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Apple today seeded the fourth beta of an upcoming watchOS 5.1 update to developers, one week after seeding the third watchOS 5.1 beta and a month 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.

applewatchseries4watchfaces.jpg

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 the Group FaceTime that's also available in iOS 12.1 and macOS 10.14.1, 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 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.

applewatchcolor-800x557.jpg

Alongside macOS 10.14.1 and iOS 12.1, watchOS 5.1 introduces support for more than 70 new emoji characters like face with hearts, red hair, gray hair, curly hair, super heroes, kangaroo, peacock, parrot, lobster, cupcake, mango, and more.

No other new features were discovered in the first three betas of watchOS 5.1, but should we find something new in the fourth beta, we'll update this post.

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

cmaier

Suspended
Jul 25, 2007
25,405
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I can't wait to try out the ECG app. Does anyone know if it's supposed to be included in the official release of 5.1?
Nobody knows other than Apple. It may even be an optional download and not included with the OS, for all we know.
 

MrGuder

macrumors 68040
Nov 30, 2012
3,026
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Does anyone else think that there is so much potential with various watch faces that Apple has hardly skimmed the surface? Those 2 full screen colors are bla looking. I haven’t seen any watch faces that really blow me away. The fire and ice ones are cool though but there SHOULD be hundreds and hundreds of watch faces to choose from that are spectacular. They should concentrate on better designers of faces to choose from.
 
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kycophpd

macrumors 6502a
Jun 7, 2009
901
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Louisville, Kentucky
The release says you must be running 12.1 and 5.1 to use the ECG option so unless there is a delay, it appears Apple is planning on releasing it when this is done in beta. Whether it is built in or a separate app still hasn't been released.
 
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nwcs

macrumors 68030
Sep 21, 2009
2,722
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I wonder if they finally fixed the brightness issue. No matter what I set the brightness on my S2 watch to it will return to max brightness on next wake up.
 

MrJeffreyGee

macrumors regular
Apr 20, 2009
129
103
They seriously need to add an option to add any app icon to any watchface, so you can launch the app. I understand that some apps can’t put data on the watchface cause the developer hasn’t created the interface for it, but even more of a reason this feature is needed for these particular apps when I don’t want to use Siri for launching.
 

Mick-Mac

macrumors 6502a
Oct 24, 2011
504
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Does anyone else think that there is so much potential with various watch faces that Apple has hardly skimmed the surface? ... I haven’t seen any watch faces that really blow me away. The fire and ice ones are cool though but there SHOULD be hundreds and hundreds of watch faces to choose from that are spectacular. ...

I'd be delighted if the Infograph face was augmented with the numbers 1-12 around the perimeter (like those on the Utility face). I think one of the reasons Apple don't let others make their own faces is because they have lucrative partnerships with the likes of Hermes who have distinctive faces that need copyright protection. It's possible somebody could tweak one of their faces and put Apple in an awkward position when it's offered for sale on their App Store. They're such an easy target for lawsuits these days.
 

4jasontv

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Jul 31, 2011
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I'd be delighted if the Infograph face was augmented with the numbers 1-12 around the perimeter (like those on the Utility face). I think one of the reasons Apple don't let others make their own faces is because they have lucrative partnerships with the likes of Hermes who have distinctive faces that need copyright protection. It's possible somebody could tweak one of their faces and put Apple in an awkward position when it's offered for sale on their App Store. They're such an easy target for lawsuits these days.

As someone who also owns a gear S3, I can tell you that most App Store Watch Face are absolutely terrible. They are either poorly optimized ripoffs of famous designs (as you mentioned) or generally terrible original creations.

However, after you filter through the crap, you do find a few a few good faces.

On the Apple Watch, there is no reason one face can’t just be a grid of apps. The time written out in words, and complications that are location or time date influenced would be cool too.
 

kanki1985

macrumors regular
Oct 8, 2013
139
521
I hope they release the ECG functionality, can there be a class action lawsuit if they do not release the ECG functionality in 2018 as this was the primary selling point for watch 4?
 

spazzcat

macrumors 68040
Jun 29, 2007
3,574
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I hope they release the ECG functionality, can there be a class action lawsuit if they do not release the ECG functionality in 2018 as this was the primary selling point for watch 4?

You will not win that case, also, most likely there is still some regulatory hold up we don't know about.
 

BlueMoon63

macrumors 68020
Mar 30, 2015
2,055
959
I would love to see the analog watch hands on the InfroGraph not cover up icons and digital time. It should fade out and not go on top.
 

The Martian

macrumors regular
Mar 21, 2016
201
155
You will not win that case, also, most likely there is still some regulatory hold up we don't know about.

I will say that on the screen when they showed the ECG option it did says requires WatchOS5.1. So it will be interesting to see what happens when they release. 5.1
 

tripleh3lix

macrumors 6502a
Jun 17, 2014
560
371
Based on the Beta's and their previous scheduling, whats the ETA of 5.1/12.1 to be released?
 

BWhaler

macrumors 68040
Jan 8, 2003
3,788
6,244
What the Apple Watch needs is data detectors so you can tap on a phone number or address and dial or map as appropriate.
 

MarioTUSA

macrumors newbie
Oct 30, 2017
6
8
USA
1) Waiting for the ECG
2) Would be nice to have for example, a vintage face, with a "second" sound, "tic tac tic tac" and for example, little custom sound every hour.
 

Rebelrogue

macrumors newbie
Jun 15, 2017
7
10
Maybe they could use some of the artistic talent from the emoji designers to create watch faces instead of more emoji.
 

klymr

macrumors 65816
May 16, 2007
1,451
103
Utah
Nobody knows other than Apple. It may even be an optional download and not included with the OS, for all we know.

The release says you must be running 12.1 and 5.1 to use the ECG option so unless there is a delay, it appears Apple is planning on releasing it when this is done in beta. Whether it is built in or a separate app still hasn't been released.

It will be a built-in app (for the United States), this much we do know. The big question is when it will be available. https://www.apple.com/watchos/feature-availability/#apps-ecg
 

Vjosullivan

macrumors 65816
Oct 21, 2013
1,187
1,436
Does anyone else think that there is so much potential with various watch faces that Apple has hardly skimmed the surface? ... there SHOULD be hundreds and hundreds of watch faces to choose from that are spectacular...
I totally agree that there should be; and there would be if Apple would open the face to developers. Not only that but every face doesn't need to be a watch face with complications. By placing the time in the corner of the screen (similarly to the iPhone), then the face itself could be used in all sorts of ways much better than trying to wrap everything around watch hands or big digits.
 

klacey

macrumors newbie
Oct 16, 2018
1
0
Yes please! It's just so totally frustrating that the Messages and Phone apps are missing in the newest watch faces e.g. Infograph. I'd happily trade a few thousand useless emoji for that functionality.
Agreed, I was shocked to see that they were missing!
 
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