First look: Theater Mode in Apple's watchOS 3.2 beta

AppleInsider · February 1, 2017 10:35PM

Rumored to make its way onto Apple's portables for some time, Theater Mode debuted with the latest watchOS 3.2 beta as a one-tap control for silencing Apple Watch alerts and disabling the device's raise to wake feature. Perfect for dark, quiet venues like a movie theater.

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We're also interested in your questions! If you want to know anything about Theater Mode or the new watchOS 3.2 beta, chime in on our forums and we'll address it.

daoliva · February 1, 2017 10:44PM

I'd definitely use it! Feel bad when it glows during a movie or any other dark event as not wanting to disturb others.

freethinking · February 1, 2017 11:46PM

or you could be considered and just turn off your devices.

eightzero · February 1, 2017 11:51PM

freethinking said:

or you could be considered and just turn off your devices.

I would have never considered that. I just need a control on my watch. This provides it.

havardhk · February 1, 2017 11:53PM

I like it! Cause I always have to go to settings to turn off the light up when raising arm feature.

I dont want to turn it off, cause I can use it to check the time to kindoff estimate when the movie is coming to an end.

chris_ca · February 2, 2017 2:55AM

You are wearing your Apple Watch upside down.
The Digital Crown is on the wrong side and is intended to by used with the opposite hand.

Deelron · February 2, 2017 3:39AM

chris_ca said:

You are wearing your Apple Watch upside down.
The Digital Crown is on the wrong side and is intended to by used with the opposite hand.

Meh some people prefer to use their thumb instead of index finger, which is probably why there's a setting to wear it as such.

pablomedok · February 2, 2017 7:49AM

I had never any troubles in theaters with Apple watch, but this feature is really needed, when you are telling your child a story before sleep. Watch is always flashing up in the dark distracting from the story. I had to turn off wake on wrist up feature in settings to stop it

equality72521 · February 2, 2017 8:19AM

freethinking said:

or you could be considered and just turn off your devices.

Yeah, miss that urgent communication from the babysitter. Nice one.

dcgoo · February 2, 2017 1:26PM

equality72521 said:
Yeah, miss that urgent communication from the babysitter. Nice one.

Babysitter?.... I haven't needed one of those for going on 30 years!

But I do like the feature

GeorgeBMac · February 2, 2017 2:18PM

I could use better integration with the IPhone -- so I don't have to silence two devices. Using the silence button on the side of the IPhone should silence the watch -- but doesn't.

jbdragon · February 2, 2017 3:30PM

chris_ca said:

You are wearing your Apple Watch upside down.
The Digital Crown is on the wrong side and is intended to by used with the opposite hand.

That's how I wear mine! I'm left handed, so it's on my right wrist. It would be awkward to use for me if the controls were on the other side. Just like it would be for you with the watch on your left wrist and the watch flipped around the other way where the buttons are pointed in the direction of your arm instead of your hand. Now you have to reach over the screen to hit the button or turn the dial blocking your view of the screen.

jbdragon · February 2, 2017 3:31PM

GeorgeBMac said:

I could use better integration with the IPhone -- so I don't have to silence two devices. Using the silence button on the side of the IPhone should silence the watch -- but doesn't.

How about when putting the Apple Watch into Theater mode, it does the same for the phone automatically.

starwars · February 2, 2017 4:08PM

jbdragon said:

chris_ca said:

You are wearing your Apple Watch upside down.
The Digital Crown is on the wrong side and is intended to by used with the opposite hand.

That's how I wear mine! I'm left handed, so it's on my right wrist. It would be awkward to use for me if the controls were on the other side. Just like it would be for you with the watch on your left wrist and the watch flipped around the other way where the buttons are pointed in the direction of your arm instead of your hand. Now you have to reach over the screen to hit the button or turn the dial blocking your view of the screen.

i love how it can be worn in either position

appledapple · February 2, 2017 5:13PM

chris_ca said:

You are wearing your Apple Watch upside down.
The Digital Crown is on the wrong side and is intended to by used with the opposite hand.

This is how I wear mine. When the crown is on the other side, the top of my wrist inadvertently presses it often.

Its intended to be worn anyway you want knucklehead.

StrangeDays · February 2, 2017 5:43PM

freethinking said:

or you could be considered and just turn off your devices.

Yep. Airplane mode + dark face is SOP for me.

StrangeDays · February 2, 2017 5:45PM

Deelron said:

chris_ca said:

You are wearing your Apple Watch upside down.
The Digital Crown is on the wrong side and is intended to by used with the opposite hand.

Meh some people prefer to use their thumb instead of index finger, which is probably why there's a setting to wear it as such.

I think that setting was designed for lefties. Not saying one shouldn't use it this way, but I don't believe that's what the setting is for specifically.

caladanian · February 2, 2017 9:00PM

What happend to the droplet-symbol? (for water cleansing after a swim)

macgui · February 3, 2017 12:27PM

appledapple said:
This is how I wear mine. When the crown is on the other side, the top of my wrist inadvertently presses it often.

Its intended to be worn anyway you want knucklehead.

Exactly right. On mechanical watches the crown was meant to be facing towards the hand and not the forearm because it was necessary for right-handed wearers to set and wind when being worn. This is absolutely not necessary with the Digital Crown.

While it was very likely implemented to accommodate lefties, there's no reason for someone not to wear it anyway they want to. I know a couple of people who have a bit of CTS and it's easier with the crown on the 'inboard' side to pinch the Watch with their thumb while reaching around the top with their index finger to press the ApplePay/Dock button or the Digital Crown. The Digital Crown has so little resistance to spinning, it's easy to scroll using the index finger. It's arguably a more comfortable and natural movement for just about anybody, lefties or righties, but having the crown on the outside is traditional.

Soli · February 4, 2017 11:42AM

I'll use this, as well as Airplane Mode (to save battery life for those 2 hours), and a special simple display with red text (in case I do want to check the time during a performance—which only happens during a really bad movie).

Soli · February 4, 2017 11:46AM

macgui said:

appledapple said:
This is how I wear mine. When the crown is on the other side, the top of my wrist inadvertently presses it often.

Its intended to be worn anyway you want knucklehead.

Exactly right. On mechanical watches the crown was meant to be facing towards the hand and not the forearm because it was necessary for right-handed wearers to set and wind when being worn. This is absolutely not necessary with the Digital Crown.

While it was very likely implemented to accommodate lefties, there's no reason for someone not to wear it anyway they want to. I know a couple of people who have a bit of CTS and it's easier with the crown on the 'inboard' side to pinch the Watch with their thumb while reaching around the top with their index finger to press the ApplePay/Dock button or the Digital Crown. The Digital Crown has so little resistance to spinning, it's easy to scroll using the index finger. It's arguably a more comfortable and natural movement for just about anybody, lefties or righties, but having the crown on the outside is traditional.

CTS? I'm righthanded and I wear my watch on my left wrist, but almost immediately I felt it was more natural to use my thumb to press the Digital Crown so I flipped the orientation. For scrolling, my index finger works better but I don't seem to do much of that compared topdressing the crown.

First look: Theater Mode in Apple's watchOS 3.2 beta

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