Apple Releases New watchOS 10 Update for Public Beta Testers

[MacRumors]

Apple today provided a new public beta of the upcoming watchOS 10 update, allowing the general public to test the Apple Watch software ahead of its launch. Today's beta corresponds with the seventh developer beta that Apple released yesterday.

watchOS 10 can be downloaded after upgrading your iPhone to the public beta version of iOS 17 and after signing up on Apple's beta software website. With those criteria fulfilled, you can open up the Watch app on iPhone, go to General, select Software Update, and choose the watchOS 10 Public Beta option under Beta Updates. If you already have the beta, you can simply update.

With watchOS 10, Apple is making a major update to the Apple Watch interface with a focus on widgets. The Smart Stack, accessible with a turn of the Digital Crown, displays the information that you need most. What's available changes throughout the day and as the Apple Watch learns your usage habits.

Apple has updated almost all of the built-in apps with an information-forward design that allows for quicker interactions. Weather, Maps, Home, Messages, Activity, Heart Rate, Stocks, and more have all been overhauled.

There are two new watch faces, including Palette and Snoopy. Snoopy features characters from the popular Peanuts cartoon, with the animations changing throughout the day. Palette shows the time in a variety of overlapping colors.

The Maps app has a topography view that shows elevation information, contour lines, hill shading, and points of interest to make it more useful on hikes and when out and about, and for cyclists, there are new advanced metrics, views, and experiences that work through a connection to Bluetooth-enabled cycling accessories.

The Mindfulness app has a new feature for logging moods and emotions, Group FaceTime audio calls are now supported, and NameDrop allows you to quickly exchange contact information with somebody just by holding your Apple Watch near someone's iPhone.

For more on everything new in the watchOS 10 update, we have a detailed watchOS 10 roundup.

Article Link: Apple Releases New watchOS 10 Update for Public Beta Testers

 

[tobefirst ⚽️]

I assumed the Snoopy watch face would be pretty pedestrian like the Mickey/Minnie one or the Toy Story ones, but it is dope. There are so many different animations it does that it is a pleasure to use.

I wish it had complications, but with the new widget view, I can get by without them.

 

[BenGoren]

“NameDrop allows you to quickly exchange contact information with somebody just by holding your Apple Watch near someone's iPhone.”

This phrasing makes it sound like NameDrop won’t work watch-to-watch. Is that the case? If so, major bummer …

b&

 

[O.N.Y.X]

The Maps app has a topography view that shows elevation information, contour lines, hill shading, and points of interest to make it more useful on hikes and when out and about, and for cyclists, there are new advanced metrics, views, and experiences that work through a connection to Bluetooth-enabled cycling accessories.

Unfortunately not. Works only in very few, selected-by-Apple areas, and is therefore another „show off“ feature for a minority of Apple users.

 

[ramallite]

I hope they work on battery drain. My Series 7's battery has been in a free-fall since installing the beta (expected, though, but hopefully will improve with future versions).

 

[jdavid_rp]

“NameDrop allows you to quickly exchange contact information with somebody just by holding your Apple Watch near someone's iPhone.”

This phrasing makes it sound like NameDrop won’t work watch-to-watch. Is that the case? If so, major bummer …

b&

Razer released years ago a smart band with a similar feature that was promoted as "shake your hand with someone and exchange your gamer info". I expected something similar here...

Media Alert: Razer Opens Nabu X Smartband Sales with 2-for-1 “Band Together” Promotion – Razer Newsroom

 

[Lucas Curious]

I hope they work on battery drain. My Series 7's battery has been in a free-fall since installing the beta (expected, though, but hopefully will improve with future versions).

by design. Need to sell more watches with irrelevant improvements.

 

[jonathan508]

I hope they work on battery drain. My Series 7's battery has been in a free-fall since installing the beta (expected, though, but hopefully will improve with future versions).

yeah, my series 6 battery has been absolute rubbish. my blood o2 sensor/app has not worked on any of the betas even after resetting the watch. The other sensors, EKG and heart rate stop working if I open the 02 app and won't work properly until a restart.

 

[BenGoren]

by design. Need to sell more watches with irrelevant improvements.

Eh … yes but no.

All modern software development goes through phases that start with high resource consumption (CPU and energy both) and end with minimized consumption. Part comes from logging types of things — recording what is and isn’t happening. And part comes from developers who know full well the dangers of premature optimization. In short, the first version is the one that’s easiest for you to write; then, you look to see where the worst performance is and update that with code that might not be quite as human-friendly but is more computer-friendly.

Though you get better with experience, it’s still not uncommon for somebody to be surprised with which parts are actually slow / battery-hungry and which parts aren’t. Nor is this surprising, as compliers are constantly being improved, so something that you needed to hand-massage a great deal last time might not need any optimization whatsoever this time.

b&

 

[johnmarki]

I'm really a big fan of widget view smart stack, and the potential it has. It may not be realized immediately, but I can see widget view being an alternate way of interacting in the future. I love my Watch, and haven't been excited for a new release since the 7, but the Ultra 2 in Space Black Titanium (rumor) + watchOS 10 has me stoked!

I dont want to speak to soon, but the pace Apple has improved the Watch software seems to be ramping up, and thats something I think we can all be happy about.

 

[johnmarki]

“NameDrop allows you to quickly exchange contact information with somebody just by holding your Apple Watch near someone's iPhone.”

This phrasing makes it sound like NameDrop won’t work watch-to-watch. Is that the case? If so, major bummer …

b&

I noticed that veribiage as well, but I looked and NameDrop will work the following ways according to Apple:

iPhone to iPhone
iPhone to Apple Watch
Apple Watch to Apple Watch

OS - watchOS 26

watchOS 26 brings a new design, Workout Buddy, and a wrist flick to dismiss notifications on Apple Watch so you can breeze through your day.

www.apple.com

OS - iOS 26

iOS 26 for iPhone with a new design, more helpful Apple Intelligence, polls and backgrounds in Messages, and features that make every day effortless.

www.apple.com

 

[BenGoren]

The Maps app has a topography view that shows elevation information, contour lines, hill shading, and points of interest to make it more useful on hikes and when out and about, and for cyclists, there are new advanced metrics, views, and experiences that work through a connection to Bluetooth-enabled cycling accessories.

Unfortunately not. Works only in very few, selected-by-Apple areas, and is therefore another „show off“ feature for a minority of Apple users.

If I’m not mistraken, the screenshot is of an urban Phoenix, Arizona, park, which suggests that, while the areas might be limited, they’ll be useful for a non-trivial number of people. And that it’ll expand to cover all public lands in relatively short order, just as the street maps did.

Worth mentioning is that map elevation data is not hard to come by — much easier than street-level navigation.

b&

 

[BenGoren]

I noticed that veribiage as well, but I looked and NameDrop will work the following ways according to Apple:

iPhone to iPhone
iPhone to Apple Watch
Apple Watch to Apple Watch

View attachment 2249770
View attachment 2249772

OS - watchOS 26

watchOS 26 brings a new design, Workout Buddy, and a wrist flick to dismiss notifications on Apple Watch so you can breeze through your day.

www.apple.com

OS - iOS 26

iOS 26 for iPhone with a new design, more helpful Apple Intelligence, polls and backgrounds in Messages, and features that make every day effortless.

www.apple.com

Thanks! That’s a relief. Not sure I like the idea of having to dedicate a complication to the feature … hopefully it won’t be hard to access from (for example) the Contacts app. Or the new smart stack thingy or whatever.

b&

 

[Apple Fan 2008]

Snoopy watch faces are the best feature.

 

[Reggaenald]

What’s the version number?
It showed in the watch app before I updated my phone. Now it’s gone despite the watch not having been on its charger or the update screen showing.

 

[everybodylovesramen]

hope the notification bug is fixed where you try to open the draw and it just won’t open until a reboot.

 

[MonkeySpank158]

Im loving the new Snoopy watch face, very tastefully done.

 

[heyjohnhaley]

What’s the version number?
It showed in the watch app before I updated my phone. Now it’s gone despite the watch not having been on its charger or the update screen showing.

21R5349b

 

[JapanApple]

Apple today provided a new public beta of the upcoming watchOS 10 update, allowing the general public to test the Apple Watch software ahead of its launch. Today's beta corresponds with the seventh developer beta that Apple released yesterday.

watchOS 10 can be downloaded after upgrading your iPhone to the public beta version of iOS 17 and after signing up on Apple's beta software website. With those criteria fulfilled, you can open up the Watch app on iPhone, go to General, select Software Update, and choose the watchOS 10 Public Beta option under Beta Updates. If you already have the beta, you can simply update.

With watchOS 10, Apple is making a major update to the Apple Watch interface with a focus on widgets. The Smart Stack, accessible with a turn of the Digital Crown, displays the information that you need most. What's available changes throughout the day and as the Apple Watch learns your usage habits.

Apple has updated almost all of the built-in apps with an information-forward design that allows for quicker interactions. Weather, Maps, Home, Messages, Activity, Heart Rate, Stocks, and more have all been overhauled.

There are two new watch faces, including Palette and Snoopy. Snoopy features characters from the popular Peanuts cartoon, with the animations changing throughout the day. Palette shows the time in a variety of overlapping colors.

The Maps app has a topography view that shows elevation information, contour lines, hill shading, and points of interest to make it more useful on hikes and when out and about, and for cyclists, there are new advanced metrics, views, and experiences that work through a connection to Bluetooth-enabled cycling accessories.

The Mindfulness app has a new feature for logging moods and emotions, Group FaceTime audio calls are now supported, and NameDrop allows you to quickly exchange contact information with somebody just by holding your Apple Watch near someone's iPhone.

For more on everything new in the watchOS 10 update, we have a detailed watchOS 10 roundup.

Article Link: Apple Releases New watchOS 10 Update for Public Beta Testers

love the snoopy been waiting for it. ty

 

[Reggaenald]

21R5349b

Strange. The watch couldn’t have updated.
Or do watches not have to be at 50%+ to update?
Must have updated then when I did some kitchen stuff. Hm.

 

[xDKP]

The Maps app has a topography view that shows elevation information, contour lines, hill shading, and points of interest to make it more useful on hikes and when out and about, and for cyclists, there are new advanced metrics, views, and experiences that work through a connection to Bluetooth-enabled cycling accessories.

Unfortunately not. Works only in very few, selected-by-Apple areas, and is therefore another „show off“ feature for a minority of Apple users.

Seems like Apples approach to this and the track-focussed-running feature is very limited in areas. We are now a year into hearing about track running and we still don't have them here in Denmark

 

[peregrinIV]

Beta 10(with 17 beta) update was mess on my XR to watch 5. Normally updates are seamless and without incident. This time multiple reboots of both devices, fights with vpn software, and it still thinks the update needs to happen and then changes it's mind in real time. Once completed watch seems fine.

 

[dmccombs]

Are there release notes? Do we know if the Double Tap function is in this beta?