Apple Watch

Stay up-to-date on the latest Apple Watch news, and learn how to get the most out of your device with our comprehensive tutorials. From updates to features to troubleshooting tips, we’ve got you covered.

ExxonMobil expands Apple Pay support to Speedpass+ for Apple Watch app

Christian Zibreg ∙ May 5, 2017

Oil giant ExxonMobil introduced basic Apple Pay support within its mobile Speedpass+ app in March 2016, allowing customers to pay for fuel at approximately 6,000 gas stations nationwide. Yesterday, the company announced that customers can now pay for fuel and car washes using their Apple Watch and Apple Pay at over 10,000 Exxon and Mobil refueling stations across the United States.

Users must launch the Speedpass+ app on their watch and select the pump they're at to authorize it for payment. Next, press the Side button twice to invoke Apple Pay and approve the payment. You can start fueling up your vehicle.

Other new features available within the app include support for Touch ID app protection and Ford vehicles equipped with SYNC 3 technology to easily authorize payments, making it the first fuel payment connected car app in the United States.

Ford owners can additionally use the Speedpass+ app to check how much fuel is left in the tank when they are away from their car. Customers even have the option to apply for an ExxonMobil-branded credit card issued by Citibank from inside the app.

Once your application has been approved, the card will be automatically added as a payment option within the app, and you can start using it right away. For a limited time, new accounts shall receive a savings of 20 cents per gallon for the first two months, then six cents on every gallon after that, the company said.

ExxonMobil's app now supports several payment methods, including major credit cards, debit cards, ExxonMobil Smart Cards, Apple Pay and Samsung Pay.

ExxonMobile Speedpass+ for iOS is available for free on App Store.

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Google says Apple Watch support will be returning to Maps for iOS

Christian Zibreg ∙ May 2, 2017

Google has confirmed that it will be bringing back support for Apple Watch to the Maps app for iPhone and iPad at some point in the future. In a statement issued Tuesday to AppleInsider, a spokesperson for the search giant said: “We removed Apple Watch support from our latest iOS release, but expect to support it again in the future”.

The company provided no explanation for the removal of Apple Watch functionality from Maps for iOS, which went largely unnoticed because it wasn't mentioned in App Store release notes.

As we reported yesterday, recent updates to major iPhone apps like Google Maps, eBay, Amazon and Target came stripped of all Apple Watch support, perhaps indicating that watchOS features in them were not widely used.

Google brought its Maps app to Apple Watch in September 2015, with features like turn-by-turn driving, walking and transit directions for recently visited points of interest. The app lacked other features found in Apple's Maps for Apple Watch, such as no conventional map view and the inability to conduct searches without a tethered iPhone.

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Photoshoot: limited-edition Apple Watch NikeLab

Christian Zibreg ∙ Updated June 14, 2017

Apple and Nike recently announced Apple Watch NikeLab, basically a co-branded limited-xdition Apple Watch Series 2 using a Space Gray aluminum case paired with a new Light Bone band in a creamy color combination featuring black perforations. The device is arriving Thursday, April 27, and now Highsnobiety has posted some pretty gorgeous hands-on photos ahead of tomorrow's release.

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The best Augmented Reality apps for iPhone

Steffen Reich ∙ Updated January 28, 2019

More often than not, the term Augmented Reality still has that elusive, techy ring to it, particularly when brought up in conjunction with Apple’s purported eyewear project. Curiously, many of us have it down as tomorrow’s technology rather than today’s, when the truth is that AR apps have populated the App Store for years.

While some of these apps are admittedly not much more than shoddy tech demos, separating the wheat from the chaff actually produces some really cool apps conceived to boost your business, creativity or simply keep you entertained in novel ways. With the preamble out of the way, here are the best Augmented Reality apps for iPhone available today.

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Fourth betas of iOS 10.3.2, macOS Sierra 10.12.5, watchOS 3.2.2 & tvOS 10.2.1 now available

Christian Zibreg ∙ April 24, 2017

Apple on Monday issued fourth betas of what would become maintenance and bug-fix updates to its four major software platforms: iOS, macOS Sierra, watchOS and tvOS. Members of the Apple Developer Program can now deploy iOS 10.3.2 beta 4 (build 14F5086a), macOS Sierra 10.12.5 beta 4 (build 16F67a), watchOS 3.2.2 beta 4 (build 14V5485a) and tvOS 10.2.1 beta 4 (build 14W5583a) through the Software Update mechanism.

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Apple Watch Series 3 may rock thinner, lighter & power sipping micro-LED display

Christian Zibreg ∙ April 21, 2017

Apple's secret research and development lab in Taiwan has been researching an emerging micro-LED display technology since at least 2015. A new report today by Business Korea alleges that an advanced micro-LED display could make its debut on the next Apple Watch, replacing flexible OLED panels of its predecessors (DigiTimes was first to report on such a possibility in June 2016). micro-LED displays are thinner, lighter and more energy-efficient than OLED or LCD screens.

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Close those rings: Apple issues Earth Day 2017 activity challenge

Christian Zibreg ∙ April 20, 2017

In addition to teaming up with World Wildlife Fund on a praiseworthy money-raising initiative, Apple is also honoring Earth Day 2017 with a new activity challenge for Apple Watch owners. MacStories, which first spotted Apple's notification, explains that Apple Watch owners are being challenged to complete at least half an hour workout on Saturday to earn a new medal in the Activity app and unlock special iMessage stickers.

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Limited edition Apple Watch NikeLab launching next Thursday

Christian Zibreg ∙ April 20, 2017

Launching a week from today, a new Apple Watch variant created in partnership with Nike pairs a Space Gray Apple Watch Series 2 aluminum case with a strap featuring a new creamy color and black perforations (they're calling this color combo “Light Bone”). Marketed as Apple Watch NikeLab, this limited-edition version of the wearable device will be available on nike.com, at NikeLab doors and at an Apple Tokyo popup store in Isetan beginning next Thursday, April 27.

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Apple posts third betas of iOS 10.3.2, macOS Sierra 10.12.5, watchOS 3.2.2 and tvOS 10.2.1

Christian Zibreg ∙ April 17, 2017

Apple on Monday issued third betas of what would become maintenance and bug-fix updates to iOS, macOS Sierra, watchOS and tvOS. Members of the Apple Developer Program can now deploy iOS 10.3.2 beta 3 (build 14F5080a), macOS Sierra 10.12.5 beta 3 (build 16F60a), watchOS 3.2.2 beta 3 (build 14V5480a) and tvOS 10.2.1 beta 3 (build 14W5578b) through the Software Update mechanism.

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How to call your destination when using the Maps app on Apple Watch

Steffen Reich ∙ April 13, 2017

It’s the little shortcuts Apple Watch can provide in life that make wearing the device oh so rewarding at times. The most prominent ones have certainly saturated Apple’s marketing and most corners of the internet by now, still many smaller tricks are hardly covered simply because they can be so darn hard to find.

The following one certainly falls into that category, as I had never heard or read about it before, and I frankly came across it by pure chance. If you have to hit the roads regularly and rely on Apple Maps and your watch to get to your destination, it’s a deft shortcut that makes sure you can keep your eyes on the road at all times - even if you need to make a phone call to the place you are currently headed!

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New app being developed would finally bring Spotify onto Apple Watch

Christian Zibreg ∙ April 12, 2017

There's a new app in the works that would finally bring Spotify onto Apple Watch. Called Snowy and created by developer Andrew Chang, it will permit Apple Watch owners to play their favorite Spotify tracks, browse playlists, access a Now Playing screen via a complication and more.

According to Chang's recent update on Reddit, Spotify will be working with him to add Apple Watch functionality and playlist syncing into its mainland iPhone and iPad app.

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