Apple Releases watchOS 7.1 With Mac Unlocking Fix, Headphone Audio Warnings, ECG in Korea and Russia
Apple today released watchOS 7.1, the first major update to the watchOS 7 operating system that was released back in September. watchOS 7.1 follows watchOS 7.0.2 and watchOS 7.0.3, which were bug fix updates.
watchOS 7.1 can be downloaded for free through the dedicated Apple Watch app on the iPhone by going to General > Software Update. To install the new software, the Apple Watch needs to have at least 50 percent battery, it needs to be placed on a charger, and it needs to be in range of the iPhone. Apple has also released watchOS 6.2.9 and watchOS 5.3.9 updates for older devices.
Today's update brings hearing health protections that lets the Apple Watch send a notification when connected headphones are playing music that's too loud and has the potential to damage the ears. The update also brings the ECG app to South Korea and Russia. Apple's full release notes for watchOS 7.1 are below:
watchOS 7.1 contains new features, improvements, and bug fixes.
- Adds the ability to be notified when your headphone audio level could impact your hearing
- Adds support for the ECG app on Apple Watch Series 4 or later in the Republic of Korea and Russia
- Adds support for irregular heart rhythm notifications in the Republic of Korea and Russia
- Resolves an issue that prevented some users from unlocking a Mac with Apple Watch
- Fixes an issue where the screen may be dark on wrist raise for some Apple Watch Series 6 owners.
Like watchOS 7, watchOS 7.1 is compatible with the Apple Watch Series 3 and later. For more on what's included in watchPS 7, make sure to check out our watchOS 7 roundup.
Popular Stories
Apple may have canceled the super scratch resistant anti-reflective display coating that it planned to use for the iPhone 17 Pro models, according to a source with reliable information that spoke to MacRumors.
Last spring, Weibo leaker Instant Digital suggested Apple was working on a new anti-reflective display layer that was more scratch resistant than the Ceramic Shield. We haven't heard...
This week marks the 10th anniversary of the Apple Watch, which launched on April 24, 2015. Yesterday, we recapped features rumored for the Apple Watch Series 11, but since 2015, the Apple Watch has also branched out into the Apple Watch Ultra and the Apple Watch SE, so we thought we'd take a look at what's next for those product lines, too.
2025 Apple Watch Ultra 3
Apple didn't update the...
Apple has completed Engineering Validation Testing (EVT) for at least one iPhone 17 model, according to a paywalled preview of an upcoming DigiTimes report.
iPhone 17 Air mockup based on rumored design
The EVT stage involves Apple testing iPhone 17 prototypes to ensure the hardware works as expected. There are still DVT (Design Validation Test) and PVT (Production Validation Test) stages to...
Apple will likely manufacture its 20th anniversary iPhone models in China, despite broader efforts to shift production to India, according to Bloomberg's Mark Gurman.
In 2027, Apple is planning a "major shake-up" for the iPhone lineup to mark two decades since the original model launched. Gurman's previous reporting indicates the company will introduce a foldable iPhone alongside a "bold"...
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...
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 ...
Apple is preparing to launch a dramatically thinner iPhone this September, and if recent leaks are anything to go by, the so-called iPhone 17 Air could boast one of the most radical design shifts in recent years.
iPhone 17 Air dummy model alongside iPhone 16 Pro (credit: AppleTrack)
At just 5.5mm thick (excluding a slightly raised camera bump), the 6.6-inch iPhone 17 Air is expected to become ...
