Apple Seeds Fifth Beta of watchOS 5.1 to Developers

[MacRumors]

Apple today seeded the fifth beta of an upcoming watchOS 5.1 update to developers, one week after seeding the fourth watchOS 5.1 beta and more than 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.

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 feature 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 new Apple Watch Series 4 models, with users able to choose between dozens of shades. There's also a filled-in circular color option for older Apple Watch models that joins the standard Color clock face.

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.

For additional details on watchOS 5 and what was introduced in the new software, make sure to check out our watchOS 5 roundup.

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

 

[hlfway2anywhere]

But does it have a messages complication for the infograph face?

 

[Akrapovic]

It'd be nice if the older watches could have a full screen color (like the S4 has) but just round the corners off so it's not a square. Software radius on them.

 

[Internet Enzyme]

It'd be nice if the older watches could have a full screen color (like the S4 has) but just round the corners off so it's not a square. Software radius on them.

I suppose you could do that yourself with the Photos watch face? But yeah the exclusivity of full screen faces is a bit pointedly lazy and not entirely justified

 

[dingle19]

But does it have a messages complication for the infograph face?

SERIOUSLY! I've been baffled as to why that complication was omitted from the most overly "complicated" watch face ever.

 

[Akrapovic]

I suppose you could do that yourself with the Photos watch face? But yeah the exclusivity of full screen faces is a bit pointedly lazy and not entirely justified

Excuse my ignorance as I haven't used the photo face. Does that support analogue hands? Or is it digital only? I really should explore some of the more unusual options in the watch app.

 

[menace3]

SERIOUSLY! I've been baffled as to why that complication was omitted from the most overly "complicated" watch face ever.

Hell I purchased the Nike versiona nd I cannot not even place the Nike complication on the Infograph. Beyond ridiculous. Oh well, just go the extra step and open after scrolling the apps

 

[markgpearse]

What abou iCloud sync with Messages

 

[Internet Enzyme]

Excuse my ignorance as I haven't used the photo face. Does that support analogue hands? Or is it digital only? I really should explore some of the more unusual options in the watch app.

The photos face is digital. To do what you'd want would require some photoshop experience but it really wouldnt be very hard to create a custom image

 

[TheOtherJFK]

I was hoping WatchOS 5.1 would have the EKG app. Guess not..

 

[dingle19]

hoping the next WWDC will introduce the Watch OS SDK open API for devs. We need some more creative and app-specific watch integration

 

[spazzcat]

I was hoping WatchOS 5.1 would have the EKG app. Guess not..

Guessing Apple can turn this on at anytime...

 

[chfilm]

Things that are urgently missing from watch OS at this point:
-AirPlay control support for Siri “play music in the living room”
-Some system complications on the new watchfaces like messages, maps or remote app. Why on earth did they forget to implement these BASIC complications on the new watch faces?

 

[spazzcat]

Things that are urgently missing from watch OS at this point:
-AirPlay control support for Siri “play music in the living room”
-Some system complications on the new watchfaces like messages, maps or remote app. Why on earth did they forget to implement these BASIC complications on the new watch faces?

Most likely these apps are managed by different teams, and those teams had no idea of the changes until they were announced, Apple keeps things a secret even internally. I don't see these getting added until 5.2 or later...

 

[chfilm]

Most likely these apps are managed by different teams, and those teams had no idea of the changes until they were announced, Apple keeps things a secret even internally. I don't see these getting added until 5.2 or later...

Unbelievable if this was what’s been going on. I mean cmon, those are basic functions. I guess the same goes for the team that manages Siri and the team that manages airplay, and the team that manages HomeKit- the fact that it’s not possible to automate certain airplay speakers through home or the watch- aaaaargh!

 

[magicschoolbus]

Apple has been treating the watch like the step child of the lineup.. it's like, they say it has all of these great features and then the watch does not ship with its biggest feature.. and no messages app on most of the new watch faces? If this thing didn't have a bigger screen it would be a harder sale over the S3 because it might be a little faster; but half of the features that were promised do not even work yet and you can't even check messages (something the S3 can do from any face you want) from the watch face.

 

[Grayburn]

and no messages app on most of the new watch faces? If this thing didn't have a bigger screen it would be a harder sale over the S3 because it might be a little faster; but half of the features that were promised do not even work yet and you can't even check messages (something the S3 can do from any face you want) from the watch face.

What features don't work then, the only one for me is ECG and let's not get it twisted here, the Messages complication is not available on the 2 Infograph faces, 2 faces..not most.

 

[ELman]

But does it have a messages complication for the infograph face?

The Podcast complication would be nice also.

 

[DoctorTech]

I was hoping WatchOS 5.1 would have the EKG app. Guess not..

Agreed. That was a major reason why I upgraded to the Series 4. Hopefully that feature will be enabled soon.

 

[honglong1976]

I wish it was possible to download podcasts and play through the apple watch speaker. It would be useful as I could play a podcast before I fall asleep.