Apple Seeds Second Beta of watchOS 4.1 to Developers

[MacRumors]

Apple today seeded the second beta of an upcoming watchOS 4 update to developers for testing purposes, nearly two weeks after releasing the first watchOS 4.1 beta and three weeks after releasing the new watchOS 4 operating system to the public.

Once the proper configuration profile has been installed from the Apple Developer Center, the new watchOS 4 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 must be placed on the charger, and it has to be in range of the iPhone.

The watchOS 4.1 update introduces support for streaming Apple Music content directly to the Apple Watch Series 3 over LTE and it brings a new Radio app with access to Beats 1 and other Apple Music radio stations.

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While the Music app on the watch looks the same, offering up access to the Music Library, recently played songs, playlists, and Apple Music mixes, but now all Apple Music content can be streamed over an LTE connection and doesn't need to be downloaded to the device.

Support for Apple Music streaming appears to be the main feature in the new watchOS 4.1 update, but Apple is also introducing new Unicode 10 emoji characters. Today's update adds a new Wi-Fi toggle for turning off Wi-Fi to force the Apple Watch Series 3 to use LTE and it displays the Wi-Fi SSID so users can see the Wi-Fi Network an Apple Watch is connected to.

watchOS 4 is a significant refresh of the watchOS operating system introducing new watch faces, including a personalized Siri face, improvements to the Workout app, support for integration with gym equipment, an Apple News app, a vertical Dock, and a new Flashlight feature in the Control Center.

For more on what's included in watchOS 4, check out our watchOS 4 roundup.

Article Link: Apple Seeds Second Beta of watchOS 4.1 to Developers

 

[scrapesleon]

improved battery life?

 

[dillacom]

Radio streaming is now active on cellular.
ESPN radio now works in radio app

 

[cgriffis753]

Is maps option still gone on Siri watch face?

 

[Alhagar]

Is maps option still gone on Siri watch face?

still gone

 

[musicpenguy]

Has maps ever shown in Siri face?!!! Is it in 4.0 now?

 

[GIZBUG]

improved battery life?

Yup

 

[bthompson]

Control center is different

 

[musicpenguy]

Control center is different

How?

 

[chrismeilak]

How?

You can now turn off Wi-fi and force the watch to use LTE. Great for testing

 

[musicpenguy]

You can now turn off Wi-fi and force the watch to use LTE. Great for testing

Very cool!!! Is this a new WiFi button or does tapping the cellular icon now have toggles for both cellular and WiFi within that?

 

[xDKP]

Yup

Ha ha it’s the new “is safari snappier” comment.

On a serious note I hope the final 4.1 returns my S2 to WatchOS 3 battery life. Was amazing back then

 

[cgriffis753]

Has maps ever shown in Siri face?!!! Is it in 4.0 now?

It worked intermittently in early 4.0 betas before being removed. It was showcased when watchOS 4 was announced

 

[chrismeilak]

Very cool!!! Is this a new WiFi button or does tapping the cellular icon now have toggles for both cellular and WiFi within that?

There’s a Wi-fi toggle switch in the control panel.

Can someone check the modem version in setting-general-about. Interesting to see if they have new LTE radio software mine is reading 1.22.02-1

 

[musicpenguy]

1.00.03 is my Modem Firmware on the current release version.

 

[chrismeilak]

1.00.03 is my Modem Firmware on the current release version.

Thanks! Interesting to see it’s changed.Hopefully we will see better LTE behaviour. Not that it was bad but good to see it’s being tweaked

 

[musicpenguy]

Thanks! Interesting to see it’s changed.Hopefully we will see better LTE behaviour. Not that it was bad but good to see it’s being tweaked

Yea I’ve not had any issues in my area, but would not complain if they made that even better

 

[themick4u]

Does anyone know if they brought back ability to browse music content / Playlists stored on the iphone in this release?

 

[kycophpd]

ESPN radio now works in radio app

Evidently Jemele Hill has been removed on this beta. Expect her to be put back in the next beta in about 2 weeks.

 

[StarBr33z3]

Does anyone know if they brought back ability to browse music content / Playlists stored on the iphone in this release?

They didn't (Series 2 here).

 

[musicpenguy]

They didn't (Series 2 here).

I think the thought here is that since when you can stream your iTunes Match/iTunes in the Cloud and Apple Music purchases that it’d be confusing to also browse your iPhone library and as the watch begins to become more and more a standalone device that it is just the first of many standalone experiences.

I believe it works over WiFi for those not using LTE.

 

[iThink Apple]

Does that mean that other radio streaming apps like TuneIn will be able to update so that we can stream radio stations without our phone?

 

[themick4u]

They didn't (Series 2 here).

Totally bummed....

 

[giwalt]

I think the thought here is that since when you can stream your iTunes Match/iTunes in the Cloud and Apple Music purchases that it’d be confusing to also browse your iPhone library and as the watch begins to become more and more a standalone device that it is just the first of many standalone experiences.

I believe it works over WiFi for those not using LTE.

I have been unable to get WiFi streaming on Series 2. (Using beta 2 on Series 2) I can control (e.g stop, start, skip) music that is already playing on iPhone from my Series 2 but I cannot browse my iPhone music library or Apple Music (I do subscribe to Apple Music) on Series 2 even when on WiFi.

 

[musicpenguy]

Hmm - I could of sworn I’d seen people with Series 2 doing the streaming thing over WiFi ...