Apple issues first public beta of watchOS 7

Apple has made available a public beta for watchOS 7 for the first time, allowing non-developers their first chance to try out the milestone operating system update on their own Apple Watch.

Public beta builds can be acquired from the Apple Beta Software Program website, once users have signed up to take part. Typically public betas arrive shortly after their developer counterparts, though for major releases this time can increase, as is the case for watchOS 7.

Participants upgrading to watchOS 7 are advised to remember the process is one-way with no option to downgrade back to earlier watchOS versions once performed. As a requirement for using watchOS 7, public beta participants also have to update their iPhone to run the iOS 14 beta.

Apple has made watchOS 7 the last of the milestone operating systems under testing to have its own public beta, with builds already available for iOS 14, iPadOS 14, tvOS 14, and macOS Big Sur. On the developer beta side, Apple has so far issued four builds for watchOS 7 and the other releases.

Set to arrive officially this fall, watchOS 7 adds Sleep Tracking functionality to the wearable device, including features such as Wind Down to create a bedtime routine. To protect the user's hearing, the Apple Watch will display an alert if a user has reached a weekly safe limit for listening to loud music.

New fitness options are included, as well as refinements to Apple Maps and Siri, a new watch faces, the ability to share watch faces, and a hand-washing timer.

AppleInsider, and Apple itself, strongly suggest users avoid installing betas on to "mission-critical" or primary devices, due to the potential for data loss or other issues. It is instead recommended to install betas onto secondary or non-essential devices, and to ensure there are sufficient backups of important data beforehand.

Find any changes in the new betas? Reach out to us on Twitter at @AppleInsider or @Andrew_OSU, or send Andrew an email at andrew@AppleInsider.com.

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10 Comments

elcantona 4 comments · 17 Years

About 4 years ago

The release notes for this beta correctly mention that Apple Watch series 3 typically may gave a warning about insufficient space to carry out the update.

The recommended solution is to unpair the watch, update to he beta and then pair the watch again.

Does anyone know that this would mean for ongoing monthly challenges and such?

macgui 2461 comments · 17 Years

AI said:
AppleInsider, and Apple itself, strongly suggest users avoid installing betas on to "mission-critical" or primary devices, due to the potential for data loss or other issues. It is instead recommended to install betas onto secondary or non-essential devices, and to ensure there are sufficient backups of important data beforehand.
Does this still have the requirement of necessitating sending the Watch to Apple if it becomes bricked?
Data loss is one thing but it's only data. I thought one of the reasons for not having a Watch public beta was because the Watch had to go back to Apple in the event of a bricking malfunction.

johnbear 160 comments · 8 Years

Most my gadgets and computers are Apple but can’t stand the children-like tasteless design of the watch. It just looks like a mini iPhone 1. I just hope they will make a round watch sometime so I can get one

macgui said:

AI said:
AppleInsider, and Apple itself, strongly suggest users avoid installing betas on to "mission-critical" or primary devices, due to the potential for data loss or other issues. It is instead recommended to install betas onto secondary or non-essential devices, and to ensure there are sufficient backups of important data beforehand.
Does this still have the requirement of necessitating sending the Watch to Apple if it becomes bricked?
Data loss is one thing but it's only data. I thought one of the reasons for not having a Watch public beta was because the Watch had to go back to Apple in the event of a bricking malfunction.

From what I understand : one a cannot roll back to a previous version of WatchOS after installing the beta.

Installing the beta will not void your warranty but you will need Apple to fix your watch in case the beta does something wanting you to go back to a previous version.

I can imagine a few use cases where a watch is "mission critical". Still that disclaimer is more relevant for iPhones than for watches.

anantksundaram 20391 comments · 18 Years

johnbear said:

Most my gadgets and computers are Apple but can’t stand the children-like tasteless design of the watch. It just looks like a mini iPhone 1. I just hope they will make a round watch sometime so I can get one

This has been debated to death here. For numerous reasons (sorry I am too lazy to list, but primary ones revolve around optimality of info display) the current shape makes far more sense than does a circle.

If you don't like it, don't buy it. (For example, I love it; also, for example, I dislike the Airpods since they don't fit my ear properly, but tough luck for me). To diss it as "children-like" when it's the optimal design for what it's intended to do is what is child-like.