Apple Seeds Sixth Beta of WatchOS 2.2 to Developers

Monday March 7, 2016 8:56 AM PST by Juli Clover
watchos2Apple today seeded the sixth beta of an upcoming watchOS 2.2 update to developers, less than a week after seeding the fifth watchOS 2.2 beta and three months after releasing watchOS 2.1, the first major update to the watchOS 2 operating system that runs on the Apple Watch. watchOS 2.2 has been in testing since January 11.

The latest watchOS 2.2 beta can be downloaded through the dedicated Apple Watch app on an iPhone running the iOS 9.3 beta by going to General --> Software update. To install the update, the Apple Watch must have 50 percent battery, it must be placed on the Apple Watch charger, and it must be in range of the iPhone.

watchOS 2.2, along with iOS 9.3, introduces support for pairing multiple Apple Watches with a single iPhone. Both updates are required, with each watch running watchOS 2.2 and each iPhone running iOS 9.3. watchOS 2.2 also includes a revamped look for the built-in Maps app on the Apple Watch with access to the Nearby feature first introduced with iOS 9 and new buttons for quickly accessing directions to home and work.

There were no other obvious outward-facing changes introduced in the first five watchOS 2.2 betas aside from the changes to the Maps app, but the update undoubtedly includes under-the-hood performance updates and bug fixes to address issues that have been discovered since the release of watchOS 2.1. WatchOS 2.2 is expected to debut in the spring, perhaps at Apple's rumored March 21 event.

Related Roundups: Apple Watch, watchOS 4, watchOS 5
Tag: watchOS 2.2
Buyer's Guide: Apple Watch (Caution)
21 comments


Top Rated Comments

(View all)
Avatar
gsmornot
32 months ago

So Watch users, has this 2.2 update made your watch any faster?

Still wrestling with the temptation to buy one... trying to hold out until this supposed event in a week or two.

Mine is the same overall speed is has been since launch day. Some apps are faster to load since they are native now vs fully dependent on the iPhone but generally, the watch is what I consider slow. That said, 90% of the time the watch does not need to be anything else, slow is fine. The complications for example are limited (due to battery restrictions) to updates every half hour roughly so you don't need fast for such a slow update cycle. The time does not need speed, just needs to display along with most of the other "things" you look at via the watch. I hope the future models feature a faster processor because generally as you get used to something you want it faster each update. I do. 2.2 is not for speed, its for adding a new feature to maps and generally cleaning up code. (opinion). If you have a use of the watch now, try it. You can add multiple watches to your phone now so in the future you can keep this one and get a new one and have two for different uses.
Rating: 2 Votes
Avatar
h00ligan
32 months ago
If they can't magically make it twice as fast it doesn't matter. They were bullied into releasing this at least a year too early. Aside from notifications and some glances the watch is functionally useless die to speed issues. I can get my phone out. Unlock it. Open an app. And search or find whatever before an app loads on the watch.

Battery lasts well into a day or 24 hours. In some cases more. I'd take half the battery life for 50% more speed.

They also need to reduce the zoom
When you turn on redice motion - which is the only way to use this watch at a reasonable speed. It makes finding apps terrible.

Overall this is easily the worst apple
Product in the modern era.
Rating: 2 Votes
Avatar
gsmornot
32 months ago

That's what life's all about, right? :p

Maybe not all but it's good not being that guy.
Rating: 1 Votes
Avatar
SvP
32 months ago

Mine is the same ov...e two for different uses.

What a great answer. I wanted to + this. For the watch more than other devices it's the experience that matters: pick the right complications and you'll love knowing what you used to check in the weather app, traffic app or other things. The notifications will be fantastich if you have lots of "have to know but rarely act" messages; you can separate it from your mail making you not more productive: but better productive; way less screentime on your phone, too.

It is slow tho: i hope they'll optimize for the moments you want to do more than check the status, weather, traffic or bankaccount balance; the reason slowness doesn't bother me that much is that those things are usually what i grab my phone for :)

Battery life is easily one day, it'll make it to the next day also, until about 22:00. Full brightness, longest on-time. Tweaking the brightness and on-time it'll go for three days.
Rating: 1 Votes
Avatar
Mac 128
32 months ago


And in the real world people are very satisfied:

http://www.imore.com/six-months-after-launch-apple-watch-owners-remain-satisfied


Oh right, the Wristly study. The mysterious Watch devoted company that sprang up over night solely to conduct studies about Apple's new smartwatch product.

Never mind that it's a survey of 1,500 OPT-IN participants. In other words, pro-Apple watch enthusiasts. The participants found them. It in no way represents the "real world". And less than half worked outside the tech industry, and of those in the tech industry over 10% were developers for the watch!
Rating: 1 Votes
Avatar
blasto2236
32 months ago
Anyone else had problems installing the beta? I have the profile installed, and iOS 9.3 Beta installed on my paired iPhone, however the beta update never shows up in the Watch app under "General>Software Update". I have tried deleting and reinstalling the profile to no avail.
Rating: 1 Votes
[ Read All Comments ]