Apple Seeds Second Beta of watchOS 8 to Developers

Thursday June 24, 2021 1:35 pm PDT by Juli Clover

Apple today seeded the second beta of the upcoming watchOS 8 update to developers for testing purposes, with the second beta coming a little over two weeks after Apple first revealed watchOS 8 at the Worldwide Developers Conference.

watchOS 8 on Apple Watch feature
To install ‌watchOS 8‌, developers will need to download the configuration profile from the Apple Developer Center. Once installed, ‌watchOS 8‌ can be downloaded through the dedicated Apple Watch app on the iPhone by going to General > Software update.

To update to new software, an Apple Watch needs to have 50 percent battery life, it must be placed on the charger, and it needs to be in range of the ‌iPhone‌. It's not recommended to install ‌watchOS 8‌ on a main Apple Watch as the software may be unstable at this early date.

watchOS 8 has several new features that are extensions of new features introduced in iOS 15. There are improvements to Wallet that allow it to hold keys for unlocking hotel, car, and home doors, plus Apple will let U.S. users add their IDs to Wallet later this year.

Apple overhauled the Home app, and for the Workout app, there are new Tai Chi and Pilates workout types, and the Breathe app has been renamed to Mindfulness thanks to a new Reflect session that invites users to get into a positive state of mind. When sleeping, the Apple Watch now measures respiratory rate.

Focus mode from iOS 15 syncs to the watch so users can stay on task, and in the Messages app, Scribble, dictation, and emojis can be combined within the same message, making it easier to communicate. Dictated text can be edited, and GIFs can be sent right from the watch.

There's a new Portrait watch face, and the Photos app has been updated with support for Memories and Featured ‌Photos‌. A new Find My app lets items be located right on the wrist, and there are also new updates for Music, Weather, Timers, and more, along with a new Contacts app.

‌watchOS 8‌ is only available to developers at the current time, but a public beta will be released at some point in July.

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Top Rated Comments

Braderunner

70 months ago

The rating isn’t that accurate. I always got well over 18 hours on the original, series 2 and series 3. The battery life has gotten lower and lower for me with the series 4 and then 5. I guess I’ve just been unlucky, if some of you are getting such amazing battery life. They’ve said the same thing for years because it allowed them to add more features without having to say the battery life is lower. At least, that’s how I see it. They knew that previous models got well over 18 hours. Reviewers have said the same thing.

I’ll grant you that I don’t like my batteries to get under 30%. To me, once it’s in the 20s, it’s too low to keep using. I don’t want to be running it close to battery saver mode every day. So, in my mind, the watch should remain over 20% until I go to bed. I don’t ever run the watch until it’s almost dead.

I don’t mean to derail this thread. I was just shocked by the battery life comment.

Nobody...is getting 2 full days (some people have claimed more) from a single charge on their Watch. Not if they are using it. Not on Series Anything. They are either lying, or leaving something out. Like not wearing it for hours at a time. No way anyone is wearing their Watch for 2 full days on a single charge. No way.

Score: 4 Votes (Like | Disagree)

RayIshido

70 months ago

I hope it will fix the battery problem on my serie 5...

Score: 3 Votes (Like | Disagree)

Braderunner

70 months ago

You probably know already that battery size on older tech does not necessarily equate to longer life. Advances in the soc, display and other components result in lower energy demands, thus same size battery equals more life, smaller battery means same life. Both the series 6 and series 3 are rated the same for battery life. I just got a series 6 and I’m getting 2 days as well. Obviously it is based on your use and options set

I agree with you…except for the 2 days part…not if your using it. No way. Maybe…if you’re only using it to check the time. Not if your reading messages, checking weather, and just one other thing. Nope.

Score: 2 Votes (Like | Disagree)

MauiPa

70 months ago

The series 3 has a bigger battery. It got the best battery life of any series I’ve had. The series 2 was pretty good, too. They made the watch thinner with the 4 on, which made battery life lower along with eventual AOD.

I used to always have at least 50% left at the end of day with the series 3.

I didn’t switch to my series 5 until after 10am, and I’m not at 44%. That included a 50minute outdoor walk workout. No music or LTE use. Doing nothing but getting the occasional notification. I don’t use hardly any third party apps and I almost never open an app other than weather or workout.

You probably know already that battery size on older tech does not necessarily equate to longer life. Advances in the soc, display and other components result in lower energy demands, thus same size battery equals more life, smaller battery means same life. Both the series 6 and series 3 are rated the same for battery life. I just got a series 6 and I’m getting 2 days as well. Obviously it is based on your use and options set

Score: 2 Votes (Like | Disagree)

PaladinGuy

70 months ago

You probably know already that battery size on older tech does not necessarily equate to longer life. Advances in the soc, display and other components result in lower energy demands, thus same size battery equals more life, smaller battery means same life. Both the series 6 and series 3 are rated the same for battery life. I just got a series 6 and I’m getting 2 days as well. Obviously it is based on your use and options set

The rating isn’t that accurate. I always got well over 18 hours on the original, series 2 and series 3. The battery life has gotten lower and lower for me with the series 4 and then 5. I guess I’ve just been unlucky, if some of you are getting such amazing battery life. They’ve said the same thing for years because it allowed them to add more features without having to say the battery life is lower. At least, that’s how I see it. They knew that previous models got well over 18 hours. Reviewers have said the same thing.

I’ll grant you that I don’t like my batteries to get under 30%. To me, once it’s in the 20s, it’s too low to keep using. I don’t want to be running it close to battery saver mode every day. So, in my mind, the watch should remain over 20% until I go to bed. I don’t ever run the watch until it’s almost dead.

I don’t mean to derail this thread. I was just shocked by the battery life comment.

Score: 1 Votes (Like | Disagree)