Apple Seeds watchOS 27 Beta 5 to Developers

[MacRumors]

Apple today seeded the fifth beta of watchOS 27 to developers, with the update coming two weeks after the launch of the fourth beta.

The beta can be downloaded through the Watch app on the iPhone with a free developer account. The Apple Watch will need to be on the charger, connected to Wi-Fi, and have a battery level of 50 percent or above for new software to be installed. The beta is available for all Apple Watch models compatible with watchOS 27 except for the Apple Watch Ultra 3.

watchOS 27 gains Siri AI, the smarter, more capable version of Siri. Siri can hold back-and-forth conversations, plus it has access to general world knowledge and your personal data to answer questions and find information. Siri AI on Apple Watch requires an iPhone that supports Apple Intelligence, including the iPhone 15 Pro and later.

There's a new Dynamic app grid that highlights Siri suggested apps, and more intuitive Smart Stack Suggestions. You can find your parked car, see pinned messages, get noise alerts, and view identity and transit cards.

Liquid Glass has been updated to improve legibility, and Workout Buddy works on the Apple Watch even when an iPhone isn't nearby. Workout Buddy also gains new metrics like progressive increases to distance, pace, or duration. Apple added a new all-in-one Find My app with support for Precision Finding, and there are performance optimizations that improve battery life.

More on what's new in watchOS 27 is available in our watchOS 27 roundup.


Article Link: Apple Seeds watchOS 27 Beta 5 to Developers

 

[DavidLeblond]

I wonder if I'll be able to set timers from Siri again on the watch.

 

[azentropy]

Of all the beta's I've been using (iOS, iPad OS, Mac OS, TV OS and Watch OS) the watch OS has been the most problematic for me. Everyday tasks I do with Siri either are super slow or don't respond at all. Especially if I do something back to back like "Siri, open garage door" and then "Siri, start outdoor walk". Takes a good 10-15 seconds to respond to open the door (when used to be a couple and then rarely works for the workout. Hopefully this version improves that.

 

[M3Stang]

Did walkie talkie come back yet?

 

[Minato1990]

Hopefully it fixed the random crashes
Not fun having this happen on one of my hiit runs this weekend

 

[iPhonNick]

Did walkie talkie come back yet?

No

 

[gomichaelgo]

On first use, i was able to set a timer, so there's that. The issue I still have is how long it takes. 5 seconds doesn't seem like a long time, but it shouldn't take that long for it to understand the request.

 

[mipo]

My Ultra 1st gen is out of the game already ;-(

 

[mattopotamus]

Of all the beta's I've been using (iOS, iPad OS, Mac OS, TV OS and Watch OS) the watch OS has been the most problematic for me. Everyday tasks I do with Siri either are super slow or don't respond at all. Especially if I do something back to back like "Siri, open garage door" and then "Siri, start outdoor walk". Takes a good 10-15 seconds to respond to open the door (when used to be a couple and then rarely works for the workout. Hopefully this version improves that.

I feel that way about siri on the phone 27 beta. It's slow as hell and always repeats what I ask with a follow-up, "did you mean, this, this, this, or this". It's very annoying.

 

[SteveLV702]

Some reason not letting me install Beta 5 every time phone just says “Could not connect to Apple Watch”… phone is already on iOS 27 Beta 5. Ive tried restarting both phone and watch. I get alerts on my watch so I know its connected to phone

 

[azentropy]

Some reason not letting me install Beta 5 every time phone just says “Could not connect to Apple Watch”… phone is already on iOS 27 Beta 5. Ive tried restarting both phone and watch. I get alerts on my watch so I know its connected to phone

Same until I put my watch on the charger. Don't know if that "fixed" it or just a coincidence.

 

[SteveLV702]

Same until I put my watch on the charger. Don't know if that "fixed" it or just a coincidence.

Ya i even tried that…. Didn’t work mine now been on charger for 45 minutes and still says cannot connect to apple watch

 

[chickeneaster]

Did walkie talkie come back yet?

That definitely ain't coming back 🥲

 

[ELman]

Setting a manual timezone on the watch is greatly needed.

 

[risenphoenixkai]

Ya i even tried that…. Didn’t work mine now been on charger for 45 minutes and still says cannot connect to apple watch

Have you tried starting the software update from the Apple Watch itself rather than via the Watch app on the iPhone?

 

[mysticalos]

I wonder if this fixes handwashing panic on my ultra 3 that's been there since beta 3. I sent them a detailed feedback (with no reply yet) how to crash and reboot entire OS using handwashing.

I endedd up turning it off so watch didn't reboot any time i washed hands or did dishes. Handwashing is off by default so I can see why most would miss this iOS 27 regression

 

[mysticalos]

Hopefully it fixed the random crashes
Not fun having this happen on one of my hiit runs this weekend

handwashing enabled? I isolated the crashing to that on mine. not the actual action of handwashing either but just listener, if youre arms or hands rubbing together, if you're doing dishes, if you're doing anything that makes it start monitoring the mic, it pinwheels first and if action stops it MIGHT recover, if action continues it goes full kernel panic reboot. disabling handwashing worked around instability of beta 3/4. I haven't confirmed if 5 fixes it or not.