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Apple Releases Second Beta of watchOS 7 to Public Beta Testers

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Apr 12, 2001
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Apple today seeded the second public beta of an upcoming watchOS 7 update to public beta testers, 10 days after seeding the first public beta and just a few days after seeding a new beta to developers.

watchOS-public-beta-2-Feature.jpg

The watchOS 7 update can be downloaded after installing the proper profile from Apple's Public Beta website. watchOS 7 should not be installed on a primary device as it is still an early beta and there could be bugs, plus there is no way to downgrade back to watchOS 6.

watchOS 7 is a major update that introduces a new Sleep Tracking feature for the Apple Watch, which is designed to measure how long you're asleep as you wear the Apple Watch while sleeping.

It comes along with a Wind Down feature that helps you establish a bedtime routine to make it easier to fall asleep at night, as well as a Sleep Mode that turns on Do Not Disturb and dims the Apple Watch display.

The Apple Watch can also wake you up with haptic vibrations, providing a weather report in the morning as well as info on battery life so you can get your day started.

Along with these sleep tracking features, the Apple Watch has automatic handwashing detection that listens for the sound of running water and handwashing motions and then starts a 20-second timer so you can make sure you're washing your hands for the appropriate amount of time.

There's a new watch Face Sharing feature that lets you share watch faces with others and install new watch faces from the App Store, Messages, Mail, websites, and more.

There's a new Chronograph Pro face with tachymeter, updates to complications, and new workout options in the newly renamed Fitness app, which was previously the Activity app.

The Maps app now supports directions for cyclists, Siri provides spoken translations, and there's a Shortcuts app on the Apple Watch. For more on what's new in watcOS 7, make sure to check out our watchOS 7 roundup.

watchOS 7 is limited to the Apple Watch Series 3, Series 4, and Series 5 models, and is not compatible with the Apple Watch Series 1 and Series 2.

Article Link: Apple Releases Second Beta of watchOS 7 to Public Beta Testers
 
Article Link
https://www.macrumors.com/2020/08/20/apple-seeds-watchos-7-public-beta-2/
Last edited:
Yay!! The fun process of removing all my apps, photos, and podcasts from my watch for an update has begun!! Love my Series 3! :p

Seriously though, hopefully this beta is as good as the first one was for me. I haven't noticed any major bugs or slow downs despite having the oldest watch supported.
 
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I've never done a beta on my Apple Watch before.. how stable is it? I use fitness apps like Strava daily on it so if it's going to affect that I'd rather wait for the public release.
 
tribeaumes said:
I've never done a beta on my Apple Watch before.. how stable is it? I use fitness apps like Strava daily on it so if it's going to affect that I'd rather wait for the public release.
Click to expand...

I've been using the dev beta since the first one and it's been fine. I had more bugs on iOS 14's betas than anything on the watch.
 
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I wish I could run the watchOS beta without also running the iOS beta. I'm willing to run beta on my watch, but not on my "production/work-vital" iPhone.

I *REALLY* want the built-in sleep tracking (to see if it's better than Sleep++ or Pillow) and a few other features ASAP.
 
Mine has been stuck on "preparing" for a very long time now, perhaps an hour, with no progress (the bar is about an eight of the way across?).
 
Anonymous Freak said:
I wish I could run the watchOS beta without also running the iOS beta. I'm willing to run beta on my watch, but not on my "production/work-vital" iPhone.

I *REALLY* want the built-in sleep tracking (to see if it's better than Sleep++ or Pillow) and a few other features ASAP.
Click to expand...
The iOS 14 Beta has been surprisingly really good since the first version . By far the most stable pre-release in my opinion. No issues here other than maybe some keyboard lag.
 
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Installed and ready to test! The first beta was very good. No major issues. My experience with the betas this year is overall very positive. The most stable ever!
 
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Anonymous Freak said:
I wish I could run the watchOS beta without also running the iOS beta. I'm willing to run beta on my watch, but not on my "production/work-vital" iPhone.

I *REALLY* want the built-in sleep tracking (to see if it's better than Sleep++ or Pillow) and a few other features ASAP.
Click to expand...
The Apple Sleep App is very rudimentary. It doesn’t show all the stats Pillow or AutoSleep does.
 
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TheSkywalker77 said:
Yay!! The fun process of removing all my apps, photos, and podcasts from my watch for an update has begun!! Love my Series 3! :p

Seriously though, hopefully this beta is as good as the first one was for me. I haven't noticed any major bugs or slow downs despite having the oldest watch supported.
Click to expand...
Well... I went through that pain for the first one on my AW3... but, this time no issues. I didn't have any music or photos synced on it anyway though, and 2.7GB free... but no need to reapply the OS from scratch fortunately this time.

I love the functionality of the smartwatch... For me, it has been the best choice out there. Phone calls, Strava exercise tracking, instant messages, quick check of the weather... just look at my wrist to see my blood sugar level. I was watching a video message on my watch the other day thinking... nobody from a decade ago would think this would be possible. Battery life is a bit annoying having to charge every other day, but the arcane tie in to the Apple Watch app on the phone.... sucks. I get so many issues with inconsistent warnings 'No internet connection available', or status in the app differing from status on the watch just requiring reboots or restarts of the app time and time again. Hopefully next iteration removes need for the app entirely.
 
BasicGreatGuy said:
The Apple Sleep App is very rudimentary. It doesn’t show all the stats Pillow or AutoSleep does.
Click to expand...
I've been using a sleep app for almost 60 years. go to bed by x o'clock, get up at 6 AM. works great. Can't see how how an app can improve on that?
 
jicon said:
Well... I went through that pain for the first one on my AW3... but, this time no issues. I didn't have any music or photos synced on it anyway though, and 2.7GB free... but no need to reapply the OS from scratch fortunately this time.

I love the functionality of the smartwatch... For me, it has been the best choice out there. Phone calls, Strava exercise tracking, instant messages, quick check of the weather... just look at my wrist to see my blood sugar level. I was watching a video message on my watch the other day thinking... nobody from a decade ago would think this would be possible. Battery life is a bit annoying having to charge every other day, but the arcane tie in to the Apple Watch app on the phone.... sucks. I get so many issues with inconsistent warnings 'No internet connection available', or status in the app differing from status on the watch just requiring reboots or restarts of the app time and time again. Hopefully next iteration removes need for the app entirely.
Click to expand...
I literally have not done that, ever. I'm on the developer release schedule so get a few more updates than Public Betas.
 
MauiPa said:
I literally have not done that, ever. I'm on the developer release schedule so get a few more updates than Public Betas.
Click to expand...
The other week was a first for me. The very first update complaining there was no room on my watch, despite not having any music, photos, apps, podcasts. Release notes indicate this can be an issue:

Software Update
Known Issues
  • You might be unable to update Apple Watch Series 3 to watchOS 7 beta due to limited storage. (64793483)
    Workaround: Unpair your watch, then pair it again with your phone. Set it up as a new watch rather than restoring from a backup. Reinstall the beta profile after setup is complete and use General > Software Update in the Watch app to update to the latest watchOS beta. If you want to restore your watch from its latest backup after the update is complete, repeat these steps while choosing to restore from a backup rather than setting up as new.
 
jicon said:
The other week was a first for me. The very first update complaining there was no room on my watch, despite not having any music, photos, apps, podcasts. Release notes indicate this can be an issue:

Software Update
Known Issues
  • You might be unable to update Apple Watch Series 3 to watchOS 7 beta due to limited storage. (64793483)
    Workaround: Unpair your watch, then pair it again with your phone. Set it up as a new watch rather than restoring from a backup. Reinstall the beta profile after setup is complete and use General > Software Update in the Watch app to update to the latest watchOS beta. If you want to restore your watch from its latest backup after the update is complete, repeat these steps while choosing to restore from a backup rather than setting up as new.
Click to expand...
Weird, I have lots of music on mine, don't use mail or message or social stuff, maybe you had more than you thought. On usage under General I have 2.8 GB Available
 
Much better than the already good 1st beta on the S5.
No more „jumping“ hands (incorrect time) / frozen hands in passive mode.
 
Here, install this on your device. It'll brick it.

What?

No, just install it.

What is that? It's a shake weight. Its a weight you shake....
 
New option within Handwashing setting to receive a notification if you haven’t washed your hands within a few minutes of returning home. There was a location services prompt when first turning this on.

FAD7317F-D6E2-4AF5-B527-B9C7D3448387.jpeg
 
I’m not installing this until or unless Apple fixes whatever is causing the S3 Watch to think it needs over 3 GB of free space to install a 1 GB update. It’s simply not worth going through the hassle of unpairing and re-pairing the Watch to install this beta, especially as the S3 Watch is barely getting any new features anyway.
 
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