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watchOS 3 Tidbits: Face Gallery, Disable Screenshots, New Stock Apps, and More

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Apple this week previewed watchOS 3, the next major version of its Apple Watch software platform. The first beta has been seeded to registered developers, allowing for early adopters to take a closer look at what's new in the update.

Many tidbits in the new watchOS have already been discovered that were not given much or any stage time during Apple's WWDC 2016 keynote, including improvements to the Apple Watch companion app on iPhone, new first-party apps and watch faces, minor user interface tweaks, and more.

Face Gallery

Apple_Watch_face_gallery_duo.jpg

A new Face Gallery section has been added to the companion Watch app on iPhone, allowing users to browse and switch between watch faces, customize the color scheme, and configure complications.

X-Large Watch Face

XL_watch_face.jpg

Apple has added a new X-Large watch face with one large complication positioned at the center of the screen.

Screenshots Toggle

Apple_Watch_enable_screenshots.jpg

Apple Watch screenshots can now be enabled or disabled using the companion Watch app on iPhone. The toggle switch is in the General menu.

New Modular Complications

Modular_watchOS_3.jpg

Apple Watch Now Appears in Find My iPhone

Find_My_iPhone_Apple_Watch.jpg

Other Tidbits

o More watch faces support complications
o New stock apps: Breathe, Home, Find My Friends, Reminders, and Heart Rate
o Delete most first-party apps by first deleting the app on iPhone
o Tap on the Mickey/Minnie Mouse watch faces and they will read the time in their voices
o Enable auto pausing of indoor and outdoor runs
o Dismissing a notification now returns you to watch face rather than Notification Center
o The new Activity watch face is available in both analog and digital formats
o Siri has a slightly tweaked user interface
o Activity and Workout apps have been redesigned
o Friends view has been removed in favor of the new Dock feature

Share your own tidbits in our Apple Watch: All The Little Things discussion thread.

watchOS 3 will be available as a free software update for all Apple Watch users this fall.

Article Link: watchOS 3 Tidbits: Face Gallery, Disable Screenshots, New Stock Apps, and More
 
Article Link
https://www.macrumors.com/2016/06/14/watchos-3-tidbits-roundup/
So here we are on watchos3 and the watch STILL cant tell you if you left your phone behind. Seriously, is that a complex piece of code? Doesnt seem like it.

Yes, I know there are (unreliable) 3rd party apps.
 
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MacRumors said:



Apple this week previewed watchOS 3, the next major version of its Apple Watch software platform. The first beta has been seeded to registered developers, allowing for early adopters to take a closer look at what's new in the update.

Many tidbits in the new watchOS have already been discovered that were not given much or any stage time during Apple's WWDC 2016 keynote, including improvements to the Apple Watch companion app on iPhone, new first-party apps and watch faces, minor user interface tweaks, and more.

Face Gallery

Apple_Watch_face_gallery_duo.jpg

A new Face Gallery section has been added to the companion Watch app on iPhone, allowing users to browse and switch between watch faces, customize the color scheme, and configure complications.

X-Large Watch Face

XL_watch_face.jpg

Apple has added a new X-Large watch face with one large complication positioned at the center of the screen.

Screenshots Toggle

Apple_Watch_enable_screenshots.jpg

Apple Watch screenshots can now be enabled or disabled using the companion Watch app on iPhone. The toggle switch is in the General menu.

New Modular Complications

Modular_watchOS_3.jpg

Apple Watch Now Appears in Find My iPhone

Find_My_iPhone_Apple_Watch.jpg

Other Tidbits

o More watch faces support complications
o New stock apps: Breathe, Home, Find My Friends, Reminders, and Heart Rate
o Delete most first-party apps by first deleting the app on iPhone
o Tap on the Mickey/Minnie Mouse watch faces and they will read the time in their voices
o Enable auto pausing of indoor and outdoor runs
o Dismissing a notification now returns you to watch face rather than Notification Center
o The new Activity watch face is available in both analog and digital formats
o Siri has a slightly tweaked user interface
o Activity and Workout apps have been redesigned
o Friends view has been removed in favor of the new Dock feature

Share your own tidbits in our Apple Watch: All The Little Things discussion thread.

watchOS 3 will be available as a free software update for all Apple Watch users this fall.

Article Link: watchOS 3 Tidbits: Face Gallery, Disable Screenshots, New Stock Apps, and More
Click to expand...
 
Can't wait to see battery performance in daily use with background refreshes. Will probably hold off a few days after public release before updating. I don't want to lug around yet another cable, just to charge my Apple Watch Gen 1 midday...
 
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The Dock app list starts with 4 or so default apps. If you swipe up on them, you can "Remove" them from the list. There is also a "Recent" section, that shows... err.... recently ran apps. If you swipe up on them, you can "Keep in Dock".

TLDR... the Dock app list is pinnable.
 
Some nice updates, but there are still a few features I wish they'd add:

- Some way to lock the watch face. If you run with sleeves over your watch (say, in the winter), all kinds of things get 'pressed' and it can really screw with your activity. For example, when it suddenly drops into power reserve mode because your moistened sleeve triggered the glance. Let me lock it, and unlock with a double or long press on the buttons. (As a few people have mentioned, apparently a screen lock is available from within a running Activity. Wish it was available system-wide, though. Would also be useful for keeping the screen off during a movie.)

- An expanded music app. Let me store more than 2GB, keep track of play counts, allow smart playlists.

- When the watch re-connects to your phone (for example, when you get back in range after a run), pull in all of the notifications you missed. Right now, your watch remains completely unaware of any notifications that triggered on your phone while you were out.
 
Last edited:
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meaning-matters said:
I think Apple is catching up.
Click to expand...

With who?

wlossw said:
best feature: disable screen shots. I must delete 5-10 accidental screenshots per week.... I predict massive fail when phone calls 911 over and over....
Click to expand...

When I wear my gloves for cycling (it's cold and wet occasionally in the UK!) I get screen shots. I have since switched my watch around - worn on the left wrist as before, but with crown and button on the left side as well - whilst it doesn't seem natural this way I don't get the screen shots or the accidental crown pressing to take me off the sports mode.
 
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I returned my Apple Watch after two weeks because my biggest gripe with it was how slow the device was, but WatchOS 3 seems to be a big improvement towards the overall fluidity of the device and i'm so pumped! The Watch is great, it's just the software needed a lot of work.
 
I consider buying an Apple Watch and wanted to wait until the release of Apple Watch 2 this fall. Honestly, the slogan is now 'Feels like a whole new watch' and I don't think they'll release a new one anytime soon. With apps launching this fast, what could a next-gen apple watch do? And don't tell me, the battery is too small!! Even with twice the battery time, there would be complainers.
 
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