AI note-taking startup Granola has expanded its popular meeting notepad to the Apple Watch, letting users capture and transcribe conversations with a single tap—no phone or laptop required.

The new watchOS app, which launched on July 28, 2026, targets in-person and on-the-go discussions such as walking one-on-ones, whiteboard brainstorms, and casual coffee chats. Users can start recording via a dedicated app or a watch face complication. The screen turns bright Granola green and plays a sound to confirm it’s listening. When the conversation ends, a second tap stops the recording; the audio syncs to the paired iPhone, where Granola’s AI processes it into structured notes complete with highlights, decisions, and action items. Those notes then appear across the user’s iPhone, Mac, or Windows devices.

The company designed the experience around the idea that “the best wearable is the one you’re already wearing.” Co-founder Chris Pedregal noted that the goal is to let people stay present in face-to-face meetings without pulling a phone from their pocket. Internal testing showed that once employees had access to the Watch app, a substantial portion of their mobile Granola usage shifted from iPhone to wrist.

Granola can record offline on the Watch; a connection is needed only when the audio syncs and notes are generated. The app also surfaces subtle haptic reminders for upcoming calendar meetings and works seamlessly with the existing iOS, iPadOS, macOS, and Windows versions of Granola. It requires watchOS 11 or later and the latest Granola iPhone app. Installation is straightforward through the Watch app on iPhone if it doesn’t appear automatically.

The launch arrives as dedicated AI note-taking hardware (pins, pendants, and similar devices) has proliferated. Granola deliberately chose to build for an existing wearable rather than create new hardware. It also follows the company’s earlier unicorn milestone after a $125 million Series C led by Index Ventures.

To mark the release, Granola collaborated with London-based weaver Nowshin Prenon on a limited run of handwoven Apple Watch straps. The Watch app itself is free to download and use via the Granola iOS app.

With the Apple Watch increasingly positioned as an AI-friendly device, Granola’s arrival underscores growing interest in discreet, always-available capture tools that keep the focus on conversation rather than technology. Users can try it on their next in-person meeting simply by updating the iPhone app and installing the Watch companion.

MacDailyNews Take: More info about Granola for Apple Watch via Apple’s App Store here.

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Apple (Hacker News):

Apple today announced Apple Upgrade, a new product leasing program provided by Klarna for iPhone, Apple Watch, Mac, and iPad available on the Apple Store online, in the Apple Store app, and at Apple Store locations in the United States.

[…]

Apple Upgrade offers 12- and 24-month leasing options for iPhone and Apple Watch, and 24- and 36-month leasing options for Mac and iPad. Leasing prices start as low as $17.99 per month for iPhone, $11.99 for Apple Watch, $24.99 for Mac, and $11.99 for iPad.

The $17.99/month gets you a base model iPhone 17e for 24 months. This is a total of $431.76 vs. $599 for buying a new one today, but then you have to make a decision:

At the end of the lease term, customers can upgrade their device to the latest generation, purchase it with a one-time payment, or simply return it and exit the program.

I used to get a new phone every other year, but I kept my iPhone 12 mini for three years and will likely keep my 15 Pro for four years. In addition to making it easier to buy phones without the up-front payment, Apple is probably hoping this will encourage more customers to get back on the two-year cycle. Given the choice between continuing a small monthly payment and getting a new phone or making a larger payment to keep their old phone, many may opt to upgrade.

Juli Clover:

The payoff amount is the difference between what was paid during the leasing period and the retail price of the device, minus any remaining trade-in credits. Klarna is not charging a fee for the leasing program, so an iPhone that’s $1,099 can be leased and then purchased for $1,099 with no extra cost beyond taxes.

I guess this means that, for a bit of hassle, you can essentially buy the device for the list price at 0% interest.

Lease participants can opt to end a lease early and return a device, but Apple says there may be “substantial fees” for terminating a lease before the end of the term.

[…]

Customers must upgrade, end the lease, or purchase the device at the end of the lease term. If that doesn’t happen, the lease converts to a month-to-month lease for up to six months.

[…]

Damage to an iPhone, losing an iPhone, or having an iPhone stolen could incur fees.

Aisha Malik:

The rollout of the program comes as Apple has been struggling with supply chain issues related to “RAMageddon,” which refers to the industry-wide shortage of memory chips that is driving up the price of hardware. As a result, Apple recently announced price hikes for its Mac and iPad lineups, sparing the iPhone for now. The new Upgrade program seems to be Apple’s answer to making those higher prices more manageable for consumers.

Customers can manage their lease directly in the Klarna app, where they can view their billing schedule and track remaining payments.

With the launch of the new Upgrade program, Apple is discontinuing its existing in-house financing and installment programs in the U.S., which include the iPhone Upgrade Program and iPhone Payments.

John Voorhees:

For iPhones, you have to have a carrier and can’t use a prepaid plan.

[…]

For iPads, the starting prices range from $12.99/month to $24.99/month, Macs range from starting prices of $24.99/month to $48.99/month, and the Apple Watch ranges from starting prices of $11.99/month to $47.03/month. But again, these are just starting prices. You can configure a fully loaded 16-inch MacBook Pro that is just under $230/month, and it won’t include AppleCare.

As a point of comparison, under the current program that is being discontinued, I pay $69.50/month for an iPhone 17 Pro Max, but I have a 512GB model, so my lease price for the same phone would be $40.83/month, significantly lower, but keep in mind that doesn’t include AppleCare+, which would add $13.99/month or $139/year for that iPhone. On a monthly basis, that puts a new iPhone 17 Pro Max with 512GB of storage and AppleCare+ at just under $55/month. Still a superior deal, but not nearly as good as the landing page might initially lead you to believe.

[…]

If you lease accessories for your device, those don’t have to be returned. Why? Presumably because they have no value to Apple or Klarna.

Marcus Mendes:

9to5Mac can now confirm that code found in the iOS 27 beta appears to reveal a broader system for managing a financed iPhone, including the ability to restrict apps and services when payments are missed.

The code describes a system called App Managed Features, which allows an authorized financing or provider app to enroll an iPhone and perform ongoing status checks.

If the contract is no longer in good standing, Apple’s system services can place the iPhone in “Restricted Mode,” which blocks access to most apps until the payment or contract issue is resolved, while keeping a small set of apps available.

I bet there are some governments that would love to commandeer that for their own purposes.

Finally, the new framework also introduces a new type of activation lock called “Partner Finance Lock,” which is meant to prevent users from erasing, reselling, or stripping a restricted device for parts.

Previously:

• Apple Hardware Price Hikes
• Mac Upgrade Program
• AppleCare One
• Getting a New iPhone

Update (2026-07-29): Emma Roth:

Apple says it won’t limit the capabilities of devices leased through its new Upgrade program if you miss a payment. In an emailed statement to The Verge, Apple spokesperson Brian Bumbery says, “There will be no restricted mode and/or there will be no limitations put on device functionality due to missed payments or default with the Apple Upgrade program.”

So then what is the code that 9to5Mac found for?

Marcus Mendes:

One possibility is that it was developed for financing programs offered by carriers, retailers, or other partners outside Apple Upgrade, potentially including markets where device restrictions are already used to enforce installment agreements.

See also: Mac Power Users, TidBITS, MacRumors, Slashdot.

Update (2026-07-30): Ryan Christoffel:

Here’s what every eligible product costs with Apple Upgrade.

Emma Roth:

Here’s a breakdown of how much you’d pay for the devices included in the Apple Upgrade program, as well as how much more you’d pay to purchase the devices outright at the end of your lease[…]

[…]

Klarna doesn’t say what will happen if you don’t pay the outstanding balance.

[…]

During the lease, Klarna owns your device. You’re responsible for any damage, and will get charged a fee if you don’t return the device in “good condition.” That’s why Apple is encouraging customers to sign up for an AppleCare subscription that could drive up the cost of your lease even more.

[…]

Apple also notes that you’ll have to pay an early termination fee if you want to return the device before your lease ends or if you want to upgrade early.

Eyes:

If you lose the leased phone you have to pay Klarna for the phone plus early lease cancellation fees.

D. Griffin Jones:

The Apple Card Monthly Installments aren’t going away, so I’ll keep using that.

[…]

When you finance using the Apple Card Monthly Installments, you pay a fixed amount to own your device. There are no savings here — aside from the 3% cashback — the monthly payment is the purchase price divided by either 12 or 24 months.

John Gruber:

When you lease an iPhone through Apple Upgrade, you need a cellular account on one of the big three U.S. carriers: AT&T, T-Mobile, or Verizon. That kind of stinks, and I’m not quite sure I understand why.

Eyes:

The iPhone upgrade program always required it. For a time you could do Apple Card installments without a carrier if you bought it online but never in store. I assume there is carrier pressure to tie the phones to the carriers. Activating iPhones on carriers was a key metric at the Apple Store.

Previously:

• Boom Mobile Restructuring

Update (2026-08-03): John Gruber (Mastodon):

Credit-risk assessment is seemingly part of it. There’s a lot of fraud in iPhone purchases specifically and cell phone service generally. The big three carriers do a significant amount of risk assessment before letting you open a new postpaid account; that you have an active account with one of them is a signal that you’re not trying to lease an iPhone using phony credentials in order to sell it.

But the bigger reason is the complex nature of the contracts between Apple and each of the big three carriers.

Juli Clover (release notes, security, developer):

According to Apple’s release notes, watchOS 26.6 includes unspecified bug fixes and security updates.

Previously:

• watchOS 26.5