Apple Seeds Sixth Beta of New watchOS 4 Operating System to Developers

Apple today seeded the sixth beta of an upcoming watchOS 4 update to developers, one week after seeding the fifth beta and more than two months after introducing the watchOS 4 update at its 2017 Worldwide Developers Conference.

Once the proper configuration profile has been installed from the Apple Developer Center, the new watchOS 4 beta 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 needs to have at least 50 percent battery, it must be placed on the charger, and it has to be in range of the iPhone.

watchOS 4 features three new watch faces, including a dedicated Siri watch face that displays dynamic information unique to each individual and is perhaps the most significant new feature in the update. There are also new complications for Now Playing and Apple News, and an enhanced Workout app that supports High Intensity Interval Training and new swimming options.

GymKit, a new technology platform, will let the Apple Watch interface with gym equipment for workout data sharing purposes, and the Activity app will offer up intelligent coaching and tailored workout encouragement along with new monthly activity challenges.

Many other small tweaks and changes have been introduced, all of which are outlined in our dedicated watchOS 4 roundup.

watchOS 4 is only available to developers and will not be provided to public beta testers, so non-developers need to wait until the software sees an official release in the fall to try it out.

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

Popular Stories

iPhone 17 Pro Blue Feature Tighter Crop

iPhone 17 Pro Launching Later This Year With These 13 New Features

Wednesday April 23, 2025 8:31 am PDT by
While the iPhone 17 Pro and iPhone 17 Pro Max are not expected to launch until September, there are already plenty of rumors about the devices. Below, we recap key changes rumored for the iPhone 17 Pro models as of April 2025: Aluminum frame: iPhone 17 Pro models are rumored to have an aluminum frame, whereas the iPhone 15 Pro and iPhone 16 Pro models have a titanium frame, and the iPhone ...
iphone 17 dummies sonny dickson

iPhone 17 Air Almost as Thin as Its Buttons, New Images Show

Thursday April 24, 2025 2:14 am PDT by
If you missed the video showing dummy models of Apple's all-new super thin iPhone 17 Air that's expected later this year, Sonny Dickson this morning shared some further images of the device in close alignment with the other dummy models in the iPhone 17 lineup, indicating just how thin it is likely to be in comparison. The iPhone 17 Air is expected to be around 5.5mm thick – with a thicker ...
iPhone 17 Air Pastel Feature

iPhone 17 Air Launching Later This Year With These 16 New Features

Thursday April 24, 2025 8:24 am PDT by
While the so-called "iPhone 17 Air" is not expected to launch until September, there are already plenty of rumors about the ultra-thin device. Overall, the iPhone 17 Air sounds like a mixed bag. While the device is expected to have an impressively thin and light design, rumors indicate it will have some compromises compared to iPhone 17 Pro models, including only a single rear camera, a...
AirPods Pro 3 Mock Feature

AirPods Pro 3 Just Months Away – Here's What We Know

Friday April 18, 2025 5:16 am PDT by
Despite being more than two years old, Apple's AirPods Pro 2 still dominate the premium wireless‑earbud space, thanks to a potent mix of top‑tier audio, class‑leading noise cancellation, and Apple's habit of delivering major new features through software updates. With AirPods Pro 3 widely expected to arrive in 2025, prospective buyers now face a familiar dilemma: snap up the proven...
iphone 17 air dummy unbox therapy

iPhone 17 Air's Extreme Thinness Demoed in New Video

Tuesday April 22, 2025 10:22 am PDT by
Apple plans to release an all-new super thin iPhone this year, debuting it alongside the iPhone 17, iPhone 17 Pro, and iPhone 17 Pro Max. We've seen pictures of dummy models, cases, and renders with the design, but Lewis Hilsenteger of Unbox Therapy today showed off newer dummy models that give us a better idea of just how thin the "iPhone 17 Air" will be. The iPhone 17 Air is expected to be ...
Global Close Your Rings Day Pin

Apple Stores Giving Away a Limited-Edition Pin For Free Today

Thursday April 24, 2025 10:15 am PDT by
Starting today, April 24, Apple Stores around the world are giving away a special pin for free to customers who request one, while supplies last. Photo Credit: Filip Chudzinski The enamel pin's design is inspired by the Global Close Your Rings Day award in the Activity app, which Apple Watch users can receive by closing all three Activity rings today. The limited-edition pin is the physical...
Apple Logo Spotlight Blue

White House Hits Back at Apple's Massive EU Fine

Thursday April 24, 2025 5:57 am PDT by
Apple's $570 million fine from the EU has triggered a sharp rebuke from the White House, which called the fine a form of economic extortion, Reuters reports. The fine was announced on Wednesday by the European Commission, following a formal investigation into Apple's compliance with the bloc's Digital Markets Act (DMA), a landmark piece of legislation aimed at curbing the market dominance of ...
ipad air magic keyboard feature

iPadOS 19 Rumored to Show Mac-Like Menu Bar When Connected to Magic Keyboard

Thursday April 24, 2025 12:09 pm PDT by
When an iPad running iPadOS 19 is connected to a Magic Keyboard, a macOS-like menu bar will appear on the screen, according to the leaker Majin Bu. This change would further blur the lines between the iPad and the Mac. Bloomberg's Mark Gurman previously claimed that iPadOS 19 will be "more like macOS," with unspecified improvements to productivity, multitasking, and app window management,...

Top Rated Comments

nutmac Avatar
101 months ago
Is it me or is watchOS 4 just underwhelming in terms of ideas and news?
Basically it's just a couple af new watchfaces. I have to admit I was hoping for a lot more.
And new watch faces are pretty underwhelming. Siri face has a potential to be very nice but not well executed in the current beta.

I would like:

* Improvements to existing watch faces, particularly two of my favorite faces, modular and utility.
* Automatically switch watch face based on location, day of week, and/or time.
* Smart complication. I don't want to dedicate certain area to certain complication all the time. watchOS should figure out which complication should be displayed based on the context (e.g., if I am listening to music or podcast, Now Playing complication, if I have a timer running, timer complication).
Score: 6 Votes (Like | Disagree)
Der Keyser Avatar
101 months ago
Is it me or is watchOS 4 just underwhelming in terms of ideas and news?
Basically it's just a couple af new watchfaces. I have to admit I was hoping for a lot more.
Score: 2 Votes (Like | Disagree)
wilef Avatar
101 months ago
Is it me or is watchOS 4 just underwhelming in terms of ideas and news?
Basically it's just a couple af new watchfaces. I have to admit I was hoping for a lot more.
Agreed, some small refinements, but nothing major.

A couple no-brainers I'd have liked to see:

1. Custom watch faces (let app developers release their own!)
2. Fitbit-like workouts (instead of a handful of prepackaged ones, detect workouts automatically and have a wider variety)
Score: 2 Votes (Like | Disagree)
ksnell Avatar
101 months ago
And new watch faces are pretty underwhelming. Siri face has a potential to be very nice but not well executed in the current beta.

I would like:

* Improvements to existing watch faces, particularly two of my favorite faces, modular and utility.
* Automatically switch watch face based on location, day of week, and/or time.
* Smart complication. I don't want to dedicate certain area to certain complication all the time. watchOS should figure out which complication should be displayed based on the context (e.g., if I am listening to music or podcast, Now Playing complication, if I have a timer running, timer complication).

Completely agree.

Smart complications/watch faces would be money. I do not need a Stocks complication when the market is closed and I do not need a workout complication when I am sitting at my desk during the day.
Score: 2 Votes (Like | Disagree)
Craiguyver Avatar
101 months ago
Is it me or is watchOS 4 just underwhelming in terms of ideas and news?
Basically it's just a couple af new watchfaces. I have to admit I was hoping for a lot more.
WatchOS 4 the perfect companion for the equally underwhelming iOS 11
Score: 1 Votes (Like | Disagree)
harriska2 Avatar
101 months ago
Agreed. As it is, I have three versions of the Modular watch face installed, and I swipe between them based on situation (at work, out and about, working out).
That's what I do too.
Score: 1 Votes (Like | Disagree)