Apple Seeds Second Beta of watchOS 3 to Developers

Apple today seeded the second beta of an upcoming watchOS 3 update to developers for testing purposes, roughly three weeks after first unveiling watchOS 3 at its 2016 Worldwide Developers Conference.

The second watchOS 3 beta can be downloaded through the dedicated Apple Watch app on an iPhone 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 3 introduces significant changes to the operating system that runs on the Apple Watch. A new dock, accessible by pressing the side button, replaces Glances and houses 10 favorite first and third-party apps. Apps on the dock are kept continually up to date and are stored in memory for instant launching.


Activity Sharing options allow Apple Watch owners to share workout and activity information with friends, and there are new options for Wheelchair users. A Breathe app guides users through daily deep breathing sessions, an Apple Watch can unlock a Mac, and Apple has added apps for Reminders, Find My Friends, and accessing one's heartbeat.

Watch faces support more complications, there are three new watch faces to choose from, including a new Activity watch face, and an SOS feature will make sure an option to get help in an emergency is always right at your fingertips. On the iPhone, there's a new Face Gallery for customizing Apple Watch faces, and watchOS 3 allows the Apple Watch to be located via Find My iPhone.

For full details on the new features coming in watchOS 3, which will be released to the public this fall, make sure to check out our watchOS 3 roundup.

Related Roundup: Apple Watch 10
Buyer's Guide: Apple Watch (Buy Now)

Popular Stories

Generic iOS 18

Apple Announces iOS 18.2 Launching Today With These New Features

Wednesday December 11, 2024 5:23 am PST by
Apple has announced that iOS 18.2, iPadOS 18.2, and macOS Sequoia 15.2 will be released today following more than six weeks of beta testing. For the iPhone 15 Pro and iPhone 16 models, the update introduces additional Apple Intelligence features, including Genmoji for creating custom emoji, Image Playground and Image Wand for generating images, and ChatGPT integration for Siri. There is also ...
iphone 17 pro concept render cameras

Major iPhone 17 Pro Redesign Backed by Supply Chain Info, Claims Leaker

Thursday December 12, 2024 4:36 am PST by
Next year's iPhone 17 Pro models will reportedly feature a major redesign, specifically centering around changes to the rear camera module, and now new supply chain information appears to confirm the striking change, according to a Chinese leaker. iPhone 17 Pro concept render Late last month, The Information's Wayne Ma claimed that the rear of the ‌iPhone 17‌ Pro and ‌iPhone 17‌ Pro...
m4 mac mini hands on

Cloud-Based M4 and M4 Pro Mac Mini Models Now Available

Wednesday December 11, 2024 7:34 am PST by
Developers now have access to cloud-based M4 and M4 Pro Mac mini units via MacWeb, a Silicon Valley-based provider of cloud services. The company has launched three configurations of the new Mac mini, powered by Apple's M4 and M4 Pro chips. Developers and IT teams can rent these machines for tasks ranging from basic development to advanced artificial intelligence modeling, providing an...
macOS Sequoia Night Feature

Apple Releases macOS Sequoia 15.2 With New Apple Intelligence Features

Wednesday December 11, 2024 10:02 am PST by
Apple today released macOS Sequoia 15.2, the second update to the macOS Sequoia operating system that was released in September. macOS Sequoia 15.2 comes over a month after the release of macOS Sequoia 15.1. Mac users can download the ‌macOS Sequoia‌ update through the Software Update section of System Settings. macOS Sequoia 15.2 adds Image Playground, an app that lets you create...
apple tv purple

New Apple TV and HomePod Mini Launching in 2025

Thursday December 12, 2024 10:39 am PST by
Apple plans to refresh both the Apple TV and the HomePod mini in 2025 as part of a major push into refreshing its smart home product offerings, reports Bloomberg's Mark Gurman. In a report on an upcoming Apple-designed Bluetooth and Wi-Fi chip, Gurman says that the chip will be introduced in a new Apple TV and HomePod mini that are "scheduled" for 2025. While there is no exact timeline...
macbook air m2 13 inch

macOS Sequoia 15.2 Confirms New M4 MacBook Air Models Are Coming

Wednesday December 11, 2024 10:54 am PST by
Apple today made a mistake with its macOS Sequoia 15.2 update, releasing the software for two Macs that have yet to be launched. There is a software file for "Mac16,12" and "Mac16,13," which are upcoming MacBook Air models. The leaked software references the "MacBook Air (13-inch, M4, 2025)" and the "MacBook Air (15-inch, M4, 2025)," confirming that new M4 MacBook Air models are in...
maxresdefault

Apple Releases iOS 18.2 and iPadOS 18.2 With Genmoji, Image Playground, Siri ChatGPT and More

Wednesday December 11, 2024 10:03 am PST by
Apple today released iOS 18.2 and iPadOS 18.2, the second major updates to the iOS 18 and iPadOS 18 updates that came out in September. The new updates come over a month after Apple released iOS 18.1 and iPadOS 18.1. Subscribe to the MacRumors YouTube channel for more videos. The new software can be downloaded on eligible iPhones and iPads over-the-air by going to Settings > General >...

Top Rated Comments

tigertazz Avatar
110 months ago
Ugh. I'm not a fan of glances, but not happy they've removed it. I used it to easily swipe up and see the music playing from on my phone to easily pause/ffwd/change volume. Is this ability now more work to get to or removed completely?
Just keep the music app as one of your permanent dock items and it'll always be there at just a click of the side button.
Score: 4 Votes (Like | Disagree)
Eorlas Avatar
110 months ago
I wish they had a public beta. :(
I'd update it in a heartbeat!
I hope not a heartbeat. Remember, you can't revert OS upgrades for the watch if something goes wrong, unless you take it to the Apple store and have it sent out for help.
Score: 4 Votes (Like | Disagree)
mavis Avatar
110 months ago
Update not showing up for me, says up to date
Same here. Tried rebooting both phone and watch ...
Score: 2 Votes (Like | Disagree)
Michael Goff Avatar
110 months ago
By the way, does anyone know what magic I need to do to get the OS update to show up?
Score: 2 Votes (Like | Disagree)
Michael Goff Avatar
110 months ago
Ugh. I'm not a fan of glances, but not happy they've removed it. I used it to easily swipe up and see the music playing from on my phone to easily pause/ffwd/change volume. Is this ability now more work to get to or removed completely?
You can put now playing in the dock
Score: 1 Votes (Like | Disagree)
Feenician Avatar
110 months ago
What is the build number for beta 2?
14S5278d
Score: 1 Votes (Like | Disagree)