Synology shows off Apple Watch apps, its first router & new hardware for upcoming DSM 6.0 OS

Update: The DSM 6.0 beta is now available to download. 

Today Synology is announcing a number of updates to its popular network-attached storage products including its first Apple Watch app, a new version of its DiskStation Manager web-based operating system, and new hardware including the company’s first router product. 

I first got turned on to Synology NAS products a couple years back when I reviewed the company’s release of its DiskStation Manager (DSM) version 5 software, and I’ve been a diehard user ever since. My review walked through how I used the company’s hardware and software to build my own cloud services and stopped relying on Apple, Google and others for storing and accessing my files, photos, videos, audio, backups and more. iOS apps let you access and stream all of your content stored in DiskStation to all of your devices like iPhone, iPad, and Apple TV. 

Today marks the official announcement of version 6.0 of DiskStation Manager (beta coming soon), but also some big news for iOS users with the announcement of the company’s first Apple Watch app for accessing your files from your smartwatch. As demoed in the video below, the company is planning updates to its DS note and DS audio iOS apps to make accessing your notes and audio files stored on DiskStations available on Apple Watch.

[youtube=https://youtu.be/0WFfz7lV4wM?t=31m]

On Apple Watch, DS note will let users take notes using voice input and view notes already stored in the app, while the DS audio app will act as a remote for the iOS app by allowing control of playlists and playback from your wrist.

As for other changes to the DSM operating system with version 6, home users will find a redesigned Video Station, while business users will find a redesigned MailPlus app, a new SpreadSheet app, and improvements to content search, Note station, and more.

And lastly, for new hardware, Synology is announcing its first router product, the Synology Router RT1900ac with a companion iOS app called DS Router and the DS716+ NAS Server with 4K Video Transcoding, both arriving early 2016 in the US and Canada (this month in select other countries).