Apple has released watchOS 26, introducing optimizations for the upcoming Apple Watch Series 10. However, the update also marks the removal of five popular watch faces—Fire, Water, Gradient, Liquid Metal, and Toy Story—continuing the company’s pattern of retiring older designs through software updates.
This follows last year’s elimination of four faces, including Siri, Chronograph Pro, Explorer, and Numerals, in watchOS 11. While Apple has since introduced new options like Flux, Reflections, Pride Harmony, and Unity Rhythm, watchOS 26 does not debut any fresh designs. Analysts speculate that new faces may arrive in September alongside next-generation hardware.
A Creative Legacy Left Behind
The discontinued faces were once celebrated for their innovative design processes. In a past interview with Hodinkee, Apple’s VP of Human Interface Design, Alan Dye, revealed that the team opted for practical effects over digital simulations. For the Fire face, artists constructed flammable structures in a studio, capturing real flames on camera.
“We could’ve created these digitally, but we chose hands-on experimentation,” Dye explained. “It reflects our collaborative approach—bringing together art directors, color specialists, graphic designers, and even model-makers to craft something unique.”
The Liquid Metal face, another casualty, now makes way for newer dynamic options like Liquid Glass. Users nostalgic for the retired designs must rely on third-party alternatives or older watch models retaining compatible software versions.
Apple has not commented on whether removed faces could return in future updates. The company typically cites performance optimizations and design coherence as reasons for such removals.
