Apple Seeds Third Beta of watchOS 4.2 to Developers - MacRumors
Skip to Content

Apple Seeds Third Beta of watchOS 4.2 to Developers

Apple today seeded the third beta of an upcoming watchOS 4.2 update to developers for testing purposes, one week after releasing the second watchOS 4.2 beta and two weeks after releasing the watchOS 4.1 update.

Once the proper configuration profile has been installed from the Apple Developer Center, the new watchOS 4.2 beta can be downloaded through the dedicated Apple Watch app on the iPhone by going to General --> Software update.

watchos4
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 4.2 brings support for Apple Pay Cash, Apple's new peer-to-peer payment service that is designed to let users send money to one another. Apple Pay Cash can be used to send and receive money through the Messages app on the Apple Watch.

Aside from Apple Pay Cash, watchOS 4.2 appears to focus primarily on under-the-hood bug fixes and security updates.

Related Roundup: Apple Watch 12
Buyer's Guide: Apple Watch (Buy Now)
Related Forum: Apple Watch

Popular Stories

Surprise and Shine Live Coverage Article

Apple Event Live Blog: iPhone Duo, iPhone 18 Pro, and More

Wednesday September 9, 2026 9:10 am PDT by
Apple's "Surprise and Shine" event kicks off today at 10:00 a.m. Pacific Time, where we're expecting to see the foldable iPhone Duo, the iPhone 18 Pro and Pro Max, Apple Watch Series 12 and Ultra 4 models, new AirPods 5 earphones, and perhaps some other announcements. Apple is providing a live video stream on its website, on YouTube, and in the company's TV app across various platforms. We...
Apple Watch Ultra 2 Black Titanium

New Apple Watch Series 12 and Apple Watch Ultra 4 Features Revealed

Sunday August 30, 2026 7:54 am PDT by
Bloomberg's Mark Gurman today further outlined what to expect from the Apple Watch Series 12 and Apple Watch Ultra 4 set to be unveiled on September 9. While it was initially rumored that Touch ID may be coming to the Apple Watch this year, Gurman reiterated that he does not expect the Series 12 or Ultra 4 to have any major design changes compared to the current Series 11 and Ultra 3 models. ...
apple surprise and shine event

Apple Event Today: iPhone 18 Pro and iPhone Duo Cheat Sheet

Tuesday September 8, 2026 10:24 am PDT by
Apple's biggest event of the year is almost here, and all eyes are on Cupertino. With the first foldable iPhone expected to headline Apple's "Surprise and Shine" event on Wednesday, September 9, at 10:00 a.m. Pacific Time, the rumor mill has been running full throttle, fuelled by the biggest single design change in the life of the iPhone. To get you up to speed, here's a quick reference...

Top Rated Comments

iBreatheApple Avatar
115 months ago
I was excited for the Siri face but I don’t really understand it and it seems pretty useless.
Score: 3 Votes (Like | Disagree)
chfilm Avatar
115 months ago
Hopefully series 2 will speed up eventually again with one of these updates... the workout and music apps are just a laggy mess right now.
Score: 2 Votes (Like | Disagree)
115 months ago
I was excited for the Siri face but I don’t really understand it and it seems pretty useless.
I agree... I went back to Modular. The weird random photo in my photo library is distracting.
Score: 1 Votes (Like | Disagree)
115 months ago
Exactly... This is an absurd move on their part. Ability to "remotely" (from the watch) launch, browse and play any and all of my bought and paid for mp3s collected over the last 15+ years.....
Indeed
Strip out a feature and add its replacement to series 3 only. Such a cheap trick
Score: 1 Votes (Like | Disagree)
themick4u Avatar
115 months ago
More importantly iPhone Music Sync'd (by iTunes) Library available? I think that's what Themick4U means but just simply wording it as Controlling iPhone Music ... this can be done with Bluetooth Headphones +Apple Watch S2 + iPhone, so long as music playback is directly initiated "ON" the iPhone first, then the watch can control as it indicates. But I think you, myself, icewolf and many others NEED to have full sync'd library access.

I just don't get Apple FORCING music playback by a) Paying for Apple Music streaming service, and b) enabling this. My data plan and many others in Canada for a single user does NOT allow for lengthy data streams daily within a month alottment.
Exactly... This is an absurd move on their part. Ability to "remotely" (from the watch) launch, browse and play any and all of my bought and paid for mp3s collected over the last 15+ years.....

Check out this read today here:
https://9to5mac.com/2017/11/14/feature-request-iphone-music-control-remote-apple-watch/
Score: 1 Votes (Like | Disagree)
DeepIn2U Avatar
115 months ago


Has iPhone music control been restored?
F^%$&# NO!

....and I'm continually submitting feedback for this specific issue and many other bugs I have discovered.
More importantly iPhone Music Sync'd (by iTunes) Library available? I think that's what Themick4U means but just simply wording it as Controlling iPhone Music ... this can be done with Bluetooth Headphones +Apple Watch S2 + iPhone, so long as music playback is directly initiated "ON" the iPhone first, then the watch can control as it indicates. But I think you, myself, icewolf and many others NEED to have full sync'd library access.

I just don't get Apple FORCING music playback by a) Paying for Apple Music streaming service, and b) enabling this. My data plan and many others in Canada for a single user does NOT allow for lengthy data streams daily within a month alottment.
Score: 1 Votes (Like | Disagree)