Apple Releases watchOS 11.6.2 With an Important Fix

[toph2toast]

Has anyone had issues with the heart rate monitor after the most recent update? Mine has been FUBARed ever since I updated it to 26.2.1 (i'm on a series 8). My iPhone software is up to date as well.

 

[Oh-es-Ten]

Playlists randomly stop playing while I'm on my run and the only thing that will fix it is a reboot. It also stopped reading out my metrics every half mile even though its set up correctly. The metrics would fine on bike rides though.

Ah, I thought I was the only one with this issue. A huge regression bug, where my running playlist stops after playing a random amount of time and then I have to swipe right to now playing view to cue the next track.. for each song after that.. again and again, looking down to wrist do it instead of concentrating on the run and my surroundings. I have logged this bug as FB21245535
Tried to explain it's actually a safety issue as I nearly got hit by a car while trying to hit a tiny next track target while running, and yet - remains unfixed.
This kind of bug makes me super annoyed as it's a sign of very bad QA, considering this has never been an issue on any other version of watchOS, so something is clearly rotten there.

 

[surfzen21]

Ah, I thought I was the only one with this issue. A huge regression bug, where my running playlist stops after playing a random amount of time and then I have to swipe right to now playing view to cue the next track.. for each song after that.. again and again, looking down to wrist do it instead of concentrating on the run and my surroundings. I have logged this bug as FB21245535
Tried to explain it's actually a safety issue as I nearly got hit by a car while trying to hit a tiny next track target while running, and yet - remains unfixed.
This kind of bug makes me super annoyed as it's a sign of very bad QA, considering this has never been an issue on any other version of watchOS, so something is clearly rotten there.

Extremely annoying!!! I recently got AirPodPro3s and I find that if i double click one of the ear tips for next song it starts to play the next song in the track and may play a random number more before it stops again.

Only a reset seems to fix it for a few days and then it goes back to not working again.

After scouring the internet, I found a post that said this has to do with having too many apps running in the background or too many songs stored. I dont think either are true though.

This only started with watchOS26 and I havent added more music to my watch. I also changed to a watch face with half the amount of complications. There are numerous threads in Apples forums with others having the same issue.

I actually added a 6 second track to the beginning of every playlist so I could tell if it needed a reboot right away. This worked for a while until it started happening after several songs.

 

[powaking]

has anyone noticed any difference when updating to the 10.6.2 (not 11.6.2)? My Watch 4 is still going strong with well more than all day battery life (amazing quality I must say, well dome Apple), don't want to take any chances upgrade if it risks a reduction in battery life.

Good that they do update the certificate though. Otherwise we would end up like those old Mac where you have to change the date to reinstall the OS.

I updated on my series 4. No issues yet. Surprised my watch lasts as long as it does. Not a full day but close to it.

 

[brgjoe]

FYI, with my series 5 watch, no battery issues with 10.6.2 for me. Usually start and end the day with around 30%. After the update, I am sitting at 30%.

And have noticed no issues with anything else as of yet.

 

[Oh-es-Ten]

Extremely annoying!!! I recently got AirPodPro3s and I find that if i double click one of the ear tips for next song it starts to play the next song in the track and may play a random number more before it stops again.

Only a reset seems to fix it for a few days and then it goes back to not working again.

After scouring the internet, I found a post that said this has to do with having too many apps running in the background or too many songs stored. I dont think either are true though.

This only started with watchOS26 and I havent added more music to my watch. I also changed to a watch face with half the amount of complications. There are numerous threads in Apples forums with others having the same issue.

I actually added a 6 second track to the beginning of every playlist so I could tell if it needed a reboot right away. This worked for a while until it started happening after several songs.

It happened again twice today while running. Played about four songs before stopping, then manually tapped next track and then it started again for a few more, then stopped again.

You are totally right also on original post, I used to get spoken prompts (ahead or behind target, split pace, halfway point etc), and none of those have been working for a while either, so something is clearly crashing out on the audio side of the watch.

If I do a walk and and take my iPhone vs running with watch and AirPods only, the Workout Buddy prompts do send to the AirPods about 80% of the time. That is bugged too, but at least it works most of the time unlike this issue which is much more frustrating for anyone running without an iPhone.

 

[surfzen21]

It happened again twice today while running. Played about four songs before stopping, then manually tapped next track and then it started again for a few more, then stopped again.

You are totally right also on original post, I used to get spoken prompts (ahead or behind target, split pace, halfway point etc), and none of those have been working for a while either, so something is clearly crashing out on the audio side of the watch.

If I do a walk and and take my iPhone vs running with watch and AirPods only, the Workout Buddy prompts do send to the AirPods about 80% of the time. That is bugged too, but at least it works most of the time unlike this issue which is much more frustrating for anyone running without an iPhone.

All these errors and problems make it less likely that I buy another Apple watch in the future and less likely that I use it to track metrics. That's already happened unfortunately.

This seems like basic stuff that should work 100% of the time. I want my focus to be on my run or bike and not if my tech is working properly.

 

[sydneysider88]

If Apple can do this with watchOS, why can't they do this with iOS and iPadOS?

They do. In fact, iOS 12 just got an update.

 

[winxmac]

They do. In fact, iOS 12 just got an update.

I was referring to devices that can upgrade to iOS 26.x or iPadOS 26.x but are still running iOS 18.x or iPadOS 18.x or anything earlier.

The updates to iOS 12, iOS 15, iOS 16, and iOS 18 are only for those devices that cannot be upgraded to the next major version.

 

[sydneysider88]

I was referring to devices that can upgrade to iOS 26.x or iPadOS 26.x but are still running iOS 18.x or iPadOS 18.x or anything earlier.

The updates to iOS 12, iOS 15, iOS 16, and iOS 18 are only for those devices that cannot be upgraded to the next major version.

The latest version of each OS has always been available to download. You just pick the one you want...

 

[tonmischa]

The latest version of each OS has always been available to download. You just pick the one you want...

Only during the time between September and December. After that you can only install / update to the latest iOS that your iPhone supports.

 

[PhillyGuy72]

has anyone noticed any difference when updating to the 10.6.2 (not 11.6.2)? My Watch 4 is still going strong with well more than all day battery life (amazing quality I must say, well dome Apple), don't want to take any chances upgrade if it risks a reduction in battery life.

Good that they do update the certificate though. Otherwise we would end up like those old Mac where you have to change the date to reinstall the OS.

This update MAY HAVE brought back my Apple Watch 4 Stainless Steel back from the dead?? I can't really explain it, but for the past few years my AW4 44mm has been draining fast...probably since the final OS 9 update, then especially after OS 10.0! It was awful, I was getting maybe 2 hours on OS 9, then it really tanked after 10.0..literally 100% charged to 0%, watch shutting down in 20 minutes. I would watch the % drop each second on my phone.

SO..I thought the battery was finally shot, it sat in a box and I would try and install a new battery when I get a chance. And I did pick up a new battery for this...it arrived today. I charged up my AW4 for the first time in god knows how long, it was still paired to my 13 Pro Max and showed this 10.6.2 update. I took care of that (why not), it installed fine while still on the puck charger. I then totally wiped out the watch, unpaired it. BUT..I thought 'let me to try and pair it again to see what would happen.'

I'm just baffled, pleasantly shocked....I was able to wear the watch for 5 hours no problems... it still had 82% when I took it off..it didn't die in 8-10 minutes like before. I did notice if I went into settings or swipe to find other watch faces I'd quickly lose 1%, maybe 2%. Not perfect and never expected that, but whatever was on this watch before, severely flawed OS late 9 - early 10 software...maybe even a darn rogue app messing it up all this time. That problem is gone!

But...now I have an Apple Watch battery I don't know what to do with right now. I'll see how the AW4 handles in the next few days, if it's running ok, I might keep it just in case...or just return the battery.

 

[PhillyGuy72]

This update MAY HAVE brought back my Apple Watch 4 Stainless Steel back from the dead?? I can't really explain it, but for the past few years my AW4 44mm has been draining fast...probably since the final OS 9 update, then especially after OS 10.0! It was awful, I was getting maybe 2 hours on OS 9, then it really tanked after 10.0..literally 100% charged to 0%, watch shutting down in 20 minutes. I would watch the % drop each second on my phone.

SO..I thought the battery was finally shot, it sat in a box and I would try and install a new battery when I get a chance. And I did pick up a new battery for this...it arrived today. I charged up my AW4 for the first time in god knows how long, it was still paired to my 13 Pro Max and showed this 10.6.2 update. I took care of that (why not), it installed fine while still on the puck charger. I then totally wiped out the watch, unpaired it. BUT..I thought 'let me to try and pair it again to see what would happen.'

I'm just baffled, pleasantly shocked....I was able to wear the watch for 5 hours no problems... it still had 82% when I took it off..it didn't die in 8-10 minutes like before. I did notice if I went into settings or swipe to find other watch faces I'd quickly lose 1%, maybe 2%. Not perfect and never expected that, but whatever was on this watch before, severely flawed OS late 9 - early 10 software...maybe even a darn rogue app messing it up all this time. That problem is gone!

But...now I have an Apple Watch battery I don't know what to do with right now. I'll see how the AW4 handles in the next few days, if it's running ok, I might keep it just in case...or just return the battery.

Update. This DID fix the horrific battery drain for about 2 weeks, then it went right back to a charged 100% watch to 0% in 2-3 minutes. That was slightly deflating.

Anyway, I did replace the Watch battery a few weeks ago, no issues doing that. Watch is back to normal again for now.