AirPods w/ WatchOS Beta 4

[clivo360]

With the improved now playing app, can you control AirPods volume with the screen off? (via the digital crown on series 1)

Also, are the AirPods easier to pair with the watch on the beta? On watchOS 3, the pairing process is pretty glitchy and doesn't work consistently.

 

[mk313]

I did not run the beta, but I do remember someone posting that the AirPods pairing issue was fixed with it. I haven't heard anything about changing volume with the screen off. Fingers crossed on that one. It would be a nice addition.

 

[jhfenton]

With the improved now playing app, can you control AirPods volume with the screen off? (via the digital crown on series 1)

Also, are the AirPods easier to pair with the watch on the beta? On watchOS 3, the pairing process is pretty glitchy and doesn't work consistently.

I can't answer the first question, but just updating my iPhone 7 to iOS 11 fixed all of my problems pairing my AirPods with my Watch. With iOS 10, I often had to turn Bluetooth off on the phone before pairing the AirPods with the Watch (to set off on a run). With iOS 11, switching the Watch to the AirPods "just works." And my Watch is still on WatchOS 3.2.2.

 

[matrix07]

Bluetooth should have worked better because watchOS 4 got a new CoreBluetooth. Not sure if it has anything to do with Bluetooth 5.

 

[perezr10]

You cannot control the volume with the screen off. However, the now playing screen does immediately show up when you turn your wrist. So you just have to turn your wrist and you can turn the dial.

You no longer have to turn your wrist, hit the dock button, scroll to now-playing, tap now-playing to select.