Apple Seeds Seventh Beta of watchOS 10 to Developers

[MacRumors]

Apple today seeded the seventh beta of an upcoming watchOS 10 update to developers for testing purposes, with the software update coming a week after the Sixth beta.

To install the watchOS 10 update, developers will need to open the Apple Watch app, go to the Software Update section under "General" in Settings, and toggle on the watchOS 10 Developer Beta. Note that an Apple ID linked to a developer account is required.

Once beta updates have been activated, watchOS 10 can be downloaded under the same Software Update section. To install software, an Apple Watch needs to have 50 percent battery life and it must be placed on an Apple Watch charger.

watchOS 10 adds a whole new widget-focused interface. You can access a widget stack from any watch face using the Digital Crown, swiping through them to get to relevant information. Control Center can be activated from any app by pressing the side button, and these new quick access controls are meant to let you use watch faces that support less information while still putting everything you need at your fingertips.

There are new Palette and Snoopy watch faces, updates to Cycling and Hiking workouts, and mental health integrations. Users can log their state of mind and mood using the Apple Watch, with the device providing insights into mental health over time.

Article Link: Apple Seeds Seventh Beta of watchOS 10 to Developers

 

[nortonandreev]

I’m not sure what problem did the removal of the swiping between watch faces solve – would be happy to see if someone has ideas.

I also hope they will start optimising for battery life - I have been getting about a day and a half on my Ultra with all of the watchOS 10 betas.

 

[heyjohnhaley]

I’m not sure what problem did the removal of the swiping between watch faces solve – would be happy to see if someone has ideas.

I also hope they will start optimising for battery life - I have been getting about a day and a half on my Ultra with all of the watchOS 10 betas.

I'd sometimes swipe between the watch faces by mistake, it was faster but really I don't change my watch face that often.

 

[dillacom]

I’m not sure what problem did the removal of the swiping between watch faces solve – would be happy to see if someone has ideas.

I also hope they will start optimising for battery life - I have been getting about a day and a half on my Ultra with all of the watchOS 10 betas.

press and hold watch face then swipe. stops the accidental change of the watch faces

 

[Sevendaymelee]

Can't wait to try out the new version on my Apple Watch 9... but seriously. I bet if polled, most constant Macrumors readers would vote to abolish all "seeding" articles from existence. They really do seem tedious and redundant... not to mention kind of pointless.

 

[Futhark]

Is the ability to lock your Apple Watch during a workout gone? I went for a walk the other day and had a jacket with tight sleeves which would pause my workout by pressing the Digital Crown and side button that pauses workouts?

 

[DaveMcM76]

Is the ability to lock your Apple Watch during a workout gone? I went for a walk the other day and had a jacket with tight sleeves which would pause my workout by pressing the Digital Crown and side button that pauses workouts?

I think because control centre is now available from in any app with the side button the idea is now to lock the watch from there rather than the workout app needing it's own dedicated lock button...

 

[Futhark]

I think because control centre is now available from in any app with the side button the idea is now to lock the watch from there...

Of course! I never thought of that, I forgot you could access control centre from any app. Before I’d swipe right in my workout and tap the water icon to lock it thanks for that tip/reminder

 

[nortonandreev]

press and hold watch face then swipe. stops the accidental change of the watch faces

It does, but it’s also slow.

For Apple to change that, it means that there must be data showing that people changing their watch faces by mistake happens more frequently than people changing Watch faces on purpose.

This would be an interesting observation, if the case.

The question is then why people who change between Watch faces by accident don’t remove the rest of the watch faces and only have one so that they can’t accidentally swipe and instead Apple has to take away functionality that some might be using. As I said, it sounds as if they have strong indication people don’t use more than one watch face. Curious why is that.

 

[ProfessionalFan]

I’m not sure what problem did the removal of the swiping between watch faces solve – would be happy to see if someone has ideas.

Agreed, I loathe that change. 3 months into the beta I still find myself trying to swipe between faces.

 

[Futhark]

Agreed, I loathe that change. 3 months into the beta I still find myself trying to swipe between faces.

Like my comment above regarding the workout pausing because of a tight sleeved top or coat I found my watch face would change by itself so pressing the screen and swiping has prevented this for me.

 

[dillacom]

It does, but it’s also slow.

For Apple to change that, it means that there must be data showing that people changing their watch faces by mistake happens more frequently than people changing Watch faces on purpose.

This would be an interesting observation, if the case.

The question is then why people who change between Watch faces by accident don’t remove the rest of the watch faces and only have one so that they can’t accidentally swipe and instead Apple has to take away functionality that some might be using. As I said, it sounds as if they have strong indication people don’t use more than one watch face. Curious why is that.

they are matching it to the same function on swapping home screens on the iPhone I believe

 

[nortonandreev]

There are options that come on top of my head:
- add toggle in settings that allows the swipe to change faces
- introduce short press and swipe gesture to (quickly) change between faces and long press for the full watch faces customisation UI

Seems like they’ve gone for the laziest solution — just remove a behaviour users have been using for ten years now and are used to.

 

[ProfessionalFan]

they are matching it to the same function on swapping home screens on the iPhone I believe

Yeah I assume so but I still hate it.

 

[Octavius8]

Performance so far?. Does the watch feel “slower”?.
Is the UI more convenient at showing info at a glance?. Need more swipes and scrolls to get into?.
Are the complications or they have been removed at all????. For example, can I see my heart beats and the temperature in a face without having to scroll with the crown?.

 

[PeterPanana]

It does, but it’s also slow.

For Apple to change that, it means that there must be data showing that people changing their watch faces by mistake happens more frequently than people changing Watch faces on purpose.

This would be an interesting observation, if the case.

The question is then why people who change between Watch faces by accident don’t remove the rest of the watch faces and only have one so that they can’t accidentally swipe and instead Apple has to take away functionality that some might be using. As I said, it sounds as if they have strong indication people don’t use more than one watch face. Curious why is that.

I think removing all the other watch faces to avoid accidental swiping would have also been "taking away functionality" by forcing users to limit how many watch faces they could quickly use. I am in the category of more often accidentally swiping to a different watch face than purposely doing it. I do enjoy different watch faces for different scenarios, so I would have hated to remove all of the other ones I had set up. It sounds like I'm in the minority of liking the new change though.

I do agree with your other comment that Apple should add options to give users their old functionality back, but I think the default function is good how it is now.

I think Apple intends people to use the different "Focus" categories for doing smart switching between watch faces. Not to say that fits all scenarios, but I think that was part of their focus on people using Focus to change watch faces.

 

[T-Will]

I’m not sure what problem did the removal of the swiping between watch faces solve – would be happy to see if someone has ideas.

I also hope they will start optimising for battery life - I have been getting about a day and a half on my Ultra with all of the watchOS 10 betas.

Apple should really consider making swiping between faces an option since I would change watch faces multiple times per day and now it's a pain to do that.

 

[nortonandreev]

Performance so far?. Does the watch feel “slower”?.
Is the UI more convenient at showing info at a glance?. Need more swipes and scrolls to get into?.
Are the complications or they have been removed at all????. For example, can I see my heart beats and the temperature in a face without having to scroll with the crown?.

UI is still glitching for me on the Ultra. But it also has an old chip and this point, maybe Series 9 and Ultra 2 will be smoother.

 

[4383334]

Apple should really consider making swiping between faces an option since I would change watch faces multiple times per day and now it's a pain to do that.

You could set up an automation, or focus mode that changes based on time of day, location or other - and have it chance that way? If applicable. If your switching aren’t spontaneous but more systematic.

 

[rstark18]

Like my comment above regarding the workout pausing because of a tight sleeved top or coat I found my watch face would change by itself so pressing the screen and swiping has prevented this for me.

Your tight sleeve now should just long press the screen which takes it right into swipe mode. Doesn't seem like much of a solution.

 

[JustSomeInfo]

I came here to commiserate with others about how it won't install. But I guess it's just me. Oh well, time for a reinstall!

 

[bkaus]

I think in old version, when I pushed the Digital Crown, the app list would start at the last used app. Now it starts at the first app - alphabetical. My most frequently used app starts with W.

 

[rstark18]

I think in old version, when I pushed the Digital Crown, the app list would start at the last used app. Now it starts at the first app - alphabetical. My most frequently used app starts with W.

Single push of the Digital Crown has always shown all apps in alphabetical order (list view).
Maybe you’re thinking of that side button that used to open the dock?

 

[imdantaylor]

And the temperature complication still doesn't display anything for me. Is anyone else having this? Further more the weather app randomly just doesn't pop up with my currently located city as the first one.

 

[imdantaylor]

Why is the stopwatch still white??