Final version of watchOS 3 is now available to download. Here’s how to install it on Apple Watch right now, and the right way.
After initially being announced during the opening keynote of this year’s Worldwide Developers Conference back in June, and after undergoing months of continuous testing with the enthusiastic developer community, Apple has officially released watchOS 3, the firmware that powers the Apple Watch, to the general public with immediate availability.
It feels like it has been a whirlwind eighteen months for Apple and the Apple Watch. After initially teasing the Apple Watch at the back end of 2014, and subsequently releasing the hardware to market in April of the following year, Apple has shied away from updating the Watch from a hardware perspective until last week when the company announced Apple Watch Series 2.
The company has also focused heavily on progressing the software – watchOS – that powers those watches to ensure that it offers the best possible experience and maximizes what at least the first-generation hardware is capable of. watchOS 3 is a perfect example of that focus, and dramatically increases the performance that Apple’s first-generation smartwatch produces.
From features perspective, watchOS 3 introduces a much faster and streamlined app launch experience that sees chosen apps spring into life instantly, without delay. Apps are now also capable of being kept in memory, similar to how iOS functions, and there is also the ability for background updates of content and refreshed information for apps that require it.
watchOS 3 also introduces an all-new Dock in place of the Friends screen that has been an ever present until now. There’s a new Apple Watch Control Center with access to Airplane Mode, Do Not Disturb and Silent Mode, plus more, as well as new ways to reply to messages, including the use of what Apple is calling a new Scribble (keyboard) option. In addition to that, there’s an SOS feature, Activity Sharing feature, and of course the ability to unlock your Mac while wearing the watch on your wrist.
Of course, watchOS 3 does contain a few more improvements and feature additions outside of what’s been mentioned above, but what would the fun be if you didn’t get to discover a few tidbits for yourself?
If you have been waiting patiently for this update, and have had aspirations of getting up and running with watchOS 3 instantly, then you are of course going to need to at least exercise a very minimal amount of patience during the necessary update process. In order to get up and running in as minimal amount of time as possible, you can follow our previous guide on how to update the firmware on the Apple Watch here: How To Install watchOS Update On Apple Watch [Tutorial].
You may also like to check out:
- Apple Watch Series 2 Vs Apple Watch Series 1 2016 [Specs Comparison]
- watchOS 3 For Apple Watch: First Impressions And Takeaways
- watchOS 3 For Apple Watch: Hands-On With New Features [Video]
- Requirements / Compatibility For Auto Unlock Feature Of macOS Sierra & watchOS 3
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