All posts tagged: watchOS

A Closer Look at watchOS 26.5’s New Luminance Watch Face

A Closer Look at watchOS 26.5’s New Luminance Watch Face

With watchOS 26.5, Apple is introducing a Pride Luminance face, and it’s one of the most versatile and customizable watch faces. There are pre-configured color options, but the face also supports custom colors. You can select 1 to 12 colors from a palette that has every color of the rainbow, some in-between shades, and black, white, brown, and gray. The colors you pick are distributed across the watch face in a gradient, available in either radial or linear styles. The first style looks like a starburst, while the second style is a series of rectangular lines. The dial can be set to Rectangle for edge-to-edge color, or Circle for a smaller dial that supports four complications. As with most of Apple’s faces, the Luminance face is animated. When the wrist is down, it shrinks into slim lines of color on a black background, but when the wrist is raised, the full color palette is displayed. Colors will also shift slowly. Apple’s pre-selected colors represent different Pride flag colors, but with the deep customization options, the …

Apple Watch Series 12 and watchOS 27: What to Expect Later This Year

Apple Watch Series 12 and watchOS 27: What to Expect Later This Year

While not too much has been reported about the next Apple Watch models, there are a few rumors about potential design changes and watchOS 27 features. Apple Watch Series 12 and Apple Watch Ultra 4 models are expected to be released in September, and we have outlined some of the key rumored hardware and software changes below. A new Apple Watch SE is not expected this year, as that model was just updated last year and it typically goes two to three years between refreshes. Apple will unveil watchOS 27 during its WWDC 2026 keynote on Monday, June 8, and a developer beta will likely be available immediately afterwards. A public beta typically follows in July, and the update should be widely released in September. Touch ID Touch ID may be coming to the Apple Watch Series 12 and Apple Watch Ultra 4, according to internal Apple software code that leaked online last year. Touch ID would likely be built into the Apple Watch’s side button, enabling users to unlock the device with their fingerprint …

WatchOS 27 Set to Get Slimmed-Down Watch Ultra Face, Report Says

WatchOS 27 Set to Get Slimmed-Down Watch Ultra Face, Report Says

The next version of WatchOS is set to get a stripped-down version of the Watch Ultra’s signature watch face, alongside multiple others, according to a report by Bloomberg’s Mark Gurman. Whether this means the latest version of the OS will primarily be an aesthetics upgrade, or Apple has just stayed tight-lipped about WatchOS 27, remains to be seen.  With WWDC 2026 just around the corner, most eyes are on iOS 27, which is set to include the Google Gemini-powered Siri to strengthen Apple’s AI efforts, but rumors on the latest from WatchOS have been minimal. According to Gurman’s newsletter Power On, Apple has several new watch faces in the works for the next version of WatchOS, but the most familiar of them is also the most notable. A new, modular watch face is set to make an appearance, which borrows heavily from the Modular Ultra watch face.  Apple Watch Ultra’s modular watch face.  Apple/Screenshot by CNET The new watch face is said to have removed the large complication in the center, the three smaller complications above …

Apple Releases Fourth watchOS 26.5, tvOS 26.5 and visionOS 26.5 Betas

Apple Releases Fourth watchOS 26.5, tvOS 26.5 and visionOS 26.5 Betas

Apple today provided developers with the fourth betas of upcoming watchOS 26.5, tvOS 26.5, and visionOS 26.5 betas for testing purposes. The software comes a week after Apple released the third betas for each platform. The software updates are available through the Settings app on each device, and because these are developer betas, a free developer account is required. There’s no word on what’s in the software as of yet. watchOS, tvOS, and visionOS often get few features in each new beta, with updates primarily focusing on bug fixes and performance improvements. Nothing new was found in the first three betas. Popular Stories Apple Releases First watchOS 26.5, tvOS 26.5 and visionOS 26.5 Betas Apple today provided developers with the first betas of upcoming watchOS 26.5, tvOS 26.5, and visionOS 26.5 betas for testing purposes. The software comes a week after Apple launched the 26.4 versions of each platform. The software updates are available through the Settings app on each device, and because these are developer betas, a free developer account is required. There’s no word on… …

Apple Releases watchOS 5 and watchOS 8 Updates to Keep FaceTime and iMessage Running on Older Apple Watches

Apple Releases watchOS 5 and watchOS 8 Updates to Keep FaceTime and iMessage Running on Older Apple Watches

Apple today released watchOS 5.3.10 and watchOS 8.8.2 for older Apple Watch models that are not able to run the current watchOS 26 update. watchOS 5.3.10 is available for the Apple Watch Series 1, Series 2, Series 3, and Series 4, while watchOS 8.8.2 is available for the Apple Watch Series 3, Series 4, Series 5, Series 6, Series 7, and original Apple Watch SE. According to Apple’s release notes, the updates extend the certificate that features like device activation, iMessage, and FaceTime need to function. The certificate update ensures that these apps and features will continue to work after January 2027, which is when the existing certificate was set to expire. watchOS 8 is the final version of watchOS that’s supported on the Apple Watch Series 3. watchOS 5 is the final version of watchOS able to be installed on an Apple Watch Series 1 or Series 2 using an iPhone 5s, iPhone 6, or iPhone 6 Plus. The Series 1 and Series 2 do support watchOS 6, but installing watchOS 6 requires an …

Apple Releases Fourth watchOS 26.5, tvOS 26.5 and visionOS 26.5 Betas

Apple Releases watchOS 26.4, tvOS 26.4 and visionOS 26.4 Release Candidates

Apple today seeded the release candidate versions of upcoming watchOS 26.4, tvOS 26.4 and visionOS 26.4 updates for testing purposes. The software comes a week after Apple released the fourth betas. Release candidates are the final updates that will be provided to the public in the near future if no final bugs are discovered. The software updates are available through the Settings app on each device. tvOS 26.4 and watchOS 26.4 are available to public beta testers and developers, while visionOS 26.4 is limited to developers. watchOS 26.4 adds a new Average Bedtime metric to the sleep features that sync to the health app, so you can better keep an eye on how bedtime impacts overall sleep quality. tvOS 26.4 eliminates the iTunes Movies and iTunes TV Shows apps on the Apple TV. These apps haven’t worked for some time and have directed users to the ‌Apple TV‌ app for purchases, but Apple is finally phasing them out entirely. Apple also added a Continuous Audio Connection option for HDMI output. visionOS 26.4 includes support for …

Apple Releases Fourth watchOS 26.5, tvOS 26.5 and visionOS 26.5 Betas

Apple Releases Third watchOS 26.4, tvOS 26.4, and visionOS 26.4 Betas

Apple today provided developers with the third betas of upcoming watchOS 26.4, tvOS 26.4, and visionOS 26.4 betas for testing purposes. The software comes a week after Apple released the second betas. The software updates are available through the Settings app on each device, and because these are developer betas, a free developer account is required. watchOS 26.4 adds a new Average Bedtime metric to the sleep features that sync to the health app, so you can better keep an eye on how bedtime impacts overall sleep quality. tvOS 26.4 eliminates the iTunes Movies and iTunes TV Shows apps on the Apple TV. These apps haven’t worked for some time and have directed users to the ‌Apple TV‌ app for purchases, but Apple is finally phasing them out entirely. Apple also added a Continuous Audio Connection option for HDMI output. visionOS 26.4 includes support for foveated streaming for apps and games. Foveated streaming allows video to be streamed to the precise area where a user is looking, and peripheral areas are compressed. It allows for …

Apple Releases watchOS 11.6.2 With an Important Fix

Apple Releases watchOS 11.6.2 With an Important Fix

Apple today released watchOS 11.6.2 for the Apple Watch Series 6 through Series 10, Apple Watch SE 2, and Apple Watch Ultra and Ultra 2. “This update provides important bug fixes and is recommended for all users,” says Apple. watchOS 11.6.2 will only appear on Apple Watch models that have not already been updated to watchOS 26 or later. There are no specific details available yet beyond Apple’s vague release notes, so it is unclear what exactly the update includes. Update: Apple says watchOS 11.6.2 “addresses a cellular network issue for Series 6, Series 7, Series 8, Series 9, Series 10, SE 2, Ultra, and Ultra 2 when establishing a connection to emergency services in Australia.” Popular Stories iOS 26.3 and iOS 26.4 Will Add These New Features to Your iPhone While the iOS 26.3 Release Candidate is now available ahead of a public release, the first iOS 26.4 beta is likely still at least a week away. Following beta testing, iOS 26.4 will likely be released to the general public in March or April. Below, …