Apple is automatically updating some Apple Watch apps for watchOS 27 compatibility

If you are a big Apple Watch app user on the beta this summer, you may have noticed that some number of existing apps do not launch on watchOS 27. Apple has identified the issue and is automatically updating the apps on the developer’s behalf to ensure compatibility.

These updates are being sent out through the App Store with a What’s New note that reads: ‘This app has been updated by Apple to prepare for watchOS 27 compatibility. No new features are included’.

Apple informed developers this week that this process will be complete by August 31.

watchOS 27 (and iOS 27 and all the other new operating systems) will likely launch to the public around the middle of September, so the necessary updates are being pushed out well in good time.

Apple said it has having to do this due to an issue with the arm64 slice of some watchOS apps. It sounds like they are automatically reprocessing and repackaging apps to fix up the binary incompatibility, and allow existing apps to continue to work without any action on the part of a developer.