Apple Seeds Second Beta of watchOS 8 to Developers

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.

Related Roundup: Apple Watch 11
Buyer's Guide: Apple Watch (Buy Now)

Popular Stories

iOS 26

When Will Apple Release iOS 26.2?

Monday December 1, 2025 4:37 pm PST by
We're getting closer to the launch of the final major iOS update of the year, with Apple set to release iOS 26.2 in December. We've had three betas so far and are expecting a fourth beta or a release candidate this week, so a launch could follow as soon as next week. Past Launch Dates Apple's past iOS x.2 updates from the last few years have all happened right around the middle of the...
ios 18 to ios 26 upgrade

Apple Pushes iPhone Users Still on iOS 18 to Upgrade to iOS 26

Tuesday December 2, 2025 11:09 am PST by
Apple is encouraging iPhone users who are still running iOS 18 to upgrade to iOS 26 by making the iOS 26 software upgrade option more prominent. Since iOS 26 launched in September, it has been displayed as an optional upgrade at the bottom of the Software Update interface in the Settings app. iOS 18 has been the default operating system option, and users running iOS 18 have seen iOS 18...
maxresdefault

iPhone Fold: Launch, Pricing, and What to Expect From Apple's Foldable

Monday December 1, 2025 3:00 am PST by
Apple is expected to launch a new foldable iPhone next year, based on multiple rumors and credible sources. The long-awaited device has been rumored for years now, but signs increasingly suggest that 2026 could indeed be the year that Apple releases its first foldable device. Subscribe to the MacRumors YouTube channel for more videos. Below, we've collated an updated set of key details that ...
iOS 26

Apple Seeds iOS 26.2 and iPadOS 26.2 Release Candidates to Developers and Public Beta Testers

Wednesday December 3, 2025 10:33 am PST by
Apple today seeded the release candidate versions of upcoming iOS 26.2 and iPadOS 26.2 updates to developers and public beta testers, with the software coming two weeks after Apple seeded the third betas. The release candidates represent the final versions of iOS 26.2 and iPadOS 26.2 that will be provided to the public if no further bugs are found during this final week of testing....
Photos App Icon Liquid Glass

John Gruber Shares Scathing Commentary About Apple's Departing Software Design Chief

Thursday December 4, 2025 9:30 am PST by
In a statement shared with Bloomberg on Wednesday, Apple confirmed that its software design chief Alan Dye will be leaving. Apple said Dye will be succeeded by Stephen Lemay, who has been a software designer at the company since 1999. Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg announced that Dye will lead a new creative studio within the company's AR/VR division Reality Labs. On his blog Daring Fireball,...
iphone 17 cyber

iPhone 17 Demand Is Breaking Apple's Sales Records

Tuesday December 2, 2025 9:44 am PST by
Apple's iPhone 17 lineup is selling well enough that Apple is on track to ship more than 247.4 million total iPhones in 2025, according to a new report from IDC. Total 2025 shipments are forecast to grow 6.1 percent year over year due to iPhone 17 demand and increased sales in China, a major market for Apple. Overall worldwide smartphone shipments across Android and iOS are forecast to...
Touchscreen MacBook Feature

Here Are the Four MacBooks Apple Is Expected to Launch Next Year

Monday December 1, 2025 5:00 am PST by
2026 could be a bumper year for Apple's Mac lineup, with the company expected to announce as many as four separate MacBook launches. Rumors suggest Apple will court both ends of the consumer spectrum, with more affordable options for students and feature-rich premium lines for users that seek the highest specifications from a laptop. Below is a breakdown of what we're expecting over the next ...
iphone air camera

iPhone Air's Resale Value Has Dropped Dramatically, Data Shows

Thursday December 4, 2025 5:27 am PST by
The iPhone Air has recorded the steepest early resale value drop of any iPhone model in years, with new data showing that several configurations have lost almost 50% of their value within ten weeks of launch. According to a ten-week analysis published by SellCell, Apple's latest lineup is showing a pronounced split in resale performance between the iPhone 17 models and the iPhone Air....
iPhone 17 Pro Cosmic Orange

iPhone 17 Pro Lost a Camera Feature Pro Models Have Had Since 2020

Thursday December 4, 2025 5:18 am PST by
iPhone 17 Pro models, it turns out, can't take photos in Night mode when Portrait mode is selected in the Camera app – a capability that's been available on Apple's Pro devices since the iPhone 12 Pro in 2020. If you're an iPhone 17 Pro or iPhone 17 Pro Max owner, try it for yourself: Open the Camera app with Photo selected in the carousel, then cover the rear lenses with your hand to...
iPhone 17 Pro Cosmic Orange

10 Reasons to Wait for Next Year's iPhone 18 Pro

Monday December 1, 2025 2:40 am PST by
Apple's iPhone development roadmap runs several years into the future and the company is continually working with suppliers on several successive iPhone models at the same time, which is why we often get rumored features months ahead of launch. The iPhone 18 series is no different, and we already have a good idea of what to expect for the iPhone 18 Pro and iPhone 18 Pro Max. One thing worth...

Top Rated Comments

Braderunner Avatar
58 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 Avatar
58 months ago
I hope it will fix the battery problem on my serie 5...
Score: 3 Votes (Like | Disagree)
MauiPa Avatar
58 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)
Braderunner Avatar
58 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)
PaladinGuy Avatar
58 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)
Chacocliff Avatar
58 months ago

I’m not sure about the rest of you, but I didn’t have the portrait option in the first beta. I have it now.
I didn’t either, but I do now. Also the fire animation when you close your rings is back.
Score: 1 Votes (Like | Disagree)