“We’ve still got a few months before watchOS 3 makes its official debut, but I took a first look at the new Apple Watch operating system,” Serenity Caldwell writes for iMore. “The Apple Watch software team has been busy: watchOS 3 is the third major operating system release in the fifteen months since the Apple Watch’s debut. And while the previous two watchOS versions may not have ever had the designation “beta,” they sure feel like it when compared to watchOS 3: The operating system makes my year-and-a-half-old Apple Watch feel brand new.”
“Apple has listened to its customers and made substantial changes to the way users interact with the Watch,” Caldwell writes. “The app carousel, heavily promoted in the first release of watchOS, is all but gone. It still exists — there’s been no Home screen reinvention on any of Apple’s mobile platforms — but the likelihood of ever seeing it on your Apple Watch has diminished to near-zero with watchOS 3.”
“Instead of the Carousel, you now launch apps from complications and the new Dock, which replaces the Friends screen and Glances in one fell swoop,” Caldwell writes. “Between complication launching and Dock glances, you may find, like me, that you never press the Digital Crown to see the Carousel again. And that’s good, because apps linked to your active watch face and Dock launch the way they should have from the start… After only a first look, it’s pepped up my aging 38mm Sport and made it feel like a new, more mature piece of technology. I’m now using my watch more than ever before…”
Tons more in the full article – recommended – here.
MacDailyNews Take: What Apple has accomplished with watchOS 3 cannot be overstated. When you first run it on your existing Apple Watch, it’s actually stunning. It really is like getting a new Apple Watch!
SEE ALSO:
Breathe: Apple is bringing meditation to your wrist via Apple Watch – June 24, 2016
With watchOS 3, Apple paves the way for major Apple Watch innovation – June 24, 2016
Apple watched how we actually used our Apple Watches and adapted watchOS to fit – June 16, 2016
Apple reveals watchOS 3; faster, simpler with breakthrough health features – June 13, 2016
Apple’s watchOS 2 makes Apple Watch even more useful – September 21, 2015
watchOS 2 is a good start, but developers want more Apple Watch access – June 12, 2015
It’s the same ole’ AW MDN
Not really, MDN is right on this.
I wish Apple did this variant of WatchOS from very beginning, because the lag and confusing/overcomplicated UI and superficial features have seriously damaged this product’s potential since those drawbacks quickly became widely known.
While, of course, AW is still by far the biggest selling smartwatch, the best of the kind, absolute leader, its sales could have been even way better than they were/are.
Thankfully, watchOS 3 with the Apple Watch 2 this autumn will dramatically improve sales. AW has sold about 6 million in the calendar Q4 last year, and this year it might sell even 10 million units.
I cannot wait
Will this need iOS 10 on its companion iPhone?
Will it work with a second phone or iPad?
LOVE It now in the name of Jobs PLEASE wow me with a new TB3 iMac and new MacBooks!