Apple Seeds Second Beta of watchOS 5.1 to Developers

[MacRumors]

Apple today seeded the second beta of an upcoming watchOS 5.1 update to developers, two weeks after seeding the first watchOS 5.1 beta and a little over two weeks 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.

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 Group FaceTime, 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 also 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.

Should additional new features be found in the second beta of watchOS 5.1, we'll update this post.

Article Link: Apple Seeds Second Beta of watchOS 5.1 to Developers

 

[jonmaddox]

More system complications for the new faces?

 

[jamesdvb]

The new “Infograph” and “Infograph Modular” Watch Series 4 faces which support the having the highest number complications at once — also have the smallest selection of complications that can be displayed on those faces... thereby making them useless for me. Many of the native complications on the Watch cannot be displayed anywhere on those faces.

Even if they’re just icons to launch the apps, “Messages” and “Now Playing” (among other native complications) are indispensable for me on my watch face.

Why does Apple limit which complications I can put on which faces? I am far from alone in this disappointment.

 

[magicschoolbus]

There's also a filled-in circular color option for older Apple Watch models that joins the standard Color clock face.



Screen shots please

 

[9052042]

Does watchOS 5.1 beta 1 or 2 include the exercise ring issue fixed in 5.0.1?

 

[hlfway2anywhere]

Messages complication on infograph face or gtfo

 

[kanki1985]

the complications are getting complicated!!

 

[rjlawrencejr]

Messages complication on infograph face or gtfo

I’m not sure I would state it in quite the same manner, but I do agree!

 

[macduke]

I don't understand why the new infograph watch faces on my Series 4 allow you to have shortcuts to Music, Exercise, Weather, Walkie Talkie, etc but don't let you shortcut to Messages, Radio, Apple TV Remote, HomeKit, etc. It's bizarre. A lot of third party apps don't work with them either, but for some reason work with the older faces.

 

[jonmaddox]

I don't understand why the new infograph watch faces on my Series 4 allow you to have shortcuts to Music, Exercise, Weather, Walkie Talkie, etc but don't let you shortcut to Messages, Radio, Apple TV Remote, HomeKit, etc. It's bizarre. A lot of third party apps don't work with them either, but for some reason work with the older faces.

The specific reason is that those complications on the new watch faces are actually DIFFERENT than the ones available before S4 and watchOS 5. Third party developers have to port their old ones to that new format. Some have, some will do it eventually.

The issue is, when will Apple? watchOS 5.1? watchOS5.2? watchOS 6?

It's very frustrating that they did not do it out of the gate.

 

[Braderunner]

The new “Infograph” and “Infograph Modular” Watch Series 4 faces which support the having the highest number complications at once — also have the smallest selection of complications that can be displayed on those faces... thereby making them useless for me. Many of the native complications on the Watch cannot be displayed anywhere on those faces.

Even if they’re just icons to launch the apps, “Messages” and “Now Playing” (among other native complications) are indispensable for me on my watch face.

Why does Apple limit which complications I can put on which faces? I am far from alone in this disappointment.

Absolutely! I definitely would like to see "Now Playing" available in more places. Like you said...even if they're just icons.

 

[richxps]

Agreed ..

The new “Infograph” and “Infograph Modular” Watch Series 4 faces which support the having the highest number complications at once — also have the smallest selection of complications that can be displayed on those faces... thereby making them useless for me. Many of the native complications on the Watch cannot be displayed anywhere on those faces.

Even if they’re just icons to launch the apps, “Messages” and “Now Playing” (among other native complications) are indispensable for me on my watch face.

Why does Apple limit which complications I can put on which faces? I am far from alone in this disappointment.

 

[jclardy]

Is there a messages complication for Infograph? Literally the only feature I want on my S4.

 

[bacaramac]

Infograph still broken I guess based on comments. How can Apple not have ALL of their complications available day one for this face. Completely unacceptable to not have phone, messages, mail, etc.

 

[macduke]

The specific reason is that those complications on the new watch faces are actually DIFFERENT than the ones available before S4 and watchOS 5. Third party developers have to port their old ones to that new format. Some have, some will do it eventually.

The issue is, when will Apple? watchOS 5.1? watchOS5.2? watchOS 6?

It's very frustrating that they did not do it out of the gate.

Yeah, but what's weird is they don't seem any different. Like the Overcast one is the same. Is it just because they can be more dynamic now?

 

[OldSchoolMacGuy]

Yeah, but what's weird is they don't seem any different. Like the Overcast one is the same. Is it just because they can be more dynamic now?

Slightly different use of the APIs. The update shouldn't be hard but many developers are lazy or just slow about things.

What I haven't seen much on is the amazing background work Apple did within Xcode so that all previous Apple Watch apps work with the Series 4. The change from a 32-bit to a 64-bit processor normally would have taken work but Apple created the "Enable Bitcode" feature 3 years ago in Xcode 7. Bitcode is an "intermediate representation" halfway between human-written app code and machine code. Rather than the developer sending a completely compiled app to the App Store, enabling Bitcode provides Apple with a partially compiled app that it can then finish compiling for whatever processors it wants to support.

 

[RabidMacFan]

Since upgrading to watchOS 5 and using iPhone Xs, the heart rate complication stopped displaying the last taken heart rate. Anyone else experiencing this problem? Is it fixed in this beta?

 

[liberte1776]

Apple needs to make Siri more responsive on S3, it's still not fast enough on watchOS 5. *sigh*

 

[SantaFeNM]

Battery life is what I hope is addressed with the Series 4. My Series 2 can comfortably go two days before I need to charge the battery. Porting the same settings over to the Series 4, and not using the LTE, I can barely squeak out 1 day. Very frustrating to have gone backwards in battery life with a newer product.

 

[Nysprtsfn]

Wow, I too came from S2 to S4 and I’m getting 2.5 days out of mine and that’s with all the settings turned on, Bluetooth and cellular and WiFi using the new info face as well.

Battery life is what I hope is addressed with the Series 4. My Series 2 can comfortably go two days before I need to charge the battery. Porting the same settings over to the Series 4, and not using the LTE, I can barely squeak out 1 day. Very frustrating to have gone backwards in battery life with a newer product.

 

[tkukoc]

Wow, I too came from S2 to S4 and I’m getting 2.5 days out of mine and that’s with all the settings turned on, Bluetooth and cellular and WiFi using the new info face as well.

Dang really? I’m getting less than a day and a half of battery life on S4 coming from S3 which I was getting a little over 2 days.

 

[Nysprtsfn]

Dang really? I’m getting less than a day and a half of battery life on S4 coming from S3 which I was getting a little over 2 days.

Yea honestly lol
I charged up Saturday night, went all day Sunday and Monday from 7am-8pm and Monday night, 8pm still had 48% left

 

[DopamineHigh]

Has the ECG feature been added to the Beta?

 

[jclo]

Has the ECG feature been added to the Beta?

No.

 

[tkukoc]

Yea honestly lol
I charged up Saturday night, went all day Sunday and Monday from 7am-8pm and Monday night, 8pm still had 48% left

Wow that's amazing, I'm thinking it's time for me to just start fresh on the Watch and see where that goes. Restoring from backup I feel is just not working out for me, I'd like better battery life! Even if it's just 2 or 3 hours more.