watchOS

Apple’s second annual Earth Day Activity Challenge for Apple Watch is set to take place in just over a week and a half, and this year Apple has upgraded the sticker pack for Messages with animated designs. Apple has also slightly tweaked the requirement this year.

Expand
Expanding
Close

The latest watchOS beta, 4.3.1, introduces a new alert when launching original watchOS 1 WatchKit applications, hinting that such apps may be dropped entirely in watchOS 5.

Expand
Expanding
Close

We’re just two months away from WWDC 2018 where Apple will unveil the next major versions of its operating systems, and watchOS is arguably the platform with the most low hanging fruit left to be picked. Apple Watch Series 3 is the most capable version yet with cellular connectivity and an even faster chip, and watchOS 5 can unlock even more potential with that hardware. Read on for what I’d love to see in watchOS 5:

Expand
Expanding
Close

Apple is officially releasing watchOS 4.3 for all Apple Watches today. The latest software update includes several new features and changes including restored Music control for iPhone libraries from Apple Watch, more data points on the Siri watch face, portrait orientation for Nightstand Mode, updated alerts when unlocking Macs, and several animation changes including charging and loading apps.

Expand
Expanding
Close

Apple has released watchOS 4.3 beta 6 for registered developers to test on Apple Watch. We’ll dig in to the new version and detail changes below.

Expand
Expanding
Close

Apple has released watchOS 4.3 beta 5 for registered developers to test on Apple Watch. We’ll dig in to the new version and detail changes below.

Expand
Expanding
Close

Apple has released watchOS 4.3 beta 4 for registered developers to test on Apple Watch. We’ll dig in to the new version and detail changes below.

Expand
Expanding
Close

Earlier this week, Zac outlined all of the hardware products Apple is likely to release as this year progresses. Just as important as those hardware releases, however, are the software updates that will accompany them.

We already know that Apple has iOS 11.3 planned for this month, but beyond that are major releases like iOS 12 and watchOS 5…
Expand
Expanding
Close

Apple has released watchOS 4.3 beta 3 for registered developers to test on Apple Watch. We’ll dig in to the new version and detail changes below.

Expand
Expanding
Close

Today’s news about Apple putting new features on the back burner for iOS 12 means that the company will finally be focusing on polishing up its mobile operating system. After years of interface inconsistencies and frame rate issues, iOS may be getting some much-needed attention on the finer details.

While frame rate issues have gone unnoticed by many, prominent YouTuber and entrepreneur Chris Pirillo has been documenting his findings over the years with a public list of issues. The most jarring and obvious frame rate issue is when invoking Siri and trying to access Control Center. This is an example of an “unlikely situation, so Apple didn’t check,” which some feel has been Apple’s software mantra with iOS 7 and beyond.

While it’s good to hear about Apple shifting focus to zero in on refinements, I would argue these sort of issues should have never should have shipped to begin with.

Expand
Expanding
Close

Paired with iOS 11.3 beta 1 yesterday is the first watchOS 4.3 beta for Apple Watch. The first developer beta of the upcoming watchOS update comes two days after the release of watchOS 4.2.2 for all customers.

Expand
Expanding
Close

Matt Birchler has published an excellent watchOS 5 design concept that envisions future features that could come to Apple Watch. Included are much more information dense watch faces with new layouts, third-party apps as data sources on the Siri watch face, and my favorite: podcast playback.

Expand
Expanding
Close

Apple has released new beta versions of iOS, watchOS, macOS, and tvOS for developers to test. iOS 11.2.5, watchOS 4.2.2, macOS 10.13.3, and tvOS 11.2.5 beta 4 are all available now on the developer center and rolling out over-the-air. We’ll update to the latest versions and note any changes below.

Expand
Expanding
Close

[UPDATE 12/20: iOS 11.2.5 and tvOS 11.2.5 public beta 2 are now available.]

Apple has released new beta versions of iOS, watchOS, and tvOS for developers to test. iOS 11.2.5, watchOS 4.2.2, and tvOS 11.2.5 beta 2 are all available now. We’ll update to the latest versions and note any changes below.

Expand
Expanding
Close

Update: 12/14: Public beta versions of iOS and tvOS 11.2.5 are now available as well.

Apple has released new beta versions of iOS, watchOS, and tvOS for developers to test. iOS 11.2.5, watchOS 4.2.2, and tvOS 11.2.5 are all available now. We’ll update to the latest versions and note any changes below.

Expand
Expanding
Close

Apple has released watchOS 4.2 for Apple Watch. The latest software update is available for all Apple Watch models and includes support for Apple Pay Cash.

Expand
Expanding
Close

A day after releasing macOS 10.13.2 beta 4, Apple has released the fourth beta version of iOS 11.2 beta for developers. tvOS 11.2 beta and watchOS 4.2 beta are also available for testing.

Expand
Expanding
Close

Apple today shared a news update encouraging developers to update their Apple Watch apps for watchOS 4. The update also shares that watchOS 1 apps will no longer be accepted next year.

Expand
Expanding
Close