Apple Releases watchOS 3.1.1 With Bug Fixes, Performance Improvements and New Emoji

Apple today released a new software update for the Apple Watch, upgrading watchOS 3.1 to watchOS 3.1.1. The watchOS 3.1.1 update comes more than two months after thewatchOS 3 was provided to the public in September and marks the second update to the operating system. watchOS 3.1.1 has been in testing since October 31.

watchOS 3.1.1 can be downloaded through the dedicated Apple Watch app on the 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 charger, and it must be in range of the iPhone. An iPhone running iOS 10 or later is required to download the new software, but it is available for all Apple Watch models.

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No major outward-facing changes were discovered in watchOS 3.1.1 during the beta testing period, suggesting it focuses on bug fixes and performance improvements. watchOS 3.1.1 does support the new Unicode 9 emoji that have been introduced in iOS 10.2 and it includes a new feature for changing the skin tone of emoji. A full list of bug fixes is below:

- Fixes an issue that could prevent contact names from appearing in the Messages app and notifications
- Fixes an issue that could impact ability to respond to notifications
- Resolves an issue where the Stocks complication may not update on the watch face
- Fixes an issue that may prevent the Activity rings from displaying on the Activity watch faces
- Fixes an issue that prevented the dials on an analog watch face from appearing after changing the temperature unit in the Weather app
- Resolves an issue that could cause the Maps app to stay launched after navigation has ended
- Resolves an issue where the incorrect date could be displayed in the Calendar app month view

watchOS 3 completely overhauls the interface on the Apple Watch, introducing a dedicated app dock, instant launch apps, new watch faces, and new complication options. There are new Activity sharing features, a "Breathe" app guides users through deep breathing sessions, and an SOS feature can automatically call emergency service.

For more details on what's new in watchOS 3, make sure to check out our watchOS 3 roundup.

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Top Rated Comments

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The Game 161

26 months ago

please make this fix my apple watch just randomly just switching off and on again....

Rating: 8 Votes

Runkel

26 months ago

I don't even get excited about OS Updates anymore. It's all about emoji.

BS!

It's all about security updates and bug fixes, and that should be something you have to be excited about. No other smartphone/tablet company will provide updates that fast to the entire product lineup.

Emojis are something, Apple will implement referencing to the Unicode Standard. They have to implement them.
You should blame the media, that they will only talk about Emoji and not about fixed security, bugs and features.

Rating: 7 Votes

jonnysods

26 months ago

I want to update this but I think I'll wait to hear how you guys out there are experiencing it. I'm so satisfied with 3.1 I don't want to break it! Battery life is off the hook.

Rating: 6 Votes

jwm

26 months ago

I hope this doesn't screw-up the great battery life. I'm getting almost 3 days at the moment.

Rating: 4 Votes

wolfshades

26 months ago

Battery life (in 3.1) is off the hook.

Man, is it ever. This is my first Apple Watch and I can't believe how much battery is still left at the end of the day. Consistently above 50%, often above 70%.

Rating: 3 Votes

coolbreeze

26 months ago

It takes like an hour on the series 2. It isn't "stuck." Just go outside and watch the birds while it does its thing.

Rating: 3 Votes

JayTay

26 months ago

Next genius appointment is Thursday so at least not as bad as some here who are waiting a week or more.

I have seen a few people on Reddit say that apparently the Stores can't do anything other than send it off so you may want to contact Apple Support directly to arrange a mail in (or Express Replacement if you have AppleCare+).

Rating: 2 Votes

profets

26 months ago

mine has been installing for the last hour and a half... seems stuck after the full circle of progress has completed....

Me too! [emoji33]

Stuck in Apple white logo [emoji29]

Mine is stuck too, has been for over an hour. Series 2

yeah my S2 as well. full circle but still not making any progress.

It takes like an hour on the series 2. It isn't "stuck." Just go outside and watch the birds while it does its thing.

great advice... mine says now "www.apple.com/help/watch ('http://www.apple.com/help/watch')" and a red exclamation mark ..
THANK YOU

Edit: Apparently I can send mine back to apple now. Man... barely had it a week. and waited almost and a month for it and now that... Such an idiotic advice

Tried to update to 3.1.1, now my watch is bricked with the red exclamation point. No genius bar appointments this week. Sucks.

Mine's bricked as well.
Have to send it it. :(

Same with me. Waited 5 hours (update circle on Apple Watch was completed). Did a force restart now it's bricked. Nice one.

So the only way is to go the Apple Store?

WOW - Came here to post how my Series 2 failed to update and is now bricked with the red exclamation mark. I guess I'm not alone!

I let it start when I went to sleep. Saw the circle slowly progressing. Then the whole night whenever I opened my eyes it was on the circle. When I woke up, 7 hours later, I held power button to see what it was doing and it rebooted to the red exclamation mark. WTF.

Rating: 2 Votes

TheAustrianGuy

26 months ago

To those with bricked watches: How long since you last rebooted the watch? I always reboot my devices before an update (also close all apps on the iPhone/iPad before the reboot), let it sit for 5 min after the reboot to make sure all services are running properly and no indexing is going on, and then start the update.

Never had an issue.

(I also reboot my devices about once a week, or when I feel it's necessary or I just have time (an old habit from my Windows times :p), and do the same for my wife's and mom's devices when I think it's been a while.)

Rating: 2 Votes

adamjackson

26 months ago

I don't even get excited about OS Updates anymore. It's all about emoji.

Rating: 2 Votes

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