Apple Seeds Second Beta of watchOS 3.1.3 to Developers

[MacRumors]

Apple today seeded the second beta of an upcoming watchOS 3.1.3 update to developers for testing purposes, three weeks after releasing the first watchOS 3.1.3 beta and four months after the launch of watchOS 3.

watchOS 3.1.3 can be downloaded through the dedicated Apple Watch app on the iPhone by going to General --> Software Update. To install the update, the Apple Watch must have 50 percent battery, it must be placed on the charger, and it must be in range of the iPhone. watchOS 3.1.3 requires an iPhone running iOS 10 to install.

We don't know yet what new features or bug fixes might be included in the watchOS 3.1.3 update, but no outward-facing changes were found in the first beta. watchOS betas are often rather minor in scale, focusing on small bug fixes and performance improvements rather than major interface changes.

The second watchOS 3.1.3 beta comes after Apple pulled the watchOS 3.1.1 release after it was found to be bricking some Apple Watch Series 2 devices. Apple has not re-released an updated version of watchOS 3.1.1 that fixes the bug, so many users are still running watchOS 3.1.

Article Link: Apple Seeds Second Beta of watchOS 3.1.3 to Developers

 

[LordQ]

Question: I've not yet downloaded 3.1.1, when 3.1.3 comes will it automatically pop or I will need to download the former first?

 

[Analog Kid]

Question: I've not yet downloaded 3.1.1, when 3.1.3 comes will it automatically pop or I will need to download the former first?

I don't think 3.1.1 is available for download any longer. Either way, when an update comes through the software patches you all the way to current without you needing to manually install each step.

 

[avanpelt]

So, I guess they're just going to forget that 3.1.1 happened and keep moving forward? Odd that there's been no mention of it since the update was pulled.

I'm one of the lucky ones that was able to install 3.1.1 on my Series 2 without any issues. However, 3.1.1 will probably be the last watchOS update I do on the day it's released until Apple allows the watch to be serviced in an Apple Store. It's asinine that they require a watch to be shipped back to Apple if an OS update bricks it.

 

[Jimmy Bubbles]

Sooo, no 3.1.2 I suppose?

 

[LordQ]

I don't think 3.1.1 is available for download any longer. Either way, when an update comes through the software patches you all the way to current without you needing to manually install each step.

I still have the red badge to download 3.1.1 and is annoying. Thanks for your input on this though!

 

[Phogro]

I still have the red badge to download 3.1.1 and is annoying. Thanks for your input on this though!

Probably means that the update was downloaded to your phone, but you never updated your Watch.
[doublepost=1483987945][/doublepost]

Sooo, no 3.1.2 I suppose?

That's the weird thing right. I get that they might just want to brush their 3.1.1 mistake under the rug, but what happened to 3.1.2? Unless there was already a 3.1.2 internally that had to be scrapped as it was found to cause the same issues?

 

[44267547]

I still have the red badge to download 3.1.1 and is annoying. Thanks for your input on this though!

Someone else mentioned the red badge and they downloaded 3.1.1 inadvertently, which it bricked their Apple Watch. You can't download 3.1.1, as it's not available from Apple's Servers anymore.

 

[Larry The L]

So, I guess they're just going to forget that 3.1.1 happened and keep moving forward? Odd that there's been no mention of it since the update was pulled.

So, what is it exactly that you want Apple to say to do? Do you want them to ask the Pope for forgiveness? Do you want them to flagellate themselves? Do you want Apple to appoint you CEO? 90% of the posts here are pure evil hatred nonsense that does no one of intelligence any good. I've already added about 50 of you to the ignore list, but you keep on coming out from beneath rocks. Hope there isn't a limit on the ignore list.
[doublepost=1483990260][/doublepost]

Sooo, no 3.1.2 I suppose?

Very good assumption. The brilliance here continues to astound me.

 

[ksnell]

So, what is it exactly that you want Apple to say to do? Do you want them to ask the Pope for forgiveness? Do you want them to flagellate themselves? Do you want Apple to appoint you CEO? 90% of the posts here are pure evil hatred nonsense that does no one of intelligence any good. I've already added about 50 of you to the ignore list, but you keep on coming out from beneath rocks. Hope there isn't a limit on the ignore list.
[doublepost=1483990260][/doublepost]
Very good assumption. The brilliance here continues to astound me.

Hope adding everyone that disagrees with you to an ignore list works out for you in life. In case it doesn't, I would recommend open dialogue without ranting and name calling. Some people will have a different opinion than you - that should be okay.

Oh, and I have 3.1.1 on my Series 2 Watch and it works fine.

 

[avanpelt]

So, what is it exactly that you want Apple to say to do? Do you want them to ask the Pope for forgiveness? Do you want them to flagellate themselves? Do you want Apple to appoint you CEO? 90% of the posts here are pure evil hatred nonsense that does no one of intelligence any good. I've already added about 50 of you to the ignore list, but you keep on coming out from beneath rocks. Hope there isn't a limit on the ignore list.

What the hell? Your response to what I said doesn't make any sense.

I never said anything about wanting to be the CEO of Apple. Besides, the CEO of a multi-billion dollar company should have little to nothing to do with the quality control of software updates aside from getting a briefing on the situation from the person on their executive team that's in charge of that aspect of the business. Now, if the quality control keeps being lousy, then it's the CEO's responsibility to help oversee a change that will get the ship going in the right direction again.

If you truly have about 50 people on your ignore list, why in the world do you continue reading these forums? It sounds like visiting these forums agitates you more often than not. I only come here because I enjoy reading different perspectives on the latest goings on in Cupertino and occasionally participating in the discussion. I didn't even know that this site had an "ignore" feature until reading your post.

 

[Juiceboy]

I downloaded the update to my phone but it never got installed. The only annoying part besides the red 1 badge i can live with is that i can't install any apps. So i recently got a Bike and have been using Strava but i can't download the companion watch app as it won't let me install it due to a "pending" update that needs to be installed, which of course it can't.

 

[profets]

So, what is it exactly that you want Apple to say to do? Do you want them to ask the Pope for forgiveness? Do you want them to flagellate themselves? Do you want Apple to appoint you CEO? 90% of the posts here are pure evil hatred nonsense that does no one of intelligence any good. I've already added about 50 of you to the ignore list, but you keep on coming out from beneath rocks. Hope there isn't a limit on the ignore list.
[doublepost=1483990260][/doublepost]
Very good assumption. The brilliance here continues to astound me.

No, just would have been nice to see some acknowledgement on the issue, instead of being told by Apple multiple times that I caused the brick to happen. And unfortunately I was without my watch for a week.

 

[Der Keyser]

I downloaded the update to my phone but it never got installed. The only annoying part besides the red 1 badge i can live with is that i can't install any apps. So i recently got a Bike and have been using Strava but i can't download the companion watch app as it won't let me install it due to a "pending" update that needs to be installed, which of course it can't.

You can delete the update on the watch. I was in the same situation, but found out I could delete it. Just can't remeber the exact procedure, but I believe i did it through the watch App on my phone. I think it was through the GENERAL -> USAGE menu.

 

[CaptMarvel]

No, just would have been nice to see some acknowledgement on the issue, instead of being told by Apple multiple times that I caused the brick to happen. And unfortunately I was without my watch for a week.

Maybe when the official version is released to the public, it will be in the notes of the Watch OS 3.1.2 update.

 

[44267547]

No, just would have been nice to see some acknowledgement on the issue, instead of being told by Apple multiple times that I caused the brick to happen. And unfortunately I was without my watch for a week.

Curious to know. So you had to send your Apple Watch in for service. Exactly what did Apple do? Just reset the watch and send it back to you?

 

[MacsRgr8]

So, what is it exactly that you want Apple to say to do? Do you want them to ask the Pope for forgiveness? Do you want them to flagellate themselves? Do you want Apple to appoint you CEO? 90% of the posts here are pure evil hatred nonsense that does no one of intelligence any good. I've already added about 50 of you to the ignore list, but you keep on coming out from beneath rocks. Hope there isn't a limit on the ignore list.
[doublepost=1483990260][/doublepost]
Very good assumption. The brilliance here continues to astound me.

Uhm, maybe stop reading these forums?

 

[gobenji]

I still have the red badge to download 3.1.1 and is annoying. Thanks for your input on this though!

If you go to the Watch app on your phone and go to General>>Usage then you should be able to delete the downloaded updater and the red badge will disappear. It was driving me crackers!

 

[profets]

Curious to know. So you had to send your Apple Watch in for service. Exactly what did Apple do? Just reset the watch and send it back to you?

I have apple care +, but didn't know that express replacement was an option. So at first I called Apple, and they told me I must have caused it to happen (not kidding). They said I could send it in for repair (this was mid december), and that with it being holidays I'd likely receive it back after 2-3 weeks. An hour later I took it to an Apple store, and got the same spiel - they actually said stuff like "This is impossible - an apple watch update cannot brick the watch. You must have done something". But then they were sure it just needed to be unpaired from the phone and then synced again (they took my watch and phone unlocked to the back and spent 45 minutes trying). Eventually said that it would have to be sent in for repair and that it would take a few weeks. In the meantime I was on my iPad while waiting and discovered Express Replacement option. I called, they set it up no problem (no clue why the first rep didn't offer it), they ship out a replacement 'refurb' watch and the packaging it comes in is already prepared for you to put the original watch in and send it back. For many people they seemed to get theirs next day like that, but with mine it kept getting delayed and it took a week arrive.

A few rough things here:

-It was very strange for Apple twice to accuse me of causing it to happen. They weren't even open to the thought that the update could have done it, just said flat out that it wasn't possible (although it seemed to be widespread enough that they pulled the update)

-The experience in trying to get support or replacement for the watch is quite bad compared to other products. For something so small, why not keep some on hand at apple stores to swap out, just like iPhones or iPads?

-If one doesn't have Apple Care +, or even worse, has an original watch out of warranty, they were out of luck, due to a faulty update. I didn't follow afterwards, but initially those users couldn't get anything done other than paying for a replacement watch out of warranty, for something which was caused by an apple update.

We do know that there is the diagnostic port that is not user accessible. Would be nice even for the stores to have tools to connect to it and be able to do a restore like you could on an iPhone.

 

[CaptMarvel]

I have apple care +, but didn't know that express replacement was an option. So at first I called Apple, and they told me I must have caused it to happen (not kidding). They said I could send it in for repair (this was mid december), and that with it being holidays I'd likely receive it back after 2-3 weeks. An hour later I took it to an Apple store, and got the same spiel - they actually said stuff like "This is impossible - an apple watch update cannot brick the watch. You must have done something". But then they were sure it just needed to be unpaired from the phone and then synced again (they took my watch and phone unlocked to the back and spent 45 minutes trying). Eventually said that it would have to be sent in for repair and that it would take a few weeks. In the meantime I was on my iPad while waiting and discovered Express Replacement option. I called, they set it up no problem (no clue why the first rep didn't offer it), they ship out a replacement 'refurb' watch and the packaging it comes in is already prepared for you to put the original watch in and send it back. For many people they seemed to get theirs next day like that, but with mine it kept getting delayed and it took a week arrive.

A few rough things here:

-It was very strange for Apple twice to accuse me of causing it to happen. They weren't even open to the thought that the update could have done it, just said flat out that it wasn't possible (although it seemed to be widespread enough that they pulled the update)

-The experience in trying to get support or replacement for the watch is quite bad compared to other products. For something so small, why not keep some on hand at apple stores to swap out, just like iPhones or iPads?

-If one doesn't have Apple Care +, or even worse, has an original watch out of warranty, they were out of luck, due to a faulty update. I didn't follow afterwards, but initially those users couldn't get anything done other than paying for a replacement watch out of warranty, for something which was caused by an apple update.

We do know that there is the diagnostic port that is not user accessible. Would be nice even for the stores to have tools to connect to it and be able to do a restore like you could on an iPhone.

Dang. This whole scenario is why I wish at least the Health component of Apple Watch data was/is stored online in the cloud or something. If anything does go wrong with an Apple Watch that is out of warranty...an achievement based person may freak out losing a streak or achievement of the sort. Who wants to fork over the cost of a brand new Apple Watch because of company error? This essentially means I should do an encrypted iTunes backup DAILY to avoid losing any Apple Watch/Health data if worst case scenario my Apple Watch craps out one day. Right now I back up one the first of the month every month..but maybe I should rethink that.

Heck I'm still on the fence about purchasing Apple Care for my Series 0...and I'm almost at a year of ownership.

 

[profets]

Dang. This whole scenario is why I wish at least the Health component of Apple Watch data was/is stored online in the cloud or something. If anything does go wrong with an Apple Watch that is out of warranty...an achievement based person may freak out losing a streak or achievement of the sort. Who wants to fork over the cost of a brand new Apple Watch because of company error? This essentially means I should do an encrypted iTunes backup DAILY to avoid losing any Apple Watch/Health data if worst case scenario my Apple Watch craps out one day. Right now I back up one the first of the month every month..but maybe I should rethink that.

Heck I'm still on the fence about purchasing Apple Care for my Series 0...and I'm almost at a year of ownership.

Well, to be fair, the health and activity data is always stored on the phone, so if something happens to the watch the phone still has that data. The issue though, as you mentioned too, is when you're without the watch you lose activity on those days. I had a full month of December, and was able to borrow someone's old watch for a few days, but was still without a watch for 3 days and lost activity those days.

I've never actually purchased apple care + for anything before, not even my original watch, but for the series 2 I did purchase it along with the watch. Is it possible for you to buy it now - i thought it had to be within the first 3 months?

 

[CaptMarvel]

Is it possible for you to buy it now - i thought it had to be within the first 3 months?

I thought you had up to a year to purchase...but maybe that's with certain Apple products or larger ones like MacBooks, Minis, etc.

I'm still shocked you can purchase Apple Care from third parties like on eBay and such, my mind was blown after such discovery

 

[LordQ]

If you go to the Watch app on your phone and go to General>>Usage then you should be able to delete the downloaded updater and the red badge will disappear. It was driving me crackers!

I feel like a fool now, thanks!

 

[Jimmy Bubbles]

So, what is it exactly that you want Apple to say to do? Do you want them to ask the Pope for forgiveness? Do you want them to flagellate themselves? Do you want Apple to appoint you CEO? 90% of the posts here are pure evil hatred nonsense that does no one of intelligence any good. I've already added about 50 of you to the ignore list, but you keep on coming out from beneath rocks. Hope there isn't a limit on the ignore list.
[doublepost=1483990260][/doublepost]
Very good assumption. The brilliance here continues to astound me.

Loving the humor Larry!! Hahaha