Apple has released public beta 3 for macOS Sequoia, iPadOS 18, tvOS 18, and watchOS 11. Today’s update brings with it a variety of improvements and new features, especially on the Mac and iPad. Here’s everything that’s new.
Expand Expanding Close
Today Apple has released new developer betas for its full lineup of software platforms. Joining the latest betas for macOS Sequoia and iOS 18 and iPadOS 18, Apple has released beta 5 for visionOS 2, tvOS 18, and watchOS 11.
Expand Expanding Close
The Apple Watch was supposed to get a small update this year. With much of Apple’s attention focused on Apple Intelligence and other iOS 18 upgrades, plus last year bringing us the big watchOS 10 update, expectations were for an underwhelming watchOS 11 release.
After a month of use, however, I’ve found that there are several watchOS 11 features that make a big difference to the Apple Watch experience—maybe even more than last year’s update did.
Here are the three key watchOS features making the biggest impact for me.
Expand Expanding Close
watchOS 11 comes with a new “Vitals” app that aims to help users make better health and fitness decisions. Now Apple Health VP Dr. Sumbul Desai has shared why sleeping with Apple Watch will be needed to deliver the best understanding of your overall health with the Vitals app.
Expand Expanding Close
Ever since the Apple Watch first debuted nearly a decade ago, its signature feature has been the three Activity rings: move, exercise, and stand. “Close your rings” has been the motivational mantra of the device.
But what about when you’re ill? Or on vacation? Previously, any ring streaks you’d racked up would be lost if you missed a single day. Now, that’s finally changing in watchOS 11 with the addition of rest days.
Expand Expanding Close
Today Apple has made watchOS 11 available in its first public beta. This beta provides the new software features coming this fall to Apple Watch without the lengthy wait.
Here are instructions for how to download the public beta, and an overview of the new features it includes.
Expand Expanding Close
In addition to iOS 18 and iPadOS 18, Apple has also released new betas for the rest of its operating systems today. That includes watchOS 11 beta 3, visionOS 2 beta 3, and tvOS 18 beta 3.
Expand Expanding Close
The Apple Watch is getting upgraded with watchOS 11 this fall—but not all Apple Watch models. This year’s update drops support for several models that were compatible with watchOS 10, notably the Series 4 and 5 generations and the first-gen Apple Watch SE.
But that’s not even the full story. Even if your Watch is new enough to run watchOS 11, it may not get all of the update’s features. Here are the watchOS 11 features that are exclusive to select Watch hardware.
Expand Expanding Close
Sometimes you really have to hack around an Apple Watch face to make it feel like your own. For example, California. Using Shortcuts can also be helpful. In watchOS 11, my new fave is an off-label use of an updated face to create a watch face that otherwise wouldn’t exist.
Expand Expanding Close
Alongside new iOS 18 and macOS Sequoia betas, Apple has also released new betas for the rest of its operating systems today. That includes watchOS 11 beta 2, visionOS 2 beta 2, and tvOS 18 beta 2.
Expand Expanding Close
It was this month a year ago when I posed the question: Will the Siri face survive watchOS 10 and Apple Watch widgets?
To my knowledge, Apple has never retired a watch face. Some are hardware specific, others are redesigned, but watch faces don’t leave the Apple Watch. I think that’s why the Siri watch face still exists for now, but it will need some love to stay relevant.
As of watchOS 10, the Siri watch face is six versions old. It debuted with much potential and made steps toward realizing that potential before it stalled. Now there’s a new widget system on Apple Watch that turns the Siri watch face into an antique. It still has some uniqueness to it, but I’m not sure that will be the case this time next year.
Well, it’s “this time next year” now, and the Siri watch face on Apple Watch has not survived.
Expand Expanding Close
As we previously covered, watchOS 11 brings new fitness and health features to the Apple Watch. However, the update also comes with some welcome changes, such as the addition of Live Activities. First introduced with iOS 16, Live Activities are now coming to the Apple Watch with watchOS 11.
Expand Expanding Close
Among all the new software announced by Apple at WWDC 2024, the company unveiled watchOS 11 – the next version of the Apple Watch operating system. As we previously covered, it brings new fitness and health features, as well as Live Activities and a few other tweaks. But watchOS 11 is also bringing the Translate app to Apple Watch for the first time.
Expand Expanding Close
Apple in its WWDC keynote outlined everything new coming to the Apple Watch in this fall’s watchOS 11 release. Among the standout new features are new Activity ring options like rest days and custom daily goals, a Vitals app, and more.
Developer beta 1 of watchOS 11 is available for download now, and you don’t actually have to be a developer to install it. Here is how you can get access to watchOS 11 on your Apple Watch today:
Expand Expanding Close
Apple on Monday announced watchOS 11, the next major software update for Apple Watch. The update comes with new fitness and health features, as well as bringing Live Activities and the Translate app to Apple Watch. However, not every Apple Watch model is compatible with watchOS 11 – so read on to find out if your device is still supported.
Expand Expanding Close
Last year brought watchOS 10, one of the biggest updates for the Apple Watch yet. Today during the WWDC keynote, Apple announced the successor and this year’s major Watch release: watchOS 11.
watchOS 11 isn’t as feature-rich as its predecessor, but it does come with a number of useful improvements that will make your experience with the Apple Watch even better, especially focused on health and fitness.
Here’s what Apple’s latest Watch software will bring when it’s released this fall.
Expand Expanding Close
Next week’s WWDC is going to be all about software. iOS 18 will introduce a host of new AI capabilities dubbed ‘Apple Intelligence’ that are sure to be the star of the show.
Per a new report, however, watchOS 11 is surprisingly set to offer its own highly transformative feature for users. The catch? That feature will require this fall’s new Apple Watch to use it.
Expand Expanding Close