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Apple Releases watchOS 8.1 With SharePlay Fitness+ Group Workouts, Fall Detection Enhancements and More

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Apr 12, 2001
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Apple today released watchOS 8.1, the first major update to the watchOS 8 operating system that launched in September. watchOS 8.1 is compatible with the Apple Watch Series 3 and later, and it comes one month after the release of watchOS 8.

watchOS-8-on-Apple-Watch-feature.jpg

‌‌watchOS ‌8.1 can be downloaded for free through the dedicated Apple Watch app on the iPhone by going to General > Software Update. To install the new software, the Apple Watch needs to have at least 50 percent battery, it needs to be placed on a charger, and it needs to be in range of the ‌‌‌iPhone‌‌‌.

According to Apple's release notes, the watchOS 8.1 operating system introduces enhanced fall detection algorithms, support for a COVID-19 vaccination card in the Wallet app, and Fitness+ workouts with others over FaceTime using SharePlay.
watchOS 8.1 includes the following improvements and bug fixes for your Apple Watch:
- Enhanced algorithms to detect falls during workouts and option to enable fall detection during workouts only (Apple Watch Series 4 and later)
- COVID-19 vaccination card support allows you to present verifiable vaccination information from Apple Wallet
- Fitness+ supports SharePlay to allow subscribers to invite up to 32 people to workout together through a FaceTime call using iPhone, iPad, or Apple TV
- Always On may not display the time accurately for some users when their wrist is down (Apple Watch Series 5 and later)
Click to expand...
Details on what's new in the watchOS 8 update can be found in our watchOS roundup.

Article Link: Apple Releases watchOS 8.1 With SharePlay Fitness+ Group Workouts, Fall Detection Enhancements and More
 
Article Link
https://www.macrumors.com/2021/10/25/apple-releases-watchos-8-1/
The only thing that will help message is to go back to WatchOS 7. I wish I could.
 
I setup my new Apple Watch and once paired, the WatchOS 8.1 download appears on the iPhone but it is written all in Chinese. Does anyone else see this?

-larry
 
I'm not understanding here - my watch no longer displays the lock on the watch face if I have the watch on but have not yet input my passcode. Is....that a feature? It's kinda weird. I noticed it immediately after installing Wach OS 8.
 
Nice. Only had AOD for like a week now, but i have noticed some weird jumps. Would be nice if it is really fixed.
 
ECG app is now at version 2.19R570.
See spoiler for all regions where it's available.

watchOS 5.1.2: ECG app v1.1 (initial US release)
watchOS 5.1.3: ECG app v1.2
watchOS 5.2.0: ECG app v1.10 (now available in Hong Kong and Europe: Austria, Belgium, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Ireland, Italy, Luxembourg, Netherlands, Norway, Portugal, Romania, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, and the UK)
watchOS 5.2.1: ECG app v1.13 (additional European countries: Croatia, Czech, Iceland, Poland, and Slovakia)
watchOS 5.3.0: ECG app v1.18 (now available in Canada and Singapore)
watchOS 5.3.1: ECG app v1.18
watchOS 6.0.0: ECG app v1.30
watchOS 6.0.1: ECG app v1.30
watchOS 6.1.0: ECG app v1.50
watchOS 6.1.1: ECG app v1.51
watchOS 6.1.2: ECG app v1.51
watchOS 6.1.3: ECG app v1.52
watchOS 6.2.0: ECG app v1.70 (now available in Chile, New Zealand, and Turkey)
watchOS 6.2.1: ECG app v1.70
watchOS 6.2.5: ECG app v1.80 (now available in Saudi Arabia)
watchOS 6.2.6: ECG app v1.80
watchOS 6.2.8: ECG app v1.90 (now available in Bahrain, Brazil, and South Africa)
watchOS 7.0.0: ECG app v1.18R395 (now available in Colombia, Israel, Kuwait, Oman, Qatar, and United Arab Emirates)
watchOS 7.0.1: ECG app v1.18R395
watchOS 7.0.2: ECG app v1.18R402 (Resolves an issue that prevented some users from accessing the ECG app in regions where it is available)
watchOS 7.1.0: ECG app v1.18R590 (now available in Republic of Korea and Russia)
watchOS 7.2.0: ECG app v2.18S563 (now available in Taiwan. Cardio fitness notifications. AFiB notifications: Atrial fibrillation classification at heart rates above 100 BPM now offered in the ECG app in most regions where the app is available)
watchOS 7.3.0: ECG app v2.18S801 (now available in Japan, Mayotte, Philippines, and Thailand)
watchOS 7.3.1: ECG app v2.18S811 (update only for the AW5 and AW SE)
watchOS 7.3.2: ECG app v2.18S821
watchOS 7.3.3: ECG app v2.18S830
watchOS 7.4.0: ECG app v2.18T195 (now available in Australia and Vietnam)
watchOS 7.4.1: ECG app v2.18T201
watchOS 7.5.0: ECG app v2.18T567 (now available in Malaysia and Peru)
watchOS 7.6.0: ECG app v2.18U63 (now available in 30 New Regions: Andorra, Anguilla, Antigua & Barbuda, Brunei, Bulgaria, Cook Islands, Cyprus, Dominica, Estonia, Fiji, French Southern Territories, Gibraltar, Guadeloupe, Guernsey, Haiti, Isle of Man, Jersey, Monaco, Montserrat, Nauru, Norfolk Islands, Seychelles, Slovenia, St. Barthélemy, St. Helena, St. Kitts & Nevis, St. Martin, St. Vincent & Grenadines, Ukraine, Vatican City)
watchOS 7.6.1: ECG app v2.18U70
watchOS 7.6.2: ECG app v2.18U80
watchOS 8.0.0: ECG app v2.19R346 (now available in Lithuania)
watchOS 8.0.1: ECG app v2.19R354
watchOS 8.1.0: ECG app v2.19R570
 
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