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Apple Seeds Sixth Beta of New watchOS 4 Operating System to Developers

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Apple today seeded the sixth beta of an upcoming watchOS 4 update to developers, one week after seeding the fifth beta and more than two months after introducing the watchOS 4 update at its 2017 Worldwide Developers Conference.

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.

watchOS 4 features three new watch faces, including a dedicated Siri watch face that displays dynamic information unique to each individual and is perhaps the most significant new feature in the update. There are also new complications for Now Playing and Apple News, and an enhanced Workout app that supports High Intensity Interval Training and new swimming options.

GymKit, a new technology platform, will let the Apple Watch interface with gym equipment for workout data sharing purposes, and the Activity app will offer up intelligent coaching and tailored workout encouragement along with new monthly activity challenges.

Many other small tweaks and changes have been introduced, all of which are outlined in our dedicated watchOS 4 roundup.

watchOS 4 is only available to developers and will not be provided to public beta testers, so non-developers need to wait until the software sees an official release in the fall to try it out.

Article Link: Apple Seeds Sixth Beta of New watchOS 4 Operating System to Developers
 
Article Link
https://www.macrumors.com/2017/08/14/watchos-4-beta-6/
Recent betas of watchOS 4 has been relatively stable for me, but it feels more laggy than watchOS 3 overall on series 0.
 
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Is it me or is watchOS 4 just underwhelming in terms of ideas and news?
Basically it's just a couple af new watchfaces. I have to admit I was hoping for a lot more.
 
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Der Keyser said:
Is it me or is watchOS 4 just underwhelming in terms of ideas and news?
Basically it's just a couple af new watchfaces. I have to admit I was hoping for a lot more.
Click to expand...

Agreed, some small refinements, but nothing major.

A couple no-brainers I'd have liked to see:

1. Custom watch faces (let app developers release their own!)
2. Fitbit-like workouts (instead of a handful of prepackaged ones, detect workouts automatically and have a wider variety)
 
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Der Keyser said:
Is it me or is watchOS 4 just underwhelming in terms of ideas and news?
Basically it's just a couple af new watchfaces. I have to admit I was hoping for a lot more.
Click to expand...

And new watch faces are pretty underwhelming. Siri face has a potential to be very nice but not well executed in the current beta.

I would like:
  • Improvements to existing watch faces, particularly two of my favorite faces, modular and utility.
  • Automatically switch watch face based on location, day of week, and/or time.
  • Smart complication. I don't want to dedicate certain area to certain complication all the time. watchOS should figure out which complication should be displayed based on the context (e.g., if I am listening to music or podcast, Now Playing complication, if I have a timer running, timer complication).
 
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nutmac said:
And new watch faces are pretty underwhelming. Siri face has a potential to be very nice but not well executed in the current beta.

I would like:
  • Improvements to existing watch faces, particularly two of my favorite faces, modular and utility.
  • Automatically switch watch face based on location, day of week, and/or time.
  • Smart complication. I don't want to dedicate certain area to certain complication all the time. watchOS should figure out which complication should be displayed based on the context (e.g., if I am listening to music or podcast, Now Playing complication, if I have a timer running, timer complication).
Click to expand...
All of these are what would bring the Watch to new level, especially more contextual awareness. That's essential for the glance nature of this device.

Hope there are some more goodies under the hood when Series 3 comes out.
 
nutmac said:
And new watch faces are pretty underwhelming. Siri face has a potential to be very nice but not well executed in the current beta.

I would like:
  • Improvements to existing watch faces, particularly two of my favorite faces, modular and utility.
  • Automatically switch watch face based on location, day of week, and/or time.
  • Smart complication. I don't want to dedicate certain area to certain complication all the time. watchOS should figure out which complication should be displayed based on the context (e.g., if I am listening to music or podcast, Now Playing complication, if I have a timer running, timer complication).
Click to expand...

Completely agree.

Smart complications/watch faces would be money. I do not need a Stocks complication when the market is closed and I do not need a workout complication when I am sitting at my desk during the day.
 
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nutmac said:
And new watch faces are pretty underwhelming. Siri face has a potential to be very nice but not well executed in the current beta.

I would like:
  • Improvements to existing watch faces, particularly two of my favorite faces, modular and utility.
  • Automatically switch watch face based on location, day of week, and/or time.
  • Smart complication. I don't want to dedicate certain area to certain complication all the time. watchOS should figure out which complication should be displayed based on the context (e.g., if I am listening to music or podcast, Now Playing complication, if I have a timer running, timer complication).
Click to expand...
Agreed. As it is, I have three versions of the Modular watch face installed, and I swipe between them based on situation (at work, out and about, working out). Most of that could be handled by context. The only difference between my first two faces is in the large central complication: Outlook Calendar at work, Now Playing the rest of the time.

And we desperately need programmable workouts for at least swimming, running, and cycling. What is a smart watch for if not for programmable workouts?
 
For those now running beta 6, is Maps showing up again as a Data Source for the Siri face? - for any of you?
 
With one of the main updates being the Toy Story faces, I wonder how many 10-year-olds Apple believe actually own Apple Watches....
 
One thing I’m happy about is this latest beta finally fixes Unlock Mac with Apple Watch on my MBP, which hasn’t functioned since I installed the High Sierra beta. You forget how tedious typing in a password can be until you have to do it several times a day.
 
nutmac said:
Recent betas of watchOS 4 has been relatively stable for me, but it feels more laggy than watchOS 3 overall on series 0.
Click to expand...

I have seen a lot more laggy behavior with these betas than WatchOS 3 on my S2 as well
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Craiguyver said:
WatchOS 4 the perfect companion for the equally underwhelming iOS 11
Click to expand...

iOS 11 seems to be a pretty great update with massive amount of awesome features - even though it looks roughly the same as iOS 10

WatchOS 4 on the other hand is a massive disappointment - the least they could do was add a couple of more watch faces - classic ones please! That would have made a pretty big difference...

And agree with many here - complications should be more dynamic - if I don't have an alarm I don't need it to show me all the time - in the weekend I don't need to have a calendar on my watch face and during office hours I don't need to see my workout complication... Come on Apple damn'it - this should be pretty darn simple to implement - maybe just ad the option to have 2-3 complications share a spot or something
 
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