watchOS 3 beta 2: here’s what’s new

Apple Watchby Imran Hussain

Apple released watchOS 3 beta 2 to developers today. Here is our list of all the new features and changes in this update.

Everything new in watchOS 3 beta 2:

  • Apps seem to launch even faster than watchOS 3 beta 1
  • Improvements to battery life
  • Emergency SOS feature is now functional. It can be accessed by pressing and holding the side button for 6 seconds which directly initiates the SOS call. It is also available in the power off menu which is available by long pressing the side button, though that requires less than 6 seconds.
  • Home app has a new icon

    New HomeKit app icon

  • New colors available for watch faces including a few shades of green. They seem to match Apple’s latest sport band colors.
  • Time on Photo watch faces now has a glow
  • Workouts now include Elevation Gain
  • Apple Watch app now shows full screen maps for workouts, where supported

The update is available for developers. watchOS 3 beta 2 can also be installed without a developer account but beware that you cannot downgrade it yourself. The Apple Watch needs to be taken to an Apple Store to downgrade it back to a stable release.

Apple also released iOS 10 beta 2 today. Check out our detailed a list of all the new features in iOS 10 beta 2.

About the Author

Imran Hussain is the founder and editor of iThinkDifferent, which he launched in 2008 to cover Apple news, reviews, and how-to guides. He has spent over 15 years writing about iOS, macOS, and the wider Apple ecosystem, with a focus on hands-on guides - installing developer betas, troubleshooting, and walking through new features on his own devices. Based in Dubai, he also loves to cover photography, gaming, and the tech industry more broadly on his social media profiles.

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