Apple Watch: Watch OS 2 will be released soon; developers can try out 4th beta version

(Reuters)

The Apple Watch is either a hit or a miss, depending on who you ask about it. But no matter where people stand on the new Apple product, Apple Inc. is sticking to developing the Apple Watch by rolling out the latest Watch OS 2 beta version to developers.

Last July 21, the fourth beta of Watch OS 2, build 13S5305d, was seeded to developers to allow them to make changes to the Apple Watch apps. The fourth build came only two weeks after the third beta version of the Watch OS was released.

Watch OS 2 will be the first major software update for the Apple Watch, which was released earlier this year. Users may partake in the beta testing by forcing an update over-the-air. They can simply go to General and choose Software Update.

The new Apple Watch OS will allow more room for developers to port iPhone-only apps to become Apple Watch native apps. The Taptic Engine and additional Apple Watch sensors can now also be maximized by developers and, eventually, users. Some of these sensors are the accelerometer, the heart rate monitor, plus the microphone.

Included in the new build are more unique watch faces: 1) Complication, which is a third-party face, 2) Time Travel, which will display upcoming events when using Complication, and 3) Nightstand, which displays the time and automatically activates when charging.

The said update is also seen as the first step to more complex applications from third-party developers.

Apple Watch was shipped to retailers last Apr. 24, 2015. It is the first smartwatch ever released by Apple and boasts the ability to track fitness and other health-related activities.

It weaves seamlessly with the Cupertino-based company's flagship iPhones, starting with the iPhone 5. Devices running iOS 8.2 or higher can connect to their Apple Watch via Bluetooth or WiFi.

Registered developers are the only ones with access to the Watch OS 2, at the moment. All other Apple Watch users can access the update this fall.

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