Will Apple push OS updates to the watch?

[NOLF1]

Hi all-

Will Apple push operating system (OS) updates periodically to the watch? Did they setup the watch for this to be possible? If so, this would likely be a great way to increase features overtime on the watch before it reaches end of life.

Just to be clear, just as you have iOS version 7, 8, etc.... I'm assuming the watch comes with Watch OS (or whatever they are calling it internally) 1.0, and, presumably, it could be flashed later to 1.5, 2.0, etc?

 

[KauaiBruce]

I would guess it would have to work like the Pebble. First you update the watch app on your phone and then the iPhone version updates the watch. That way they match each other perfectly.

 

[Bryan Bowler]

There absolutely will be software updates. And there will be apps. I'm unsure if they will be downloaded from iTunes to the Watch, or if they will go from your iPhone to the Watch...but either way, updates and new apps will flow to the Watch!

Bryan

 

[Armen]

I would guess it would have to work like the Pebble. First you update the watch app on your phone and then the iPhone version updates the watch. That way they match each other perfectly.

There is one problem here. The iPhone app is baked into iOS which means the only way the Apple watch app will get an update would be if iOS get's an update.

 

[KauaiBruce]

There is one problem here. The iPhone app is baked into iOS which means the only way the Apple watch app will get an update would be if iOS get's an update.

WHY? Apps update independent of the IOS all the time. Just because it is baked in does not mean it could not be updated. They COULD also create a mechanism where they just need to update the watch version software and the 'un-updated' app would know to refresh the watch software just like it would know to upload apps we have moved to the phone.

HOPEFULLY it is solid enough not to need that many software updates.

 

[Mascots]

Nah, while the companion app is built into iOS, WatchOS is completely independent.

My guess is that they'll push and handle updates on iPhone, through the companion app. If the updates are small enough, they'll be stored and performed directly on the  Watch, if not, the iPhone will do the heavy lifting and move updated files wirelessly.

 

[Armen]

WHY? Apps update independent of the IOS all the time. Just because it is baked in does not mean it could not be updated. They COULD also create a mechanism where they just need to update the watch version software and the 'un-updated' app would know to refresh the watch software just like it would know to upload apps we have moved to the phone.

HOPEFULLY it is solid enough not to need that many software updates.

Native iOS apps (Phone, Messages, Mail, Calendar, Notes, Stocks etc) only get updated when iOS is updated. They cannot be independently updated as they do not show up in the Appstore. The Apple watch app is also native given the fact that you cannot delete/remove it.

If Apple is going to push updates to the apple watch from the apple watch app that means the app has to have some kind of updatable database or something that can do this without updating the app itself (not sure how that will work).

Looking forward I'm expecting a lot of iOS 9 builds: Some to address iOS 9 issues and some to address Apple watch issues unless Apple packages them both together as a single iOS update.

 

[Mascots]

If Apple is going to push updates to the apple watch from the apple watch app that means the app has to have some kind of updatable database or something that can do this without updating the app itself (not sure how that will work).

Nah, they already have the available APIs to access that data abstracting those parts out - many apps can use them now - and others are a given to reduce ridigity of your programming. Versions would not need to match perfectly, though up to date guarantees all features and falling into depreciation means lack of or broken components, like what you're thinking.

Edit: saying nah a lot tonight, dunno what's up with that...

 

[KauaiBruce]

I did not know that much detail about how they did the implementation. However the retired software guy in me says they COULD have a way to update the watch without an IOS update.

 

[Armen]

I did not know that much detail about how they did the implementation. However the retired software guy in me says they COULD have a way to update the watch without an IOS update.

I'll be cheering if this is the case. I'd rather not wait for an iOS update

 

[KauaiBruce]

Give me 3 hours to read a full copy of their source code. IF they did not put in a way to do that I could figure out how to make it work after the NEXT os update.

(I cannot imagine their software was designed so poorly that they could not make such a change if needed.)

BUT: I am not expecting the watch to be buggy at all so do not expect lots of updates other than that one stupid thing that comes up when a million people are suddenly using it.

 

[virginblue4]

Hi all-



Will Apple push operating system (OS) updates periodically to the watch? Did they setup the watch for this to be possible? If so, this would likely be a great way to increase features overtime on the watch before it reaches end of life.



Just to be clear, just as you have iOS version 7, 8, etc.... I'm assuming the watch comes with Watch OS (or whatever they are calling it internally) 1.0, and, presumably, it could be flashed later to 1.5, 2.0, etc?

I would guess it would have to work like the Pebble. First you update the watch app on your phone and then the iPhone version updates the watch. That way they match each other perfectly.

There absolutely will be software updates. And there will be apps. I'm unsure if they will be downloaded from iTunes to the Watch, or if they will go from your iPhone to the Watch...but either way, updates and new apps will flow to the Watch!



Bryan

There is one problem here. The iPhone app is baked into iOS which means the only way the Apple watch app will get an update would be if iOS get's an update.

Based on this image of the Apple watch companion app, I see no reason why the app itself would need an update to be able to push an update to the Apple Watch.

 

[KauaiBruce]

Looks good and makes sense.