Apple releases fixed watchOS 2 for Apple Watch with native apps, Time Travel, nightstand mode

Posted:
in Apple Watch edited September 2015
Apple on Monday officially released watchOS 2, following a brief delay caused by the last-minute discovery of a critical bug. The newly released software gives users access to native third-party apps, a new Time Travel function, custom photo watch faces, nightstand mode, and more.




For Watch owners, the update can be downloaded by opening the Apple Watch iPhone app, navigating to the General menu and then selecting Software Update. The new version should install wirelessly.

Apple cautions that an iPhone should be connected to Wi-Fi, and that a Watch should be both connected to its charger and have at least 50 percent battery power.




The highlight feature of the new Apple Watch operating system is the ability for third-party apps to run natively on the wrist-worn device. This should allow software to run more quickly and operate more independently of the iPhone.

watchOS 2 also enables developers to create their own watch face complications. These will offer users the ability to add glanceable information, such as upcoming flights or sports scores.




Complications will also feature a new capability called "Time Travel," where users can rotate the Digital Crown on their Apple Watch to see information for later in the day, including calendar entries, weather, and more.

Apple also has a new feature called nightstand mode, which allows the Watch face to be viewed on its side for charging. When resting like this, the Digital Crown and side button can be used to snooze and end an alarm in the morning.

The update was originally supposed to be available on Sept. 16 alongside iOS 9. That same day, though, Apple issued a statement saying that it had discovered a bug that was taking "a bit longer to fix than we expected." At the time, it did not offer a deadline for the finished code.

The full list of changes, as detailed by Apple, in watchOS 2.0 are:
  • New watch faces and timekeeping features
    • Time-lapse videos of Hong Kong, London, Mack Lake, New York, Shanghai, and Paris
    • Photo and Photo Album so you can see your favorite images every time you raise your wrist, including support for Live Photos
    • Time Travel with the Digital Crown to see what's coming in the future or what' s happened in the past a Nightstand Mode so your Watch can be used as a bedside alarm clock
    • 9 new colors to customize your watch face, and a new multicolor Modular face
    • Support for third-party apps to create complications
  • Siri improvements
    • Start a specific workout, get transit directions, or ask to see a glance
    • Support for FaceTime audio calling and replying to email
    • Support for HomeKit to control supported devices in your home using Siri
    • New support for Austria, Belgium (French and Dutch), and Norway
  • Activity and Workout improvements a Workouts from third party apps on the Watch can be included in your Activity rings
  • Activity rings, workouts, and achievements can be shared from the Activity app on iPhone
  • Interactive achievements a Qn-demand weekly summary
  • Mute Activity notifications for one day
  • Workouts saved automatically
  • Apple Pay and Wallet improvements
    • Support for Discover cards
    • Support for rewards cards and store credit and debit cards
    • Add passes to Wallet directly from third party apps on your Watch
  • Friends and Digital Touch improvements
    • Add more than 12 Friends directly from Apple Watch
    • Multiple Friends' groups that you can name
    • Send sketches using multiple colors
    • New options for animated emoji
  • Maps improvements
    • Transit view, showing transit lines, stations and intermodal connections in select major cities
    • View the list of directions for your current
    • View station placards with departure information
  • Music improvements
    • New Beats 1 button to start playing the 24/7 radio station
    • New Quick Play button to play a variety of songs from Apple Music
  • Reply to emails using dictation, emoji, or smart replies customized specifically for email
  • Make and receive calls using FaceTime audio
  • Support for Wi-Fi calling without iPhone in proximity on participating carriers
  • Activation Lock prevents anyone from activating your Apple Watch without your Apple ID and password
  • New developer capabilities, including:
    • Native SDK to build faster and more powerful apps running natively on Apple Watch
    • Access to accelerometer to more granularly track your motion
    • Access to heart rate sensor for use during a workout
    • Access to microphone and speaker to record and play audio
    • Access to the Taptic Engine with 8 different types of Haptic feedback
    • Access to the Digital Crown for more precise controls
    • Ability to play video directly on Apple Watch
    • Support for running apps without iPhone in proximity, including access to networking capabilities when connected to known Wi-Fi networks
    • Complications on the watch face
    • Workouts from apps can be counted towards Activity rings
    • Workouts from apps can be included in Activity app on iPhone
  • New support for system language in English (India), Finnish, Indonesian, Norwegian, and Polish
  • New support for dictation in Dutch (Belgium), English (Ireland, Philippines, South Africa), French (Belgium), German (Austria), Spanish (Chile, Colombia)
  • New support for smart replies in Traditional Chinese (I-long Kong, Taiwan), Danish, Dutch, English (New Zealand, Singapore), Japanese, Korean, Swedish, Thai
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Comments

  • Reply 1 of 90

    Finally! I've literally been checking for a software update on my watch every day at 10 a.m. 

  • Reply 2 of 90
    Ready. Set. Go!
  • Reply 3 of 90

    the watch app is not finding any software updates.  I have been checking for about a half hr now.  Is it possibly because Im on iOS 9.1 beta?

  • Reply 4 of 90
    "watchOS 1.0.1 - Your software is up to date"

    Not seeing any update here. Anyone else got this issue?
  • Reply 5 of 90
    Not showing new update for me in the UK.

    Watch OS 1.0.1
    Your software is up to date.
  • Reply 6 of 90



    I'm in the US of A too.

  • Reply 7 of 90

    Downloading now but it says 1 hour remaining? Seems ridiculous!

  • Reply 8 of 90
    Same here
    mjuchter wrote: »

    I'm in the US of A too.

    Same for me. :\
  • Reply 9 of 90
    Showing 9 minutes remaining here in US
  • Reply 10 of 90
    rogifanrogifan Posts: 10,669member
    Wow this is one slow download. iOS 9 downloaded faster than this for me.
  • Reply 11 of 90
    mike1mike1 Posts: 3,283member

    Since it was never released, the headline should read Wastch OS2 released. It should only say "fixed" if there was version released that needed a fix.

  • Reply 12 of 90
    Quote:

    Originally Posted by Rogifan View Post



    Wow this is one slow download. iOS 9 downloaded faster than this for me.

    It is. I'm on a 150 mb download connection and it still says an hour to go. 

  • Reply 13 of 90

    I see no update available as of yet.

  • Reply 14 of 90
    Just a thought...do you have to have iOS 9 installed on your iPhone to have access to Watch OS2?

    Still on iOS 8.4.2 here...
  • Reply 15 of 90
    mstonemstone Posts: 11,510member
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by Boltsfan17 View Post

     

    It is. I'm on a 150 mb download connection and it still says an hour to go. 


    I just started the download and it says 15 minutes remaining. I'm on 100mb in Southern California.

  • Reply 16 of 90

    Small patch update for GM watchOS2.  I think it might of been 15mb. 

  • Reply 17 of 90
    Just finished downloading and is now installing on the watch... in California USA.
  • Reply 18 of 90
    Not seeing it in Houston yet
  • Reply 19 of 90

    Only a 2.4 GHZ wireless connection to the Apple Watch.

  • Reply 20 of 90

    Got it in atlanta, from watch os2 GM 15 mb

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