Apple Seeds First Beta of watchOS 5.1 to Developers

Tuesday September 18, 2018 10:08 AM PDT by Juli Clover
Apple today seeded the first beta of an upcoming watchOS 5.1 update to developers, just one day after releasing the new watchOS 5 operating system.

Once the proper configuration profile has been installed from the Apple Developer Center, the new watchOS 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.

It's not yet clear what features will be introduced in the watchOS 5.1 update, but it could bring support for answering Group FaceTime calls, a feature that was removed during the beta testing period. New emojis are also an option.

We'll update this post when we find out what's new in the watchOS 5.1 update.

Related Roundups: Apple Watch, watchOS 5
Buyer's Guide: Apple Watch (Buy Now)
27 comments


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Maclver
4 weeks ago
all I want is iMessage Sync.... it's all I ask for
Rating: 4 Votes
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MrGimper
4 weeks ago
Probably has the capability, but likely still disabled while it completes the ratification it needs.

Remember kids, if you're waiting for a new Series 4, and you're looking to sell your old device, don't update your old device to this beta. You can't roll back, I suspect 12.1 won't release before you want to sell your old device, and you can't really sell it running beta software.
Rating: 3 Votes
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Maclver
4 weeks ago

This this this!!! How is this not a thing yet??

I don't know why more people aren't complaining about this
Rating: 1 Votes
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Mac 128
4 weeks ago

Two things.... Yes it is feature to make people upgrade or buy the Apple Watch Series 4. But the real reason is the higher pixel count. This is more important than size and the reason the older watches don't support the new faces.


But everything about Apple's graphics are scalable. The 38mm has the same faces as the 42mm, which has a higher pixel count as well. So, I'm not sure why that would matter?
Rating: 1 Votes
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decypher44
4 weeks ago

Stupidly obvious question, but you are using iCloud iMessage correct?

Full disclosure, I do not have an Apple Watch (yet) to test. So I am going off others posts.


I would say “no”. I don’t use iCloud for pretty much anything. I wouldn’t even know why I would use it. I have a Mac, but o don’t want any of my phone or watch stuff syncing with it unless I’m doing a backup.

Wouldn’t even know how, why or what iCloud messaging would be for. And from what I understand, it only works with iMessages, not standard text. More than half the people I text use Android.

What frustrates me is this: I used to use a Fossil Q watch with Android Wear with my 7+. It deleted messages from the watch when I would delete them from my phone. For the life of me I can’t understand why it worked so easily with an Android watch and not with Apple’s own watch.

Thank you, though. That’s the answer.

[doublepost=1537334294][/doublepost]Ok. Just tested. Yeah, turned on iCloud messages. Deleted an iMessage and it worked. Deleted a standard text message, doesn’t work. More hassle than it’s worth. Seriously, if an Android watch can do it with an iPhone, why can’t an Apple Watch?
Rating: 1 Votes
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archvile
4 weeks ago

I would say “no”. I don’t use iCloud for pretty much anything. I wouldn’t even know why I would use it. I have a Mac, but o don’t want any of my phone or watch stuff syncing with it unless I’m doing a backup.

Wouldn’t even know how, why or what iCloud messaging would be for. And from what I understand, it only works with iMessages, not standard text. More than half the people I text use Android.

What frustrates me is this: I used to use a Fossil Q watch with Android Wear with my 7+. It deleted messages from the watch when I would delete them from my phone. For the life of me I can’t understand why it worked so easily with an Android watch and not with Apple’s own watch.

Thank you, though. That’s the answer.

[doublepost=1537334294][/doublepost]Ok. Just tested. Yeah, turned on iCloud messages. Deleted an iMessage and it worked. Deleted a standard text message, doesn’t work. More hassle than it’s worth. Seriously, if an Android watch can do it with an iPhone, why can’t an Apple Watch?


Just tested this with my iPhone/Watch, and a Mac with Messages in iCloud enabled on both.

Deleting an iMessage from the phone will remove it from the watch automatically (it did not do this before).

Deleting a regular SMS/green text message from the phone will NOT remove it from the watch (same behavior as before). However, this WILL remove the same SMS conversation from other devices with Messages in iCloud enabled.

So it seems the Watch got a half-assed version of Messages in iCloud. Which is unfortunate, because 99% of the texts I delete are ones for 6 digit login codes or tracking updates, and those are always regular SMS.
Rating: 1 Votes
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decypher44
4 weeks ago

all I want is iMessage Sync.... it's all I ask for


This this this!!! How is this not a thing yet??
Rating: 1 Votes
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cwanja
4 weeks ago

all I want is iMessage Sync.... it's all I ask for

This this this!!! How is this not a thing yet??

https://forums.macrumors.com/posts/26498090/
Apparently it works in iOS 12 / watchOS 5?
Rating: 1 Votes
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