Apple is continuing to fine tune the upcoming watchOS update for Apple Watch ahead of the software update’s release this fall, and now registered developers can test their apps against the latest build as watch OS 2 beta 5 is now available.
The watchOS 2 update allows developers to build native (read faster) apps that do not rely as much on the iPhone for processing power, third-party complications or widgets for the watch face, and closer access to hardware like heart rate sensor data and more. For consumers, watchOS 2 adds new features like Nightstand Mode, using photos or albums as a watch face, and various app refinements.
The last watchOS 2 beta notably added support for colored complications including Activity with increased legibility on certain watch faces including Utility and Modular. We’ll explore the latest watchOS 2 beta to find other new changes coming this fall, and let us know if you discover any differences between the last beta as well.
- Currently available via the Developer Center
- watchOS 2 beta 5 features build label 13S5325c
- Reminder: Updating watchOS 2 beta requires iOS 9 and Apple Watch to be on charger with at least 50% battery
- New ‘Quick Play’ button in Music, behaves like a Shuffle All Songs button with easier access
- Redesigned and more functional Now Playing screen, the Now Playing glance has been updated to match, includes volume level indicator
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- New setting to have screen remain on for 70 seconds, was previously capped out at 15 seconds
- Modular watch face now contains color labels
- Time Lapse watch face now includes Paris, much less jarring effect now
- Overall responsiveness and performance is improved
- Now Playing glance shows app source that’s playing audio, like Podcasts for example
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Don’t work for me jet, for update via OTA!
Does your phone have to be updated to beta 5 before the watch will offer beta 5? I’m on beta 4 with both and don’t see the beta 5 update for the watch yet.
Nevermind, its showing up for me now. I can’t delete my comment though. Sorry.
The Multicolor Modular Face is here since beta 4.
it is for the name of the color… until now it only said “color”
Oops my mistake! I was convinced it already was “Multicolor” in beta 4.
You’re correct. There is a multicolor option in beta 4 if you scroll all the way down to the bottom of the “color” section.
I’ve updated an iPhone to Beta 5 and installed the provisioning profile to the watch – when I go to software update in the watch app it hangs at “Checking for update” then is says “cannot connect to Apple watch make sure your apple watch is nearby, powered and not in airplane mode”
I’ve tried restoring the watch to new and following the same steps to no avail
Can anyone help? The only thing I haven’t tried is restoring the phone to factory settings too (I had to do this on beta 2 due to that weird bug) but I’m trying to keep that as a last resort because its a ball ache
Dave
Hi Dave – have you got a solution for your Problem? I just stuck with the same issue trying to update from beta 4 to 5 on my watch with ip6+, installed ios9b5. To be honest – the update procedure of the apple watch is a p.i.t.a. and I hate it because it takes so long. Easy you lose a whole evening with unsucessfull trying …Also I would like to understand whether there is to be installed a new profile for every watch os beta or if the beta 4 profile is good to install beta 5.
Now you can delete apps straight from the Watch.
Always could.
Is it worth updating yet? I only got my Apple watch a couple of days ago, not sure if I should update as lots of reports that the betas 1-4 where very buggy, I have iOS 9 installed already as been updating my apps.
I haven’t had as many issues as reported by others. The betas are buggy, but they are betas. I would say that it is definitely stable enough for my taste, but I know I have to be patient with beta software (unlike some people). I like the changes. They aren’t critical at this point. I did notice that the remote app for Apple Watch was not working correctly with my iOS 9 beta when I was on Watch os 1.0.1 but all the issues I had with it cleared up when I went to Watch OS 2, mine might be an outside case though. My battery life was pretty bad yesterday, but I had just installed the update to beta 5 and hadn’t restarted the watch. This morning the battery life has been very good for me. Just remember if you update to OS 2 you can’t go back.
An awesome change to Beta 5 that I have observed is that when you send a text via dictation, you no longer asked to confirm sending the message. Instead it will send the message automatically after a few seconds. Instead, you have a button that says ‘don’t send’. So, if the text looks fine, you can just ignore it and let it send. I feel that if Siri iss accurate enough with your voice, then this adds a better level of autonomy.