01-1-16by9
Capturing butterflies at this level of detail, or at all, is incredibly difficult, but the result is beautiful.
Apple12AppleWatch-Process-Book-HI-kwc01-39
Apple created a custom typeface, San Francisco, whose counters reference the shape of the Watch itself.
Apple13AppleWatch-Process-Book-HI-kwc01-40
San Francisco has multiple weights and figures and was drawn to ensure readability at all sizes.
The Best External Hard Drives to Back Up Everything You Have
Need an ultrafast drive for video editing or a rugged option to back up your photos in the field? We’ve got a solution for every situation.
Scott Gilbertson
The 10 Best WIRED-Tested Pet Cameras
Whether you’re near or far, keep an eye on your fur baby with our favorite pet cameras.
Molly Higgins
What’s Worse Than Romance Scams? Adoption Scams
This week in WIRED Book Club, we recap the final chapters of The Yahoo Boys.
Kate Knibbs
Beatbot’s New Pool Robot Cleans Itself (Mostly)
The AquaSense X brings self-cleaning technology to pool robots for the first time, but is it worth nearly twice the price of Beatbot’s flagship cleaner?
Christopher Null
Skylight’s Touchscreen Calendar Got my Whole Family on the Same Page
The Skylight has become the informational and organizational hub of my household. My touchscreen-native kids have also gained more agency over our family activities.
Jaclyn Greenberg
The Samsung Micro RGB R95H Is a Good, Not Great TV
There’s a new fleet of TVs using new mini and micro RBG display tech, and Samsung’s R95H model isn’t as impressive as it should be.
John Brandon
AI Found a Root Bug in Linux That Everyone Missed for 15 Years
Plus: The Pentagon is training amateurs to become part of its hacker army, a Flock license plate reader error led to cops surrounding a car reviewer, and more.
Dell Cameron
We Make Lovely Home-Cooked Meals for Ourselves. Why Not Do the Same for Our Dogs?
More dog owners have begun cooking for their canine companions in recent years. When my own dog fell ill, I became part of this growing group.
Alicia Kennedy
The Best Hiking Boots and Shoes for Any Adventure
From strenuous hikes and serious summits to weekend rambles in the park, these boots help you make the most of your time outdoors.
Chris Haslam
China’s Tianwen-2 Space Probe Has Rendezvoused With Earth’s Quasi-Moon
The probe sent back the first pictures of the asteroid Kamo’oalewa. Next step: landing on the surface and collecting samples to send back to Earth.
Ritsuko Kawai
El Niño Is Already Wreaking Havoc on Pacific Fisheries
As the climate phenomenon sends warm water surging across the eastern Pacific, some parts of the fishing industry are suffering—but other regions are seeing a windfall.
Joseph Winters
Exclusive: How Jay-Z Pulled Off a Surprise-Filled Show During New York’s Wildest Summer
Summer 2026 marks the 30th anniversary of Jay-Z’s debut Reasonable Doubt. To honor it, he put on a massive concert at Yankee Stadium—complete with performances from Beyoncé, Nas, and Alicia Keys.
Angela Watercutter