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.

Video walkthrough: Emergency SOS, Activity Sharing & more in watchOS 3 beta 2

Christian Zibreg ∙ Updated April 25, 2023

A second beta of watchOS 3 released last week alongside iOS 10 beta 2, macOS Sierra beta 2 and tvOS 10 beta 2. Having posted our video walkthroughs and detailed overviews of what's new in iOS 10 beta 2 and macOS Sierra beta 2, my colleague Andrew and I now get to take a closer look at everything new in watchOS 3 beta 2.

watchOS 3 beta 2 is not as feature-packed a release as the second beta of iOS 10, but still includes some major new features not found in prior betas, like Auto Unlock, Emergency SOS and Activity Sharing. We also detail a few smaller, useful enhancements in the stock Activity and Workout apps and some related new options added to the companion Watch app on the iPhone.

Blind Apple engineer describes advancing Accessibility features for the blind

Christian Zibreg ∙ July 11, 2016

Mashable yesterday ran an interesting profile on 22-year-old Jordyn Castor, an Apple engineer who works on the company's Accessibility team. Aside from other tidbits, the story reveals that Apple employs Accessibility engineers who themselves are users of those features as Castor has been blind since birth.

Rumor: Google developing two Wear smartwatches with circular displays

Christian Zibreg ∙ July 8, 2016

Android Police ran a story two days ago, that's now picking up traction, learning from supposedly reliable sources that Google is secretly developing a pair of smartwatches—code-named “Angelfish” and “Swordfish”—that will run its latest Android Wear software, have circular displays and more.

One of the devices, ”Angelfish”, is said to have a subdued but sporty look and include a built-in heart rate sensor, embedded LTE cellular connectivity and GPS for truly standalone operation.

macOS Sierra preview: Auto Unlock your Mac with your Apple Watch

Christian Zibreg ∙ Updated April 25, 2023

Auto Unlock, a new feature in macOS Sierra, gives you instant access to your Mac when you’re wearing an Apple Watch. As its marketing name suggest, Auto Unlock is seamless. You simply wake your Mac from sleep while wearing your watch, and boom—just like that, you’re logged in and ready to go, no password typing required. Here's our entertaining video walkthrough of Auto Unlock and a detailed overview of the feature for those interested in its inner workings and intricacies.

Apple seeds watchOS 3 beta 2 to registered developers

Christian Zibreg ∙ July 5, 2016

In addition to the new iOS 10, tvOS 10 and macOS Sierra betas, Apple on Tuesday also pushed a second beta of watchOS 3 (build number “14S5278d”) for the Apple Watch to members of the Apple Developer Program. An over-the-air update is available via the companion Watch app on a paired iPhone running an iOS 10 beta.

Night Shift mode could be coming to Mac, Apple Watch and CarPlay

Christian Zibreg ∙ July 4, 2016

Night Shift mode, a new iOS 9.3 feature which helps users get a good night’s sleep by reducing the amount of blue light emitted from a backlight of their iOS device as the sun sets, could be coming to the Mac, the Apple Watch and even to Apple's CarPlay infotainment system, Patently Apple writes.

A trademark application for “Computer software for controlling computer and mobile device display screens,” filed with the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO), specifically covers smartphones (the iPhone), computers (the Mac), smartwatches (Apple Watch) and cars (CarPlay) while also mentioning things like styluses, batteries, radios, integrated circuits and even fire extinguishers, which is normal for these types of trademarks.

watchOS 3 tidbit: adjusting how long apps stay active on wrist raise

Christian Zibreg ∙ July 1, 2016

Before watchOS 3, Apple Watch owners had two options at their disposal when it came to waking the device and using apps. In watchOS 2 and earlier, you could adjust how long the Apple Watch display stayed awake when you tap to wake it (15 or 70 seconds) and what you wanted your device to be awoken to.

Prior watchOS versions defaulted to waking up to the current watch face but could optionally be told to return to where you were before the watch went to sleep. In watchOS 3, options for apps have been expanded.

You can now select how long third-party apps show on the Apple Watch screen when you raise your wrist with three additional options at your disposal.

watchOS 3 preview: new watch faces on your wrist & Face Gallery on iPhone

Christian Zibreg ∙ June 29, 2016

After telling you about the improved performance and more intuitive navigation in the Apple Watch software, our watchOS 3 Preview series continues with an overview of three new watch faces that have been added to watchOS 3 and a brand new Face Gallery feature found in the companion Watch app on iOS 10.

watchOS 3 also lets you launch more apps from faces like Workout, Music and Messages.

And as a cherry on top, you can now use complications on faces that previously didn't support them, like Photo, Motion and Timelapse.

Apple’s fitness guru talks Breathe app and bringing meditation to your wrist

Christian Zibreg ∙ June 27, 2016

Jay Blahnik, Apple's Director of Fitness and Health technologies who was a Nike contract athlete and consultant for over eighteen years, sat down with BuzzFeed News reporter Stephanie Lee three days ago to discuss an interesting addition to the Apple Watch's arsenal of health-focused software technologies: the new Breathe app in watchOS 3.

Check out rainbow Apple Watch strap Apple gave to employees

Christian Zibreg ∙ June 27, 2016

Showing support for gay rights, Apple employees who over the weekend participated in San Francisco’s LGBT Pride festival were treated to a custom rainbow strap for the Apple Watch. Reddit user 'Sakusuhon' kindly posted an image of the limited-edition rainbow-colored strap Apple included along with a greeting card to show its appreciation for those who attended the San Francisco event.

Rumor: Apple Watch 2 has GPS, is more waterproof and tracks swimming

Christian Zibreg ∙ June 27, 2016

A second generation Apple Watch is rumored to embed not only cellular connection for network connectivity without its paired iPhone, but also a dedicated GPS for accurate workout logging without the need to carry the handset. That's assuming you believe a sketchy report published this morning by 9to5Mac and credited to an anonymous source with unproven track record.

The same source also said that the Workout app on the Apple Watch 2 would gain the ability to track swimming.

iPhone 7 rumor: Home button with haptic feedback, Apple Watch-like Space Black variant

Christian Zibreg ∙ June 27, 2016

Remember the iPhone 5's Darth Vader-like black appearance? It's still my favorite iPhone colorway even though Apple has since moved to a more subdued Space Gray finish for subsequent models. Mac Otakara, the Japanese publication which claimed the iPhone 7 would come in a new Deep Blue variant, has now backtracked on the report, saying the device would include a Space Black colorway akin to the Apple Watch.