Warning: watchOS 26 Beta 2 Crashes Apple's Expensive Hermès Watches

[MacRumors]

If you have an Hermès Apple Watch model, you're going to want to avoid installing watchOS 26 beta 2.

According to Apple's release notes for the update, the beta causes the Apple Watch Hermès to crash continually. Apple says that Hermès Apple Watch owners should not update to beta 2 at this time.

Installing watchOS 26 on a Hermès Apple Watch causes the watch to overheat, crash continually, and fail to charge, based on reports. It appears to be the Hermès Apple Watch face that is an issue.

Additionally, reports from MacRumors readers suggest that updating to iOS 26 beta 2 causes problems with the Hermès Apple Watches. Users have found that the Apple Watch app on iPhone will not open after installing iOS 26 beta 2 if there is a Hermès watch associated with the iPhone.

Unpairing a Hermès Apple Watch from an iOS 26 beta 2 device allows the Apple Watch app to open again, but attempting to re-pair the watch does not work.

Apple will likely address the issue in the next watchOS 26 and iOS 26 updates, but for now, if you have a Hermès Apple Watch and have not installed the latest developer betas, make sure not to do so.

Article Link: Warning: watchOS 26 Beta 2 Crashes Apple's Expensive Hermès Watches

 

[MacUserFella]

Who actually owns an Apple Watch Hermes?

 

[jlsm511]

Well that explains why my AW has kept dying

 

[Engender]

How is the Hermes different from the non-Hermes version, other than the casing and bracelet?

 

[Max Webb]

Well that explains why my AW has kept dying

Things that didn’t happen.

 

[Anonymous123]

Maybe it’s easier said than done, but shouldn’t Apple just not push out this update to those specific models then? Since it’s in the release notes then it sounds like they knew about the issue ahead of time.

But if it wasn’t included in the release notes until after it was already released, then hopefully they can pull it from being available for those models.

 

[DMG35]

Who actually owns an Apple Watch Hermes?

Lots of people, including me.

 

[axantas]

Who actually owns an Apple Watch Hermes?

If you do not - others might, because it is available...

WatchOS26 is not really a huge difference to the actual WatchOS - I tested it on a genuine AppleWatch. Nice, but it can wait...

 

[retrocool]

How is the Hermes different from the non-Hermes version, other than the casing and bracelet?

It is more expensive, and therefore better

 

[k1121j]

Who actually owns an Apple Watch Hermes?

All the people who are about to tell you. Also what so different that only these watches are affected.

 

[addamas]

Who is risking Beta on device which only rollback / reflash is via Apple (if even)?
Apple Watch is absolutely last device I would install Beta software without having Apple Store nearby...

 

[Nermal]

It is more expensive, and therefore better

It certainly crashes better

 

[rappr]

Why is it relevant that the watch is expensive? Isn’t crashing any watch equally as bad?

 

[goonie4life9]

It’s time to get pumped for the ALL NEW watchOS 26 Beta 2! This is the BEST, MOST POWERFUL version of watchOS 26 that Apple has ever released. And Apple didn’t stop there. For the first time ever, watchOS 26 Beta 2 is optimized for the Apple Watch Hermes!

 

[kitt9000]

Who actually owns an Apple Watch Hermes?

The Hermes subforums under Apple watch forums is one of the most active. Just saying..,

 

[stiligFox]

Man, the Hermes watch faces look so clean, I love them. But that price premium...! And I thought my Stainless Steel Series 7 was expensive...

 

[Dc73pdsgt137]

don't have the Hermes line of AW but yesterday I noticed that Beta 2 is screwing up my battery life on my watch. I took it off the charger at around 1215PM and when I got home at 615pm my watch battery was dead. Never had this happen before on my watch, series 10 46mm. checked battery health and shows 100% capacity. Unfortunately there is no way to see what apps are draining the battery con the watch like on the phone. concerning.

 

[minik]

Who actually owns an Apple Watch Hermes?

My Series 5 is a Hermès, sure it doesn’t support WatchOS 11 already. I love the Watch face and the bands.

 

[Exponent]

Who actually owns an Apple Watch Hermes?

I do. It was the only way to get an all-black stainless steel watch that matched my existing Apple black stainless steel link bracelet.

It was a little more than I wanted to spend, but it's a combination that works well. And I like the Hermes faces.

 

[repoman016]

Lots of people, including me.

View attachment 2523200

How do you tell the time with that watch face?!? /s

 

[CWallace]

How is the Hermes different from the non-Hermes version, other than the casing and bracelet?

The Hermès also have custom watch faces - which are what is causing the beta OS to crash per the report.

 

[nxt3]

How do you tell the time with that watch face?!? /s

> fashion be like

 

[nicolas17]

Maybe it’s easier said than done, but shouldn’t Apple just not push out this update to those specific models then?

If this was "crashes Apple Watch Ultra 2" they could easily disable it or go back to beta 1 for ProductType=Watch7,5 in the update server. Even "only on cellular Series 10" would be easy, since there's a different ProductType for cellular and non-cellular models, and for the two sizes.

But I'm not sure if the Hermes variant is identified in the update request at all. Even if it is, maybe it uses an identifier that they currently ignore, and they would need to modify the code of the update server to behave differently depending on that ID, and maybe by the time they're done testing and deploying the change to such critical server software, they'll have beta 3 out anyway.

Plus, I speculate that if this was on a public release they would pause the update for all models until they figure it out, but on a dev beta, they don't care as much. Developers are supposed to read the release notes before installing betas...

Since it’s in the release notes then it sounds like they knew about the issue ahead of time.

Note this warning was added to the release notes within the last hour or two, it wasn't there when beta2 was first released.

 

[ShadowYYZ]

Yep im cooked chat! Signed in just to post im affected series 10 Hermes and apple support glady express replacing another one since cant downgrade watch os… even after removing from find my can’t even open the app still nor delete showing its paired. First beta that “bricked” my device but hey glad it’s getting out there now.

 

[ShadowYYZ]

Lots of people, including me.

View attachment 2523200

It took them forever to add the 2nd hand onto that watch face. Sadly I was stoked to update to beta 2 thinking more but instead a non functional watch.