Sidebar Sidebar
Become a MacRumors Supporter for $50/year with no ads, ability to filter front page stories, and private forums.

Apple Seeds Fourth Beta of watchOS 5.1 to Developers

MacRumors

MacRumors

macrumors bot
Original poster
Apr 12, 2001
68,589
39,459



Apple today seeded the fourth beta of an upcoming watchOS 5.1 update to developers, one week after seeding the third watchOS 5.1 beta and a month after releasing the new watchOS 5 operating system.

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.

applewatchseries4watchfaces.jpg

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

watchOS 5.1 includes support for the Group FaceTime that's also available in iOS 12.1 and macOS 10.14.1, with Group FaceTime calls able to be answered in an audio-only capacity on the Apple Watch. Group FaceTime allows you to chat with up to 32 people at one time.

The watchOS 5.1 update brings a full-screen new "Color" watch face option for the Apple Watch Series 4, with users able to choose between multiple shades. There's also a filled-in circular color option for older Apple Watch models that joins the standard Color clock face.

applewatchcolor-800x557.jpg

Alongside macOS 10.14.1 and iOS 12.1, watchOS 5.1 introduces support for more than 70 new emoji characters like face with hearts, red hair, gray hair, curly hair, super heroes, kangaroo, peacock, parrot, lobster, cupcake, mango, and more.

No other new features were discovered in the first three betas of watchOS 5.1, but should we find something new in the fourth beta, we'll update this post.

Article Link: Apple Seeds Fourth Beta of watchOS 5.1 to Developers
 
Article Link
https://www.macrumors.com/2018/10/15/apple-seeds-watchos-5-1-beta-4-to-developers/
benshive said:
I can't wait to try out the ECG app. Does anyone know if it's supposed to be included in the official release of 5.1?
Click to expand...
Nobody knows other than Apple. It may even be an optional download and not included with the OS, for all we know.
 
Does anyone else think that there is so much potential with various watch faces that Apple has hardly skimmed the surface? Those 2 full screen colors are bla looking. I haven’t seen any watch faces that really blow me away. The fire and ice ones are cool though but there SHOULD be hundreds and hundreds of watch faces to choose from that are spectacular. They should concentrate on better designers of faces to choose from.
 
  • Like
Reactions: jarman92
The release says you must be running 12.1 and 5.1 to use the ECG option so unless there is a delay, it appears Apple is planning on releasing it when this is done in beta. Whether it is built in or a separate app still hasn't been released.
 
  • Like
Reactions: Maclver
I wonder if they finally fixed the brightness issue. No matter what I set the brightness on my S2 watch to it will return to max brightness on next wake up.
 
They seriously need to add an option to add any app icon to any watchface, so you can launch the app. I understand that some apps can’t put data on the watchface cause the developer hasn’t created the interface for it, but even more of a reason this feature is needed for these particular apps when I don’t want to use Siri for launching.
 
MrGuder said:
Does anyone else think that there is so much potential with various watch faces that Apple has hardly skimmed the surface? ... I haven’t seen any watch faces that really blow me away. The fire and ice ones are cool though but there SHOULD be hundreds and hundreds of watch faces to choose from that are spectacular. ...
Click to expand...

I'd be delighted if the Infograph face was augmented with the numbers 1-12 around the perimeter (like those on the Utility face). I think one of the reasons Apple don't let others make their own faces is because they have lucrative partnerships with the likes of Hermes who have distinctive faces that need copyright protection. It's possible somebody could tweak one of their faces and put Apple in an awkward position when it's offered for sale on their App Store. They're such an easy target for lawsuits these days.
 
Mick-Mac said:
I'd be delighted if the Infograph face was augmented with the numbers 1-12 around the perimeter (like those on the Utility face). I think one of the reasons Apple don't let others make their own faces is because they have lucrative partnerships with the likes of Hermes who have distinctive faces that need copyright protection. It's possible somebody could tweak one of their faces and put Apple in an awkward position when it's offered for sale on their App Store. They're such an easy target for lawsuits these days.
Click to expand...

As someone who also owns a gear S3, I can tell you that most App Store Watch Face are absolutely terrible. They are either poorly optimized ripoffs of famous designs (as you mentioned) or generally terrible original creations.

However, after you filter through the crap, you do find a few a few good faces.

On the Apple Watch, there is no reason one face can’t just be a grid of apps. The time written out in words, and complications that are location or time date influenced would be cool too.
 
I hope they release the ECG functionality, can there be a class action lawsuit if they do not release the ECG functionality in 2018 as this was the primary selling point for watch 4?
 
kanki1985 said:
I hope they release the ECG functionality, can there be a class action lawsuit if they do not release the ECG functionality in 2018 as this was the primary selling point for watch 4?
Click to expand...

You will not win that case, also, most likely there is still some regulatory hold up we don't know about.
 
I would love to see the analog watch hands on the InfroGraph not cover up icons and digital time. It should fade out and not go on top.
 
spazzcat said:
You will not win that case, also, most likely there is still some regulatory hold up we don't know about.
Click to expand...

I will say that on the screen when they showed the ECG option it did says requires WatchOS5.1. So it will be interesting to see what happens when they release. 5.1
 
Based on the Beta's and their previous scheduling, whats the ETA of 5.1/12.1 to be released?
 
What the Apple Watch needs is data detectors so you can tap on a phone number or address and dial or map as appropriate.
 
1) Waiting for the ECG
2) Would be nice to have for example, a vintage face, with a "second" sound, "tic tac tic tac" and for example, little custom sound every hour.
 
Maybe they could use some of the artistic talent from the emoji designers to create watch faces instead of more emoji.
 
cmaier said:
Nobody knows other than Apple. It may even be an optional download and not included with the OS, for all we know.
Click to expand...

kycophpd said:
The release says you must be running 12.1 and 5.1 to use the ECG option so unless there is a delay, it appears Apple is planning on releasing it when this is done in beta. Whether it is built in or a separate app still hasn't been released.
Click to expand...

It will be a built-in app (for the United States), this much we do know. The big question is when it will be available. https://www.apple.com/watchos/feature-availability/#apps-ecg
 
MrGuder said:
Does anyone else think that there is so much potential with various watch faces that Apple has hardly skimmed the surface? ... there SHOULD be hundreds and hundreds of watch faces to choose from that are spectacular...
Click to expand...
I totally agree that there should be; and there would be if Apple would open the face to developers. Not only that but every face doesn't need to be a watch face with complications. By placing the time in the corner of the screen (similarly to the iPhone), then the face itself could be used in all sorts of ways much better than trying to wrap everything around watch hands or big digits.
 
Mick-Mac said:
Yes please! It's just so totally frustrating that the Messages and Phone apps are missing in the newest watch faces e.g. Infograph. I'd happily trade a few thousand useless emoji for that functionality.
Click to expand...
Agreed, I was shocked to see that they were missing!
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Register on MacRumors! This sidebar will go away, and you'll see fewer ads.
Top Bottom
Back