Apple has released its first ever public beta for the Apple Watch operating system, with watchOS 7 public beta 1 now available for download.
Apple Watch owners can sign up today through the Apple Beta Software Program by registering their watch and Apple ID. From here, wearers will be able to frequently update their device with new versions between now and the consumer rollout later this year.
You can follow this link and select watchOS to get started. The process takes a couple of minutes and you’ll be ready to download the software.
watchOS 7 represents a big step forward for the wareable platform including adding sleep tracking for the very first time – a feature Apple Watch owners have been dreaming of since day one.
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The Sleep app also features Wind Down and Wake Up options that help users create bedtime routines with help from Siri Shortcuts. The sleep tracking itself will show wearers how long they slept for, but it isn’t currently delving into more advanced metrics like sleep quality and cycles.
watchOS 7 also offers more customisable watch faces, more complications and sharable faces. Apple is also changing the Activity app to Fitness and is adding four new featured workouts – dance, functional strength, core training and post-workout cool down.
Apple Maps gets cycling routes, while there’s also a new hand-washing app, hearing health, new Siri features and plenty more.
Apple advises that those installing the beta could experience some features that aren’t working properly yet, while others may be incomplete. If you have a secondary Apple Watch available, we’d advise installing on that device.
Apple says: “The watchOS public beta updates are still in development, which means some applications and services may not work as expected, and their data may not be backwards compatible. Apple Watch content backs up automatically to your paired iPhone. You can learn more about Apple Watch backups here. Please note Apple Watch cannot be restored to previously-released OS versions once the public beta is installed.”
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Editorial independence
Editorial independence means being able to give an unbiased verdict about a product or company, with the avoidance of conflicts of interest. To ensure this is possible, every member of the editorial staff follows a clear code of conduct.
Professional conduct
We also expect our journalists to follow clear ethical standards in their work. Our staff members must strive for honesty and accuracy in everything they do. We follow the IPSO Editors’ code of practice to underpin these standards.
