Apple Watch Celebrates Your Birthday With a Special Message in watchOS 4
Among multiple software announcements that came out of WWDC last week, Apple unveiled details about watchOS 4, the newest operating system that will arrive on Apple Watch devices later this fall. As developers spend more time with the watchOS 4 beta, new surprises in the software become uncovered, and now MacRumors forum member mrToasty has come across a previously unseen birthday-related message that Apple has included in watchOS 4.

On your birthday, Apple will send a "Happy Birthday!" notification to your Apple Watch, and when you tap on it your watch face will be showered with celebratory balloons. The addition looks visually similar to the "Balloons" screen effect that launched in the iOS 10 Messages app last year. You can watch the full Happy Birthday animation in the video below, which was originally posted by David Boyle on YouTube.
Some of the big changes coming in watchOS 4 include a collection of Activity-focused updates with more personalized achievements for the Workout app, and communication features between Apple Watch and compatible gym equipment. There are also enhancements to the Music app, and a new Siri watch face that will dynamically update based on the time of day and your daily routines, and showcase important data from apps like Activity, Alarms, Breathe, Calendar, Maps, Reminders, Wallet, and more.
Check out the
MacRumors watchOS 4 roundup for a complete list of everything we know that's coming in the software update.
Popular Stories
Apple turns 50 this year, and its CEO Tim Cook has promised to celebrate the milestone. The big day falls on April 1, 2026.
"I've been unusually reflective lately about Apple because we have been working on what do we do to mark this moment," Cook told employees today, according to Bloomberg's Mark Gurman. "When you really stop and pause and think about the last 50 years, it makes your heart ...
While the iOS 26.3 Release Candidate is now available ahead of a public release, the first iOS 26.4 beta is likely still at least a week away. Following beta testing, iOS 26.4 will likely be released to the general public in March or April.
Below, we have recapped known or rumored iOS 26.3 and iOS 26.4 features so far.
iOS 26.3
iPhone to Android Transfer Tool
iOS 26.3 makes it easier...
Apple recently acquired Israeli startup Q.ai for close to $2 billion, according to Financial Times sources. That would make this Apple's second-biggest acquisition ever, after it paid $3 billion for the popular headphone maker Beats in 2014.
This is also the largest known Apple acquisition since the company purchased Intel's smartphone modem business and patents for $1 billion in 2019....
Apple plans to announce the iPhone 17e on Thursday, February 19, according to Macwelt, the German equivalent of Macworld.
The report, citing industry sources, is available in English on Macworld.
Apple announced the iPhone 16e on Wednesday, February 19 last year, so the iPhone 17e would be unveiled exactly one year later if this rumor is accurate. It is quite uncommon for Apple to unveil...
In the iOS 26.4 update that's coming this spring, Apple will introduce a new version of Siri that's going to overhaul how we interact with the personal assistant and what it's able to do.
The iOS 26.4 version of Siri won't work like ChatGPT or Claude, but it will rely on large language models (LLMs) and has been updated from the ground up.
Upgraded Architecture
The next-generation...