Apple Seeds Fourth Beta of watchOS 4.3 to Developers With Portrait Nightstand Mode, iPhone Music Controls

[MacRumors]

Apple today seeded the fourth beta of an upcoming watchOS 4.3 update to developers, two weeks after seeding the third beta and a little over two weeks after releasing watchOS 4.2.3, a minor update focusing on bug fixes.

Once the proper configuration profile has been installed from the Apple Developer Center, the new watchOS beta can be downloaded through the dedicated Apple Watch app on the iPhone by going to General --> Software update.

To install the update, the Apple Watch needs to have at least 50 percent battery, it has to be placed on the charger, and it needs to be in range of the iPhone it's paired to.

watchOS 4.3 introduces support for Nightstand mode in portrait orientation, a feature that was previously only available when the watch was placed in landscape orientation. There's also a new charging animation when the Apple Watch is placed on the charger, a new app loading animation, your Activity data is now displayed on the Siri watch face, and the battery complication more accurately reports battery life.

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The watchOS 4.3 update also brings the return of a much-desired feature that allows music playing on the iPhone to be controlled using the Music app on the Apple Watch.

In prior versions of watchOS, starting with watchOS 4, the Music app could only be used to control music playing on the watch itself. With the tvOS 11.3 beta installed, there's also an option to control music playing on the Apple TV with the watch.

Apple plans to release watchOS 4.3 to the public in the spring, and until then, it will be limited to developers. Apple offers public betas of tvOS, iOS, and macOS, but watchOS betas are not available for public beta testers because there's no way to revert to an earlier version of watchOS once an update is installed.

Article Link: Apple Seeds Fourth Beta of watchOS 4.3 to Developers With Portrait Nightstand Mode, iPhone Music Controls

 

[pnoyblazed]

build 15T5199f

 

[peteullo]

Can you control HomePod with this version?

I’m a little spoiled by the new AirPlay controls on iOS and Mac.

 

[dan9700]

Any changes?

 

[emiaj]

I think this is new... press on the airplay button in the now playing app shows this. The airplay settings in the control center is still the same as before though.

 

[Rickjames74]

Any changes?

Music selection is still broken. It will allow you to navigate music on the phone up until you select an album then it just plays that album without the ability to navigate through tracks. SIGH.

 

[Zadigre]

I know that installing a beta software on a daily driver is not necessarily a good idea...
but considering that I'm already running the latest iOS beta on my iPhone X, would you recommend installing this watchOS beta on my watch? I wear my watch all day, all night... I charge it in my car. I mainly use my watch to track my exercise, my sleep and to have notifications. I don't really use apps. sometimes I use it to control the playing music.
Is this beta stable enough for that kind of usage?

 

[Rickjames74]

I know that installing a beta software on a daily driver is not necessarily a good idea...
but considering that I'm already running the latest iOS beta on my iPhone X, would you recommend installing this watchOS beta on my watch? I wear my watch all day, all night... I charge it in my car. I mainly use my watch to track my exercise, my sleep and to have notifications. I don't really use apps. sometimes I use it to control the playing music.
Is this beta stable enough for that kind of usage?

Yes

 

[Defender2010]

I know that installing a beta software on a daily driver is not necessarily a good idea...
but considering that I'm already running the latest iOS beta on my iPhone X, would you recommend installing this watchOS beta on my watch? I wear my watch all day, all night... I charge it in my car. I mainly use my watch to track my exercise, my sleep and to have notifications. I don't really use apps. sometimes I use it to control the playing music.
Is this beta stable enough for that kind of usage?

I’ve had all the 4.3 betas on my series 0 watches and they work better than ever. No resprings and apart from bad battery on beta 2 everything works very well. Based on my experience I’d say yes.

 

[Zadigre]

I’ve had all the 4.3 betas on my series 0 watches and they work better than ever. No resprings and apart from bad battery on beta 2 everything works very well. Based on my experience I’d say yes.

great thanks!
I'm having issues starting my activities... like it takes a few seconds every time to start my gym or archery training. Hopefully the beta will fix this.

 

[Type4O]

The WatchOS updater just says it will resume downloading when I am connected to WIFI, which I am. I've tried going into and out of airplane mode, and restarting my phone. It's just stuck. Any ideas would be appreciated. Thanks.

 

[Shirasaki]

I can never see album artwork of my song in my watch while playing the music.

I want a feature to lock Apple Watch time to a set time-zone, instead of mirroring iPhone setting.

But I guess this beta can’t offer me either. Will update anyway.

 

[Apple_Robert]

great thanks!
I'm having issues starting my activities... like it takes a few seconds every time to start my gym or archery training. Hopefully the beta will fix this.

I would not install a beta on your watch. If the beta bricks your watch, you will have to ship it off to Apple
[doublepost=1520377354][/doublepost]

The WatchOS updater just says it will resume downloading when I am connected to WIFI, which I am. I've tried going into and out of airplane mode, and restarting my phone. It's just stuck. Any ideas would be appreciated. Thanks.

Are you plugged in? If not, try that while connected to WiFi.

 

[steeevo]

Yawn with these betas every 2 minutes. Boring

 

[QuarterSwede]

View attachment 753483
I think this is new... press on the airplay button in the now playing app shows this. The airplay settings in the control center is still the same as before though.

Not new. It’s new to 4.3 but not this beta or the last.

 

[KarimLeVallois]

I just want my iMessages synced so I don't have to manually delete them from the watch!!

 

[Type4O]

I would not install a beta on your watch. If the beta bricks your watch, you will have to ship it off to Apple
[doublepost=1520377354][/doublepost]
Are you plugged in? If not, try that while connected to WiFi.

I was connected WIFI, and the watch was on its charger. The updater finally admitted failure and cancelled the download. I was then able to try again and it worked.

 

[Babygotfont]

Music selection is still broken. It will allow you to navigate music on the phone up until you select an album then it just plays that album without the ability to navigate through tracks. SIGH.

Fo shizzle

 

[Freakonomics101]

Delete