Apple’s watchOS 2 releases, bringing native apps and more to Apple Watch
Delayed from last week's original date, the big OS update is now live for all
Last Wednesday was supposed to be the big launch day for both iOS 9 and watchOS 2, but just hours before the intended release, Apple delayed the latter. The culprit? A serious bug discovered very late in the preparations.
Apple said the delay wouldn’t be long, and we suppose five days isn’t that much in the grand scheme of things. That’s right: you can now download watchOS 2 for the Apple Watch, and the update delivers a slew of upgrades and enhancements large and small for Apple’s five-month-old wearable.
You’ll need to grab the update via the Watch app on your iPhone. Assuming you didn’t have the beta or GM version on your phone, the update weighs in a bit over 500MB in size, and you’ll need your Apple Watch connected to its charger, with the battery at 50% or higher, and in range of your Wi-Fi connected iPhone to begin the process.
What’s new in watchOS 2? The biggest enhancement – in terms of quality of use – is surely the ability for developers to run apps natively on the Apple Watch itself instead of streamed from your phone. That should make them run faster and smoother, plus developers can now utilize more of the Watch hardware, including the digital crown and button on the side.
Also noteworthy are the new faces, which include time lapses of major international cities, and customisable Photo and Photo Album faces. More of the face complications (the little interactive bits) are tweakable now, as well, and a new "Time Travel" feature lets you twiddle the crown to see what’s ahead on your schedule. And there’s a nightstand mode for when the Watch is sideways and charging.
All told, it’s a robust-sounding set of updates that should make the Apple Watch an even more useful and personal device. Stay tuned for more coverage of watchOS 2 in the days ahead.
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Andrew Hayward
Freelance Writer 
