Darryl Boxberger
Apple has released watchOS 8.5, a minor under-the-hood update that focuses on core software technologies.
While the update does not appear to include any new user-oriented features, there are a few improvements targeted at Apple Watch app developers.
For instance, developers can now point to a preferred payment network within Apple Pay on Apple Watch. Your default card will not be overridden, Apple states, but only to optimize card selections in the interface. Also, purchases made on Apple TV can now be authorized on the Apple Watch with a double press of the side button.
The new watchOS update also features bug fixes and improvements to many parts of the operating system, most notably certain App Store user experiences to facilitate better transactions and downloads.
watchOS 8.5 is available for any Apple Watch Series 3 or later model. The build number for this release is 19T242.
Apple appears to have continued its trend of minute watchOS updates, with watchOS 8.3 adding the Unity Lights watch face. The watchOS 8.4 update was released solely to fix the charging issue plaguing certain users with Apple Watch Series 7 and earlier models.
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1 Comment
Just updated, and the passcode entry now has a certain number of blanks, telling you how long the person's passcode is. Don't like that one little bit, and there doesn't seem to be a way to turn it back to the previous behavior.