Apple Pulls watchOS 5 Beta 1 From Developer Portal After Reports of Bricked Devices
Apple appears to have temporarily pulled the first watchOS 5 beta from its website after some users reported cases of the software bricking Apple Watch devices.
Several users on the MacRumors forums and over on Reddit have expressed problems trying to get the software onto their devices, with freezes reportedly occurring during the installation phase, particularly on Apple Watch Series 2 models.
Apple has obviously deemed the issues to be sufficiently widespread for it to take action. As such, developers accessing Apple's beta software download portal are currently unable to get a download link and are instead met with the following message:

Seed 1 of watchOS 5 is temporarily unavailable. We are investigating an issue that occurs while updating. If you've experienced any issues, please contact AppleCare.
Both the watchOS 5 configuration file and the over-the-air update have been removed, and right now it's unclear when they will return.
As is often the case, initial software beta releases can be susceptible to bugs and issues which only reveal themselves during device propagation. We'll update this article when Apple fixes the problem and makes a revised version of the beta available once more.
Popular Stories
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.
...
The Apple Watch Series 12 is almost certain to be introduced at Apple's annual iPhone event next month, and the rumors point to another quieter upgrade year for the device.
Apple has not altered the Apple Watch's design since the Series 10 arrived in 2024, and it is not expected to change this year either, making 2026 the third year of the current case. This isn't unusual since every Apple...
Wednesday September 2, 2026 10:25 am PDT by
Juli CloverApple today shared a short video featuring an Apple Watch user named Amanda who says her device saved her life.
In 2024, Amanda began receiving alerts about an abnormal heart rate. Her watch alerted her about changes to her resting heart rate and her overnight vitals, prompting her to visit her doctor.
She ended up being diagnosed with acute myeloid leukemia, an aggressive cancer. After...