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watchOS 2.2 is now available, Apple Watch gains enhanced Maps app + multi-watch pairing support

Alongside iOS 9.3 today, Apple has released watchOS 2.2, the latest software update for all Apple Watch owners. Starting with watchOS 2.2, iPhones running iOS 9.3 or later can pair and swap between multiple Apple Watch models; changing between Apple Watch models previously required a lengthy unpairing and re-pairing process. Apple Watch users will also notice an enhanced Maps app and more starting with the watchOS 2.2 update.

Maps on Apple Watch previously launched showing your current location, then required Force Touching (deep pressing) to activate options for Search and Contacts.

Starting with watchOS 2.2, Maps launches to a menu screen with big shortcut buttons to get directions to your saved work or home address; this works similar to Google Maps for Apple Watch. Below that you’ll find an easily accessible Search button which brings up an option for dictation above a list of recently searched locations.

Next you’ll find a My Location button, which takes you to a map view like the old launch spot. Force Touching this view now offers options for Search, Contacts, Transit, and now Nearby. Back on the Maps launch menu, Apple Watch users in supported countries will find the new Nearby section as a list option as well.

Nearby presents a list of locations by type like Food, Shopping, Fun, and Health. Each option contains more specific categories like Nightlife, Parks & Rec, and Movies, under which you’ll find nearby listings with addresses, business ratings, hours, contact info, and more data sourced by Yelp.

The glance card for Maps, which gives you quick access from the watch face, has also been updated in watchOS 2.2. Previously, the glance showed your current location, which was really only useful if you woke up in an unfamiliar location for some reason. The updated Maps glance presents shortcuts for navigating home, to work, finding search, and checking Nearby.

In addition to enhancing the Maps app, watchOS 2.2 also includes support for pairing multiple Apple Watches with a single iPhone. While this doesn’t allow you to actively use two Apple Watches at the same time, it does enable you to pair and setup different models with one iPhone and easily switch between which Apple Watch is active.

When Apple updates the Apple Watch hardware later this fall, this will allow customers to upgrade Apple Watch models easier. Going forward, developers with multiple Apple Watches will also benefit by being able to test apps on hardware running beta software without sacrificing battery life and performance on their main Apple Watches.

watchOS 2.2 is available through the Watch app on iPhone.

You can read all of the latest info from Apple’s ‘Let us loop you in’ event in our live blog/news hub. 

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Comments

  1. Dil Ribeiro - 8 years ago

    Not available for me yet….

  2. Ken Jancef (@kenjancef) - 8 years ago

    Available, but not working… seems it’s stuck in a “Preparing” loop, then it times out and gives me an error that it couldn’t be downloaded. I already updated my iPhone 6+ to iOS 9.3. Not sure what’s up…

  3. Martin Kaninsky - 8 years ago

    I thought they will open the watch faces for developers :(

    • JBDragon - 8 years ago

      Since when? There has been no rumors of that and this OS update has been out for a while in Beta format without it! Now I hope WatchOS3 or whatever Apple wants to call it will get 3rd party Watch face support. There’s no reason why it can’t.

      I also don’t see new Apple Watches until around this time next year!!! I think Apple is going to do a every other year upgrade cycle on the watches. I really don’t see any need for every year. Apple has done a great job on this first gen version.

  4. elme26bih - 8 years ago

    Yeah, pairing more than one Watch!!! :)

  5. JBDragon - 8 years ago

    I’ll install this update when I get home, but it doesn’t look like anything I care about with this update, unless there’s some bug fixes or something. I don’t care about Multi-Watch to iPhone thing. I’m glad Apple is adding the support to the tiny fraction that wants that, but I’m sure there’s a 100 times more people that would rather have 3rd party Watch Face support then anything else including support for more then 1 Apple Watch.

  6. pdixon1986 - 8 years ago

    but no “new exciting price”…

    • pdixon1986 - 8 years ago

      ignore that… i misread…lol…ok…they have a “new exciting price” (sorry…my bad)

  7. David Krug - 8 years ago

    I assume by “available” they mean “announced”? Mine still says that 2.1 is the current version, even though I updated my phone to iOS 9.3 already.

  8. Jamison.IO (@Jamison_IO) - 8 years ago

    Was pairing a watch to more than one phone really something people wanted? How about speeding the damn thing up?!

  9. Dane Basch - 8 years ago

    Strange thing for me…..on Maps, I touch “work” and it says update my card under contacts with the address. Its in there, but the watch won’t recognize it. Suggestions?

  10. bpmajesty - 8 years ago

    I haven’t been able to update the watch yet. I’ve updated my phone, but me, my bro, and my genius buddy friend at Apple haven’t received notice yet. I’m wondering if Apple pulled the update, but I cant find anything online about them doing so…

    • bpmajesty - 8 years ago

      After a few days, I found out why I couldn’t update my watch. I still had the iOS 9.3 public beta profiles installed on my phone and watch. I read online that for some reason, I had to delete all beta profiles from my watch and phone, then hard reset them both. I did, and it worked. So I hope that helps anywho who still cant update b/c they don’t see it available.

  11. Chris Hall - 8 years ago

    Now can we get support for two phones on one watch?

Author

Avatar for Zac Hall Zac Hall

Zac covers Apple news, hosts the 9to5Mac Happy Hour podcast, and created SpaceExplored.com.