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Apple watchOS update addresses LTE connectivity issues
Two weeks after Apple released watchOS 4.0, the company has pushed out an update that aims to fix a seriously annoying issue. It seems the brand-new Apple Watch Series 3 with the latest watchOS would tend to automatically switch from LTE to WiFi hotspots -- even unusable ones -- in efforts to save battery. The patch aims to prevent that specific model of watch from automatically connecting with those wireless providers.
Apple Watch Series 3 review: A good watch, a so-so phone replacement
With each generation, the Apple Watch's purpose has seemed to shift. The first one demonstrated what Apple thought a wearable should be, and the second tried to be the perfect workout companion. When it came time to build the Series 3, though, Apple took everything it got right with the fitness-friendly Series 2, polished it up, and threw an LTE radio inside. And lo, the $399 Apple Watch Series 3 became the first of a new breed of Apple devices -- it straddles the line between smartwatch and phone, with a dash of iPod thrown in for good measure. For those who'd rather play it safe, Apple also built a $329 Series 3 with just GPS and no cellular connection. In fact, that safe bet will probably pay off for most people -- the cellular Series 3 is a little too inconsistent for my taste.
Apple Watch Series 3 first look: So far, no LTE problems
The Apple Watch Series 3 started shipping today, and our definitive review is still in the works. In the meantime, we wanted to give you a taste of what life is like with the company's first LTE-connected watch, so when we got it in for review, we said eff it: let's use nothing but the Watch all day. I was going to respond to every text, email and Slack message from my wrist, use it for listening to music on the subway and talk into it as much as I would with my iPhone. To be fair, Apple doesn't seem like a huge advocate of this idea -- it treats the Series 3 as an occasional substitute for an iPhone rather than a day-to-day replacement. That said, this is the first Apple Watch with cellular connectivity. How could we not try this?
Apple's fitness-focused watchOS 4 is available for download
As you might have guessed, iOS 11 isn't the only treat Apple has in store for its mobile device owners. The tech giant has also released watchOS 4, a major update to the Apple Watch that focuses on the health-conscious crowd. It includes many more workout types, lets you switch activities in mid-workout and will even sync with gym machines to provide consistent data. Also, heart rate monitoring is taking giant strides forward -- watchOS now provides a more detailed history of your heart rate, offers a view of your heart rate from your watch face and will warn you if there's a spike in heart rate when you're inactive.
Apple’s Venmo-like money transfers will arrive after iOS 11
A new payment service from Apple is set to launch sometime this fall through iOS 11 and watchOS 4 updates. Apple Pay Cash will allow Apple device users to transfer money between each other within Messages or through Siri.
Fitness wearables will soon diagnose by design, not by chance
Apple has been very busy. This week, on the 10th anniversary of the iPhone, the company unveiled a 4K-ready Apple TV, three new phones and a campus and theater dedicated to late founder Steve Jobs. It also announced the Apple Watch Series 3, which sports a barometric altimeter to track your elevation, can now stream music and connect to a cellular network so you no longer need your phone for all your notifications and calls. But while those additions all sound useful, what really stuck out was a feature that has the potential to save lives.
Apple watchOS 4 comes to your wrist September 19th
It won't be too long before you can give watchOS 4 a spin -- Apple has announced that the upgrade will arrive on September 19th for all Watch models. This isn't as dramatic a release as last year's (which added on-device apps and a revamped interface), but it has more than a few tangible improvements, particularly if you're a health or fitness maven -- including a few that weren't known until now.
Apple's fitness lab has collected 66,000 hours of exercise data
Men's Health writer Ben Court got to take a look around Apple's not-so-secret-anymore exercise lab and the company's director of fitness for health technologies had some bold claims about the work the lab has done. Apple's Jay Blahnik told Court, "Our lab has collected more data on activity and exercise than any other human performance study in history. Over the past five years, we've logged 33,000 sessions with over 66,000 hours of data, involving more than 10,000 unique participants."
Apple Watch will soon support a huge variety of workouts
Apple already mentioned that watchOS 4 will do more to accommodate fitness fans, but it's now clear that there's more coming for the exercise crowd... a lot more. Thanks to some sleuthing in the latest iOS 11 beta's code, iHelp BR has found assets hinting that the Apple Watch will support virtually every workout under the Sun. Some of them are common sports or fitness activities, such as boxing, football, core training and pilates, but others aren't what you'd normally expect in a fitness-savvy watch. Ever wanted to monitor your bowling or sailing? Your Apple Watch will help.
Watch Apple's WWDC 2017 keynote in 15 minutes
What's that? You weren't able to sit through nearly three hours of Apple news earlier today as the company kicked off this year's Worldwide Developers Conference? No worries. We've condensed all the watchOS, macOS, iOS, MacBook, iMac and iPad news into a convenient 15-minute clip. And yes, we made room for that newfangled Siri speaker, the HomePod. Sit back, relax and catch up on what you missed without sacrificing a couple hours to the task. Get all the latest news from WWDC 2017 here!
Apple's watchOS improvements focus on fitness and Siri
Apple definitely isn't slowing down with watchOS updates now that the Apple Watch is relatively established. It's introducing watchOS 4, a big update that overhauls both the look and several key features -- including the watch face itself. To start, there's a new Siri-powered watch face that automatically displays updates based on context. You'll get traffic alerts if you're about to head out to work, for example. There are also kaleidoscope and Toy Story faces if you're feeling particularly trippy or youthful.
