Apple's watchOS 10.1 has arrived with double-tap

The update for watchOS 10.1 is the first main release for the Apple Watch since the release of watchOS 10 itself. The first .1 update usually consists of features that Apple couldn't get into the first of the generation, and that is true for watchOS 10.1.

The key inclusion for this update is support for the Double Tap gesture, which Apple used to promote its Apple Watch Series 9 and Apple Watch Ultra 2 at launch. While other older models could use the gesture via the Accessibility menu, the update makes it more easy for owners of the latest wearables to activate.

Other changes that have surfaced in betas for the release have included NameDrop, Apple's contact-sharing feature for the iPhone. The update also includes a fix for minor battery drain bugs, and tweaks the auto-dimming element of the auto-brightness feature so it doesn't trigger automatically.

Apple Watch owners can update their devices by opening the Watch app on a paired iPhone, then on the My Watch tab, select General then Software Update. The Apple Watch will need to have a charge of 50% or more for the update to install, and to be within range of the paired iPhone.