Apple has been forced to pull a recent watchOS update following numerous reports of major issues for Apple Watches following its release on October 1.

The news comes just over two weeks after Apple had to pull an update for iPads after iPadOS 18 was reported to be 'bricking' (rendering the device inoperable) the company's high-end M4 iPad Pro tablets.

At the time of writing, Apple is yet to resolve the previous issue, which has left many M4 iPad Pro owners needing to replace their devices, and those unaffected unable to upgrade to the company's recently released milestone iPadOS 18 release — cutting them off from enjoying the latest iPad features like Writing Tools, Image Playground, Genmoji, ChatGPT integration, Home Screen customization, the new Control Center, and the new Calculator app with Math Notes.

Apple Watch woes add to Apple's update headaches

Following the release of WatchOS 11.1 Beta 3 on Tuesday, October 1, several reports from users sprung up on Reddit with owners complaining that their recently updated Apple Watches were encountering major issues when syncing the Messages app.

While most users complained that the Messages app wouldn't sync, often timing out before being able to bring new messages to their Watch, others encountered more severe issues that caused the device to lock up completely when receiving Message notifications.

Some users suggest disabling Message notifications to avoid this issue. However, others report that the lockups are more consistent, happening shortly after a reboot with no way to avoid the issue.

In response, Apple has pulled WatchOS 11.1 Beta 3, no longer offering it for download.

A silver lining (for most)

Thankfully, the number of affected users will be much smaller than those impacted by the recent iPadOS 18 fumble that saw some of the company's top-flight iPad Pros rendered completely useless and in need of complete replacement.

watchOS 11.1 Beta 3 is an update targeted solely for hardware linked to Apple developers. Meaning the vast majority of Apple Watch users wouldn't have even been aware of the update, as it was only circulated among this small subsection of devices.

Frustratingly for the most affected Apple Watch owners, it's likely that Apple won't be able to fix this with a second patch, and these devices will need to be repaired by Apple directly.

A warning for early adopters

However, while these updates are usually released to a comparatively small group of users, the buzz surrounding Apple Intelligence has led many regular Apple users to sign up to the Apple developer program to gain early access to several of the inbound features ahead of their full release.

While Apple Watches won't be getting much in the way of Apple Intelligence features, may have introduced these users to a wave of early updates for other devices.

To those people: welcome to the dangerous world of Beta testing. Issues like those arising from Apple's most recent watchOS Beta release are rare, but not unheard of. Typically, most Beta updates will create as many bugs as they try to fix, as Apple's own developers attempt to iron out software kinks between public releases.

While excitement around Apple Intelligence builds, it's tempting for many users to jump into the action early, but let this be a warning sign of the potential downside to that decision.

More from Laptop Mag

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Apple’s latest OS updates have just dropped for all compatible iPhone, iPad, and Apple Watch devices! The full release of iOS 17, iPadOS 17, and watchOS 10 has been much anticipated since their unveiling at this years WWDC, and we want to make sure you’re up to date on what to do in advance, and how to download it on each device. 

iOS 17, iPadOS 17, watchOS 10: What time will the update be available?

Today’s updates are now live! Apple released its new updates into the wild at around 10 a.m. PDT for those on the west coast of the United States, or 1 p.m. EDT for those on the east coast.

Here’s the list of when the latest iPhone, iPad, and Apple Watch updates went live in their respective time zones:

• United States and Canada: 10 a.m. PDT, 11 a.m. MDT, 1 p.m. EDT
• Brazil: 2 p.m. BRT
• United Kingdom: 6 p.m. BST
• Europe: 7 p.m. CEST,
• Russia: 8 p.m. MSK
• India: 10:30 p.m. IST
• China: Tuesday, Sept. 19, 1 a.m. CST
• Australia: Tuesday, Sept. 19, 1 a.m. AWST, 3 a.m. AEST
• Japan: Tuesday, Sept. 19, 2 a.m. JST
• New Zealand: Tuesday, Sept. 19, 5 a.m. NZST

iOS 17, iPadOS 17, watchOS 10: Is my device compatible?

Not all devices will be able to make the jump to Apple’s next wave of operating system updates. So be sure to double-check that your device is one of those capable of downloading the update in advance.

Here's Apple's official list of supported devices for the iOS 17, iPadOS 17, and watchOS 10 updates:

iOS 17 compatible iPhones

• iPhone 14 (iPhone 14 Plus, iPhone 14 Pro, iPhone 14 Pro Max)
• iPhone 13 (iPhone 13 mini, iPhone 13 Pro, iPhone 13 Pro Max)
• iPhone 12 (iPhone 12 Pro, iPhone 12 Pro Max)
• iPhone 11 (iPhone 11 Pro, iPhone 11 Pro Max)
• iPhone XS (iPhone XS Max)
• iPhone XR
• iPhone SE (2nd Generation or later)

iPadOS 17 compatible iPads

• iPad Pro 12.9-inch (2nd Generation and later)
• iPad Pro 10.5-inch
• iPad Pro 11-inch (1st Generation and later)
• iPad Air (3rd Generation and later)
• iPad (6th Generation and later)
• iPad mini (5th Generation and later)

watchOS 10 compatible Apple Watches

• Apple Watch Series 4
• Apple Watch Series 5
• Apple Watch Series 6
• Apple Watch Series 7
• Apple Watch Series 8
• Apple Watch Ultra
• Apple Watch SE

iOS 17, iPadOS 17, watchOS 10: Before you update

Before any major software update, Apple recommends you backup the data on your device using iCloud or your computer. If you don’t know how to do this, follow our guides on how to backup your iPhone or how to backup your iPad to get up to speed.

Once you’ve made a backup, you’ll need to make sure you have a charger to hand. Apple recommends leaving your device on charge during the update process to avoid any issues mid-install. You’ll also need to make sure you’re connected to the internet (preferably by Wi-Fi), to make sure your download is as stable as possible.

Finally, you’ll need to free up enough space to perform the download and install the latest OS update. Typically, iPhone and iPad OS updates can be up to 6GB in size, so ensure there’s plenty of room on your device to handle that download. Apple Watch updates tend to be smaller in size, usually requiring between 2GB and 3GB of storage.

How to update iPhone/iPad to iOS/iPadOS 17

Updating your iPhone or iPad to the latest version is straightforward and easy to do. After checking your device is compatible, follow these simple steps to get the latest OS update.

Step 1: On your device, open “Settings.”

Step 2: Tap “General,” then “Software Update.”

Step 3: Tap on the software update you wish to download (or the option saying “Upgrade to iOS 17/iPadOS 17”).

Step 4: Tap on “Install Now” or “Download and Install,” before following the on-screen instructions to complete the setup.

How to update Apple Watch to watchOS 10

Apple Watches running watchOS 6 or later can install the new update by pretty much the exact same procedure. Just make sure that your watch is connected to Wi-Fi and follow these simple steps to download the watchOS 10 update:

Step 1: On your Apple Watch, open “Settings.”

Step 2: Tap “General,” and then “Software Update.”

Step 3: Install the pending software update and follow all on-screen instructions.

However, if your Apple Watch has been shy about updating for some time and you’re running a version of the OS below watchOS 6, you’ll need to use your iPhone to perform the update. In this instance, you need your iPhone to be running the latest iOS version first. After you’ve done that perform the following steps:

Step 1: Open the “Apple Watch” app on your iPhone.

Step 2: Tap “My Watch,” “General,” and finally “Software Update.”

Step 3: Download the pending update and wait for the progress wheel to appear. This could take anywhere from a few minutes to an hour to complete.

Apple’s Wonderlust event was packed with details about the Apple Watch Series 9’s awesome “quack quack” to answer calls gesture and the Apple Watch Ultra 2’s inclusion of Siri on device – but little was said about when to expect the software that makes it all work: watchOS 10!

The same can be said about the Phone 15 and iPhone 15 Plus’ new Dynamic Island, or the iPhone 15 Pro and iPhone 15 Pro Max’s Action Button. However, we’ve already caught the details on when to expect the arrival of iOS 17, the same goes for the iPadOS 17 release date too!

But where’s the love for watchOS 10? It’s here! Apple has recently confirmed the release date for watchOS 10, and we’re here to let you know when you can, how you can, and who can download the update when it launches later this month.

watchOS 10 release date

According to Apple, eligible Apple Watch and Apple Watch Ultra owners will be able to update their device to watchOS 10 from Monday, Sept. 18, 2023.

The release of watchOS 10 will likely happen simultaneously alongside iOS 17 and iPadOS 17. With that in mind, and following Apple’s previous OS release schedule, here’s when the new wearable OS download is likely to go live on the day:

• United States: 10 a.m. PDT; 11 a.m. MDT; 12 noon CDT; 1 p.m. EDT
• Canada: 10 a.m. PDT, 1 p.m. EDT, 2 p.m. ADT
• United Kingdom: 6 p.m. BST
• Europe: 7 p.m. CEST, 8 p.m. MSK/EEST/TRT
• India: 10:30 p.m. IST

watchOS 10: Which devices are supported?

Apple’s software updates are tailored towards its latest devices, but support older models up to a certain threshold. Every new release sees certain models drop out of compatibility for newer releases, and watchOS 10’s debut will be no different.

Here is Apple’s official list of watchOS 10 compatible devices:

• Apple Watch Series 4
• Apple Watch Series 5
• Apple Watch SE
• Apple Watch Series 6
• Apple Watch Series 7
• Apple Watch Series 8
• Apple Watch Series 9
• Apple Watch Ultra
• Apple Watch Ultra 2

Reminder: Not all features of watchOS 10 will be available across all of these devices. If you want to experience everything that watchOS 10 has to offer, you’ll need to get your hands on the Apple Watch Series 9 or Apple Watch Ultra 2 when they’re made available for preorder from Friday, Sept. 15, 2023 or when both devices go on sale from Friday, Sept. 22, 2023. 

watchOS 10: How to download watchOS 10

Want to know how to download watchOS 10 when it arrives later this month? No problem! There are two ways to update your Apple Watch to the latest version, one for devices running watchOS 6 and above, and another for smartwatches on any lower versions.

Note: Before starting any update process, make sure that your Apple Watch is at least 50% charged. Apple recommends leaving your Apple Watch on its charger while the update completes and not to restart your device mid-install.

Updating an Apple Watch to watchOS 10:

Apple Watches running watchOS 6 or later can install updates with zero hassle. Just make sure that your watch is connected to Wi-Fi and follow these three simple steps to update:

Step 1: Open you Apple Watch, open “Settings”

Step 2: Tap “General,” and then “Software Update”

Step 3: Install the pending software update and follow all on screen instructions.  

Updating an Apple Watch to watchOS 10 with iPhone

If you’ve an Apple Watch gathering dust in your wardrobe running watchOS 5 or lower and want to update it to the latest version then you’ll need to make use of your iPhone to perform the update – so first, ensure your iPhone is updated to the latest version of iOS and is connected to Wi-Fi. After which, you should be ready to perform the update:

Step 1: Open the Apple Watch app on your iPhone

Step 2: Tap “My Watch,” “General,” and finally “Software Update”

Step 3: Download the pending update and wait for the progress wheel to appear. This could take anywhere from a few minutes to an hour to complete. 

watchOS 10: What to expect

watchOS 10’s unveiling at WWDC gave us plenty of insight into what was heading to the Apple Watch this year, and it was a substantial upgrade to say the least. What the Apple Watch lacked in massive overhauls to hardware, it more than made up for in software improvements – including a total rethink of the watchOS UI. Here’s some of the key features arriving with watchOS 10:

Smart Stack: Smart Stack is a new feature that maximizes the potential of any watch face throughout the day. Adapting itself to fit with the wearer’s context, Smart Stack showcases widgets that can be cycled through using the Digital Crown to quickly browse through Calendar events, Reminders, Weather forecasts, and more with ease.

It looks to be a great way of keeping an eye on your day ahead, with its content tailor to time of day and what your current activity is.

Hiking and Cycling: Activity tracking for cycling and hiking has been overhauled with new metrics and Bluetooth accessory compatibility for potential pedal pros. These accessories can help track cadence, speed, and power to your Workout View and gain better insight into your exercises.

As for hiking, the Compass app has now made the leap to 3D – with estimated way points on Cellular connectivity and emergency call signal availability automatically added as you travel. There’s also better trail information, and topographic maps featuring elevation and points of interest.

NameDrop: Name drop works similarly to the iOS 17 feature of the same name. Hold your Apple Watch close to someone else’s iPhone or Apple Watch to enable NameDrop, here you’ll be able to quickly share contact information with one another – without any of the fuss involved in mishearing numbers or names. It’s quick, easy to use, and a fantastic feature to look forward to.

Offline maps: iOS 17 will see iPhone users finally be able to download maps for offline use. Pair that downloaded data with an Apple Watch device and you’ll be able to navigate and view detailed place cards from your smartwatch any time your iPhone is turned on and within range.

New look apps: A new design language for watchOS 10 sees your favorite apps looking better than ever thanks to a UI overhaul. Apps now utilize more of the Apple Watch’s display to ensure you get the most relevant and useful information you need at a glance. 

New watch faces: watchOS 10 welcomes two new animated watch faces to its collection by way of Palette, an overlapping gradient pattern that cycles through its colors to match your time of day, and Snoopy, featuring the iconic Peanuts characters Snoopy and Woodstock – who react to your activities, the weather, and play with your watch hands.

Outlook

Once again, the watchOS 10 update is set to release on Monday, Sept. 18, 2023. That means we're just days away from getting to grips with the Apple Watch's latest batch of features and new look UI overhaul.

For breaking news and updates on all things Apple and Apple Watch, follow Laptop Mag on Twitter, Facebook, and Flipboard for the latest word as it arrives. 

At Apple's Wonderlust event earlier today, the Cupertino tech goliath unveiled the new Apple Watch Ultra 2 and Apple Watch Series 9. Both smartwatches feature Apple's new custom S9 SiP silicon, with 5.6 billion transistors, a massive 60% more transistor than the previous S8 chip. 

The new chip features a four-core Neural Engine process for machine learning (AI) that supposedly learns three times faster and enables many innovations like the new gestures feature set in WatchOS. 

The differences between the two are more physical than internal, with both allowing for carbon-neutral combinations. Both Apple watches feature the same health applications and SOS safety measures, with the difference being the Ultra 2 gets a Siren.

Let's look to see in what other ways these two watches differ. 

APPLE WATCH ULTRA 2 VS. APPLE WATCH SERIES 9: PRICE AND VALUE

The Apple Watch Ultra 2 comes in a titanium 49mm case and costs a hefty $799. The Apple Watch Series 9 comes in a 41mm or 45mm aluminum or stainless steel case, starting at $399. Sure, you can save $400 on the Series 9, but for a person my size, the Ultra 2's 49mm size fits best, and because I'm rough on things, titanium will hold up better. 

Winner: Apple Watch Ultra 2

APPLE WATCH ULTRA 2 VS. APPLE WATCH SERIES 9: DESIGN

With the Ultra 2, you'll get a larger, brighter display, better battery life, and the ability to dive deep (328 feet). Is that worth $400? That is up to you to decide. Are you a swimmer? Do you need a watch made of a more rigid material like titanium? Also, are you okay with just one color choice for the case? 

The Apple Watch Series 9 comes in many colors, giving you far more options. Sure, it maxes out at 45mm and only comes in aluminum and stainless steel, but those are enough for most. Also, when was the last time you dove deeper than 1 meter into anything? 164 feet of water protection is enough for your local pool and scuba diving. 

When you add that both watches come with the same new S9 SiP chip and applications, that $400 extra seems like throwing money away. 

Winner: Apple Watch Series 9 

APPLE WATCH ULTRA 2 VS. APPLE WATCH Series 9: DISPLAY

The Ultra 2 has the always-on Retina LTPO OLED 1.9-inch 502 x 410-pixel display; however, this year's Ultra can reach a peak brightness of 3,000 nits. The Series 9 features a 1.9-inch 430 x 352-pixel Retina LTPO OLED display and a potent 2,000 nits of brightness.  

Winner: Apple Watch Ultra 2

APPLE WATCH ULTRA 2 VS. APPLE WATCH SERIES 9: BATTERY LIFE AND CHARGING

The Apple Watch Series 9 is rated at 18 hours of battery life and up to 36 hours in Low Power Mode. The larger Apple Ultra 2, with its bigger battery, can last up to 36 hours, and in Low Power Mode can last for up to 72 hours according to Apple's claims. 

Both Watches feature fast wireless charging. However, bigger is better because longer battery life is better, so the Ultra 2 will take this one too. 

Winner: Apple Watch Ultra 2.  

Outlook

Whichever Apple Watch you buy, it's just a matter of preference and what you are willing to spend. Both watches offer fantastic performance thanks to the new S9 SiP chip, solid battery life, and access to great applications. 

If I had an extra $799, I would buy the Apple Watch Ultra 2 as it's a better for someone my size. Also, who knows when I might need to dive 300 feet to invade an underwater base? I could be MI6 for all you know. 

However, if you don't need the built-in siren or to dive into a dark, watery abyss, for $399, you can get a fantastic Apple Watch Series 9. Either way, you're winning. 

No, I’m not kidding. Spotted by Patently Apple, Apple just got a patent approved that is titled "Modifying Virtual Content to Invoke a Target user State.” That’s mind control, right?

But hold up a second. Before you start to get more than a little (understandably) worried, let’s go into the nitty gritty of this and see what the patent details, and how it could be a pretty valuable asset to the Apple Vision Pro.

Changing your mind (for the better)?

In the patent, Apple talks about a headset (which is fair to say the Apple Vision Pro), which works with a “server” (likely translation: iCloud) to control a user’s experience.

All standard at the moment, but it’s when the patent talks about using “sensor information” to determine the state of the user as to present a virtual agent with a “neural expression” to match your energy and encourage you to be calm. 

It would do so by using a variety of on-board sensors (even using the heart rate, blood oxygen, and blood pressure monitors on your Apple Watch) and historical data to track your mood — such as the mood check-ins that are coming as part of iOS 17 and watchOS 9. At that point, it will work to target a particular emotional state by taking control of the experience and presenting appropriate content.

Key examples that Apple specifies include the likes of a cat to help you feel happy, a zen rock garden for relaxation, a virtual agent dancing to crack a smile, and even spiders to make you feel scared.

Outlook

So, while I do love to get a little dramatic with a headline, Apple’s uses for this are actually rather novel — a nice little expansion on the company’s mindfulness which does dip into the slightly terrifying by trying to control more than just your positive emotions.

Of course, mindfulness formed part of the WWDC keynote when talking about the Apple Vision Pro. But this goes one step further. Are we seeing a glimpse into how much further this could be expanded with Apple’s mixed-reality headset? I think so.

Now, we just have to hope Master Cook doesn’t use it to have us all chanting “ThE ViSiOn PrO Is A bArGaIn bUy MoRe iPhOnEs” in unison.

The Apple Watch is hands down the best smartwatch available today and the latest watchOS 9.5 update brought with it support for Apple's 2023 Pride band along with some bug fixes, but that wasn't all.

Unfortunately, a new bug appears to have come along for the ride with numerous users on Reddit indicating that their Apple Watch display took on a greenish hue following the update (via MacRumors).

It doesn't render the Apple Watch unusable, the green tint or faded look only appears on the Control Center, notifications, and passcode input screens, but it's a drastic downgrade for your expensive wearable, so understandably users want to know when to expect a fix.

Is a fix coming for the watchOS 9.5 screen tint?

While Apple hasn't offered a timeline for an update to fix the problem for those affected, it's safe to say the company is aware of the issue and will likely attempt to address it with watchOS 9.6. Whether that will come before or after WWDC 2023 kicks off on June 5 is a mystery for now.

If your Apple Watch is impacted by this issue, some users have been able to restart the Apple Watch and that was enough to clear it up. However, that hasn't been successful for everyone, so if it fails you are stuck waiting for an update from Apple to clear up this display dilemma. 

Frustrated by the Apple Watch UI? Get ready for big changes, as a recent report suggests watchOS 10 could be dramatically upgrading the UI.

It’s easy to get swept up in the fervor of Apple hardware rumors surrounding its annual Worldwide Developers Conference (WWDC) — such as the long-rumored XR headset, the unveiling of an M3 MacBook Air, or an all-new M2 Ultra MacBook Pro. 

However, we're just starting to hear about potential changes to software, and it looks like big things are coming for the Apple Watch Ultra and Series 8. 

Time for an upgrade

Recently filed patents may have given us a glimpse at the potential future of Apple’s wearable, with key standouts being strap-based health sensors and a built-in camera. However, according to industry insider Mark Gurman in his “Power On” newsletter for Bloomberg, those expecting major hardware changes shouldn’t hold their breath.

While disappointing for some to hear, it is a notion in keeping with Apple’s usual three-year cycle of Apple Watch hardware — and makes further sense with the Apple Watch Ultra having been out for less than a year.

Instead, Gurman believes that the most notable changes to expect from WWDC regarding the Apple Watch will be in the form of the wearable's updated operating system. The new watchOS 10 is expected to be unveiled in June alongside other Apple operating system updates such as iOS 17, iPadOS 17, and macOS 14.

Each of these updates will no doubt include a number of great new features, however, watchOS 10 is most notable among them for being the only one set to receive a “fairly extensive upgrade” with a primary focus on changes to the user interface.

While the Apple Watch has by no means been abandoned, many of its previous updates have been small and subtle, leaving many feeling that watchOS has somewhat stagnated over time.

Hopefully, Apple’s milestone watchOS release can revitalize the end-user experience and make amends for the drip feeding of a handful of new watch faces and some minor menu navigation tweaks. Ideally, while also improving on the software update process that irks so many Apple Watch owners.

Outlook

While there are no clear details on what watchOS 10’s “notable changes” could be, the fact Apple has made the effort to sizably upgrade and improve the device’s user interface is a step in the right direction for many.

Whether or not the switch to watchOS 10 will be as extensive as claimed remains to be seen, but it should give wearable owners something else to look out for as the WWDC kicks off on June 5.

Apple Watch users who use Spotify to stream music are being warned not to update to watchOS 9 as it is rendering the music streaming app inert. Spotify has been sending out emails to users warning them against updating to the latest watchOS 9 if they want to continue to stream music. 

Spotify released the following statement. "Apple watchOS 9 introduced a bug that causes Spotify streaming on the Apple Watch to stop working. We urge Spotify Apple Watch users not to install the watchOS 9 update until Apple has implemented a fix for the issue. Users who are already affected can instead download their content to their Apple Watch and listen offline or stream from their phones."

What users are saying

Many users have reported that Spotify stops streaming on Apple Watch, usually within just a few moments. However, the track progress bar continues to register audio play is in progress, just minus the actual music. 

The issue is present during Wi-Fi and cellular connections. However, there have been reported problems with Spotify media downloaded to an Apple Watch. Apple recently released the first beta of watchOS 9.1 to developers this past Wednesday, and that's when reports of the streaming issues started to come in.

Apple has not mentioned the issue in any of its release notes. This leaves users in the lurch without knowing when this bug will be fixed until the next Apple Watch update.

Apple has been plagued by delivery date issues, website sales issues, and all kinds of bugginess since the iPhone 14 lineup was officially launched last week, with growing rumors of connectivity issues upon first setting up the device. Apple is expected to bring a fix soon.

In the meantime, check out how to use Low Power Mode on our Apple Watch to push its battery life to the limit. 

Apple's WWDC 2022 event gave us all the latest software updates set to arrive with iOS 16, macOS 13, watchOS 9 and more, along with an M2 MacBook Air and M2 MacBook Pro reveal. Oh, and Resident Evil Village is coming to Mac!

Apple's keynote gave us a first-hand look at the revamped, M2-powered MacBook Air, 13-inch M2 MacBook Pro, and exciting updates coming to iPhone, iPad, Apple Watch, and MacBook. From Stage Manager allowing for multiple windows to be open on Mac to using your iPhone as a webcam, there's plenty to dig into.

You can get a more detailed look at everything announced and check out the whole event below:

• M2 MacBook Air 2022
• macOS Ventura 
• watchOS 9 
• iOS 16 
• iPadOS 16

Excited about all the big reveals? We know we are. Check out the biggest announcements at the Apple WWDC 2022 event as they happened below. 

And we're kicking off! Welcome (or welcome back) to another Apple event live blog. We'll be covering the latest news and rumors on all things WWDC 2022, and there's plenty to talk about.

Like in previous WWDC events, Apple's all-important keynote is expected to give us the low-down on the upcoming macOS 13, iOS 16, iPadOS 16, watchOS 9, and tvOS 16 software updates. Sessions throughout the week will give us additional insight into each one, but the keynote offers a glimpse at all of the software highlights.

With iOS 15, Apple brought a number of quality-of-life updates such as FaceTime including spatial audio, SharePlay bringing music, videos, or your screen into your calls, drag and drop between apps, and many more.

With iOS 16, we're expecting to see further enhancements, although don't expect to see a major redesign of iOS. According to Bloomberg's Mark Gurman, there will be "fairly significant enhancements across the board." iOS 16 is tipped to bring new health-tracking features and an update to notifications, but what these new features will be are still in question.  

By the way, Apple's WWDC 2022 image looks mighty familiar...

There's no doubt iOS 16 will be one of the more interesting updates, as many are most excited about all the new iPhone features arriving — especially as they go hand-in-hand with other Apple products. 

Codenamed "Sydney," changes are coming to Apple's Focus mode, which was introduced in iOS 15. It acts as a customizable Do Not Disturb mode, allowing users to set different profiles for various activities, such as work, play, gym, and more. In iOS 16, there will apparently be more customizations coming to Focus mode, and they may not be compatible with iOS 15. A message spotted in iOS 15.5 beta suggests "A device with newer software has updated this Focus to use a new configuration this device doesn’t support."

Speaking of unsupported devices, tipster LeaksApplePro on iDropNews predicts that the iPhone 6s, 6s Plus and first-generation iPhone SE won't be able to receive the iOS 16 update. This is expected, as older Apple devices struggle to keep up with new software updates. This may be the case with another expected feature offering interactive widgets or "big widgets."

The report also mentions more notification updates including a feature called "Quick Actions." This is already available, but the updated feature will allow users to perform these actions via the lock screen as well. Files, Reminder and Mail app notifications are also rumored to be getting minor updates.

Own an iPad? Well you may be getting more of a "laptop experience," according to Mark Gurman. iPadOS 16, according to Gurman's unnamed source, will enhance the tablet's multitasking capabilities.

The alleged revamped multitasking UI will make it easier for users to see which apps are running in the background. Switching between apps and tasks will reportedly be more effortless and streamlined. "[iPadOS 16] will also let users resize app windows and offer new ways for users to handle multiple apps at once," Gurman said.

Although the latest iPad Air and iPad Pro models are packed with the ultra-powerful M1 chip, the same processor that runs the 13-inch MacBook Pro, there are some aspects of the Apple tablet experience that remind you, "Yeah, this is still just a tablet." As such, Gurman insinuates that iPadOS 16 will bring the tablet experience one step closer to laptop territory.

Out of all the announcements set to be declared at WWDC, Gurman says that iPadOS will have one of the greatest upgrades. That certainly piques our interests. 

So, the upcoming iPhone software update is expected to go hand-in-hand with the Apple Watch too, as Gurman also states that watchOS 9 will offer "major upgrades to activity and health tracking." But, excitingly, we may see a bump in battery life.

Apple is reportedly planning to bring a new low power mode that will allow users to save battery life while using other features and a number of apps. This is an important upgrade from the Power Reserve mode.

While the power reserve feature can prolong your Apple Watch's battery life when it's on its last legs, it turns off all features except for the most basic function of a watch — showing the time. The new low power mode is expected to offer more functionality without consuming much battery.

That's not the only feature apparently planned to arrive. The Apple Watch is tipped to get new workout types, along with new metrics to track during workouts. Gurman also hinted at this, along with an expansion to the smartwatch's sleep tracking features. Apparently, Apple is also planning to offer new women's health features, possibly an expansion of the postpartum fitness program added to Apple Fitness+ earlier this year.

For those looking for more Apple Watch faces, Gurman also states that the Cupertino tech giant will be refreshing many of its built-in faces. This suggests that a number of the watch faces will take advantage of the larger display found on the Apple Watch Series 7, but we may see new variations of them for other products such as the Apple Watch SE.

Here's an interesting update. 14-inch MacBook Air and 13-inch MacBook Pro with M2 listings have been spotted on Apple reseller B&H Photo by 9to5Mac, along with a potential "Mac mini tower."

However, as the report rightfully points out, listings aren't a reliable source for what may be to come. Gurman backs this up in a Twitter post, stating that resellers don't get any insider info about upcoming products.

Still, if a 14-inch MacBook Air with M2 were to arrive, we'd be happy to see it. The 14-inch MacBook Pro with M1 Pro is a hit, and an "Air" version of it would certainly be welcome (especially by whoever on the Laptop Mag team gets to review it). 

So, about those long-rumored AirPods Pro 2. As in, nearly two years of teased release dates and features. Some believe the earbuds may make an appearance at WWDC 2022, but let's be real, they likely won't be. It would be an exceedingly odd time for Apple to announce them anyway.

There have been hints of the Apple AirPods Pro 2 being on track to release in 2022, but are only set to enter mass production in the second half of 2022. Whatever is happening with Apple’s upcoming flagship buds, we’re urging Apple to wait a little longer and get things in order, and we urge you to practice patience, too.

For a better look, find out why Apple doesn’t need to launch the AirPods Pro 2 any time soon. 

There's tvOS 16, of course. There’s no question that Apple is going to update tvOS 16 in some way, after all, it won’t want to pass up the chance to mention Apple TV+ and its Oscar victory, but there are no meaningful rumors or leaks about it with just days to go before the keynote. We recently got Apple's Friday Night Baseball, so we may see another angle on watching the most notable sports around. 

There’s speculation about improved Apple Fitness+ support, additional smart home integration and general improvements to the TV app, but none of it amounts to anything earth-shattering.

Head over to Apple.com and you'll find the Apple Store is down. What does this mean? Apple often does this before its events to make sure no products leak before they are unveiled. That's right, products.

This gives us a good indication we're about to see some new Apple products populate the page once it returns. Will we see the M2 MacBook Air after all? Here's hoping, but it could just be updating for more software-centric news. Usually, the page says "we'll be right back" rather than "Developing news."

Stay tuned. 

Many have been speculating about Apple's AR/VR headset, with Gurman also believing iOS 16 may include hints to Apple's rumored AR/VR device. The iPhone is rumored to be linked to the headset, and iOS 16 is tipped to give us a “peek at the headset’s rOS," otherwise known as realityOS. 

However, the New York Times (via Techradar) claims the headset is scheduled to launch in 2023. If that's the case, it's unlikely we'll hear any mention of the device this year, let alone WWDC 2022 in just a few hours.

Apparently, people familiar with the matter state big-time Hollywood directors such as Jon Favreau will be involved with making video content for the device. Favreau was recently a producer for Apple TV+'s Prehistoric Planet, giving us good reason to believe he'll have some involvement with the upcoming AR/VR headset.

Still, while we may not get a look at the headset, the software-based realityOS could pop up at WWDC 2022. Under four hours to find out. 

A little more about the possible M2 MacBook Air announcement. Earlier today we heard about apparent listings for a 14-inch MacBook Air and a new 13-inch MacBook Pro with an M2 processor, but the rumor mill has been churning out a few more details we could be looking forward to.

Beyond whatever the M2 chip delivers in terms of performance enhancements, there are a number of rumored design changes. Like the MacBook Pro 14 and MacBook Pro 16 last year, the new MacBook Air is rumored to, once again, feature MagSafe charging.

It should also sport a pair of USB 4 ports and a headphone/mic combo jack. Not the portstravaganza that its Pro counterparts now offer, but not bad considering the other major rumor is that the Air will get dramatically slimmer and lighter thanks to a reduction in its bezels.

But what about that Mac Pro update? As we've pointed out, there haven’t been considerable rumors regarding the Mac Pro update, but that could be because the belief is that the design will remain largely the same as the 2019 model. Performance is certainly the larger question and it seems like Apple will once again simply remix what it already has, with leaker Majin Bu indicating it will combine two M1 Ultra chips to create an “M1 Extreme.” We'll see about that. 

We know the iPhone 14 won't be in the spotlight during the keynote, but it may give us an idea on what to expect thanks to iOS 16. Seeing as iOS 16 is tipped to deliver updated features to the iPhone's Lock Screen, the iPhone 14 may be getting an always-on display mode.

According to Gurman, both the iPhone 14 Pro and iPhone 14 Pro Max could feature an always-on display mode, as advanced widget capabilities are expected to launch with the arrival of iOS 16. Last year, Gurman stated the iPhone 13 Pro models were tipped to feature an always-on display mode, although the feature was apparently postponed.

Now, the always-on mode may apparently feature on the next-gen Pro models. However, Gurman states it may not make it in time for when the iPhone 14 lineup is announced — expected to be this September. In other words, take this in with a grain of salt.

Only two hours to go. 

We're just an hour out from the big event! WWDC 2021 was just under two hours long, so expect this year's keynote to clock in around the same. In other words, get out the popcorn.

For those on Twitter, you may have already spotted Apple's unique hashtag, along with CEO Tim Cook's unique Memoji 

If you're still looking for a place to watch WWDC 2022, you can tune in from Apple’s website, the Apple Developer app, the Apple TV app, or YouTube. Check it out below: 

As we're inching closer to the event, it's time to cast your votes on what you're most excited to see at today's WWDC 2022 keynote! Looking forward to all the upgrades set to arrive with iOS 16? More interested in a potential hardware announcement? Or need to know more about the rumored realityOS? Let us know!

We're just 10 minutes away from all the big announcements. Bring on the iOS 16, iPadOS 16, macOS 13, watchOS 9 and (hopefully) hardware announcements!

Oh, and don't worry about that refresh button, this live blog will do it all for you. 

And the last-minute verdict is in. iOS 16 and the potential M2 MacBook Air take the cake. macOS 13? Not so much. Either way, we're sure to see some exciting announcements.

Just 5 minutes to go. 

We're hearing some neat tunes before the event kicks off. Always a nice touch, Apple. 

Here. We. Go.

It's being livestreamed at Apple Park with developers and journos getting front row seats to the event. Glad to see in-person events making a comeback! 

Oh, hello there, Tim Cook.

He takes us though the new developer centre across from Apple Park, along with Tech Talks for developers. This, along with the Developer Academy, bringing upcoming developers around the world more opportunities.  

Wow, Apple's space has a pretty big basement.

We're first talking about iOS 16. It's offering new communication features for new ways for iPhone owners to share.

We're getting an all-new Lock Screen, just as rumors have claimed. iOS 16 will "bring the biggest update ever." And it's certainly looking like it.

We're seeing a slew of different personalization features, from the font and colors to the widgets. 

Just by long-pressing the Lock Screen, you can easily customize the screen. You can customize the font, check the colors, adjust the shade, put widgets right on the Lock Screen via the Widget gallery. This includes temperatures, activity rings, and more.

You can also add new wallpapers on the fly thanks to Photo Shuffle. It can even change throughout the day! Nay bad!

Ooh, I like the weather wallpaper, that shows an animated screen of the weather today. Plus, developers will have a webkit to make their own adjustments to the Lock Screen, 

We're also getting Live Activities on the Lock Screen, so you can track live sports, workouts, music and more. What's more, Apple Music will also allow you to see the full album cover while you're listening to the song. 

Focus Mode is all getting a big update, with the Lock Screen changing depending on the different Focus Modes you have on. Happy days. 

SharePlay is also getting a big update. You can discover all the SharePlay apps and features with just a tap. And SharePlay is also coming to messages. For example, you can share a show on Apple TV+ and chat while you're both watch the show. Always a nifty update. 

Better Dictation in Apple messages? Yes please. An all new on-device dictation experience brings together typing and voice. Users can switch between using the keyboard and speaking. Plus, dictation will add punctuation to the text. Now that's handy.

As for Live Text, iOS 16 will come to video. So, you can pause a video and highlight text or translate a foreign language. You can even a live text translation when viewing a video. That's great for menus in another language, eh?  

Better yet, a new machine learning model lets you tap on, lets say, a dog, and pick it up and drop it in a message. 

Apple Wallet is up next. Driver's license and ID cards are already coming out, but you can also use it in apps so they can identify your age and more.

You can also share keys over messages and add it to your Apple Wallet, but Apple is also working on bringing it to other devices. 

Apple Pay Later has been announced, and it will be available everywhere that accepts Apple Pay. And, it requires no integration for retailers and providers. Basically, you have the option to pay later through Apple Pay. Neat. 

I'm liking these transitions, Apple. Apple Maps is up next. Later this year, the revamped Apple Maps will be coming to new locations. And the detailed 3D models are coming to new places such as Las Vegas. Multistop Routing has been announced, which captures previously done routes and send them to other users. There will be more transit options too, allowing users to see the times and prices for upcoming transports.

Do you like sports? Well, the Apple TV apps gives you scores right on the Lock Screen. Also, did you see that swish?

Apple News is getting more sports-related features, with a sports experience that lets you see more results on various, erm, sports. 

Parental controls for kids lets parents gain better control over what apps are available to little ones, and parents can allow more screen time through messages instead of just settings. 

Looking for a better way to share photos with your family? Apple has the update. iCloud Shared Photo Library lets you share photos seamlessly, letting families and friends to share and contribute in a single library. This lets everyone have the same photos rather than just having a few.

And it will show up in everyone's memories and photos widget, too. 

Apple Privacy is up next. Safety Check is a new feature, going in on abusive relationships. You can quickly review and reset the access they have to others, such as stopping shared location, access to messages, restricts FaceTime, and lets users control who has their information. 

Ooh, now new updates to your home and your car. 

Matter is a new way for Apple's Smart Home to connect with other smart home accessories. As for privacy, Apple makes sure it's known that your activities are not known by anyone, not even Apple.

The Smart Home app is getting a big revamp, too. All your rooms will be in favourites, so you can easily access your smart devices within the app. If you have the cameras, you can see as many as four cameras in a neat tile. It's coming to iPhone, iPad and Mac. 

And now CarPlay. Apparently, 79% of people needs to make sure a car can connect with CarPlay. Interesting statistic.

This "next generation of CarPlay" seems to have got a big redesign. It provides content for all your screens. You can tune your cars radio and temperature within the tech, and even offer all your iPhone's widgets. You can even see the car's fuel, speed, and more. You can even personalize it, with different modern styles or more traditional themes. Brands like Volvo and Jaguar are on board.

It will be coming later this year. 

Spatial Audio in AirPods is also getting an update thanks to iOS 16, you can use the iPhone Camera to adjust surround sound. 

And now some Apple Watch updates. watchOS 9 is bringing four new watch faces, including a remastered Globe watch face to better suit the Apple Watch 7. There's also a new Metropolitan face, and a funky, animated watch face. I'm liking them.

As for the more activity side of things. watchOS 9 will offer more metrics and training experiences. Running is getting three new running form metrics, this includes your vertical oscillation, along with stride length and contact time. There are even heart rate zones.

Also, you can customize your running workouts, along with new alerts to keep you on track on when to pick up the pace, when to slow down, and more. Plus, there's a power metric and it will show you how it's contributing to your activity rings. Will it make me want to take up running? Maybe.

Triathletes will like the new segments that automatically split up when you change workouts.

Now, the fitness app will be available to all iPhone users, rather than just for Apple Watch owners. Expect to be able to share them with friends, too. 

watchOS 9 is bringing Sleep Stages. You can see the different times you spent in each stage, such as REM, Core, and Deep.

As for heart health, Apple will update Atrial Fibrillation so you will be able to track thanks to A-Fib History. You can also log medications and get notifications when you need to take medications. It can also be done on iPhone. Plus, you can schedule to receive reminders and even change colors to make it easier to know what medication needs to be taken.  

Now, what's new with Mac?

The next generation of Mac Silicon is here! M2 is announced. Exciting stuff.

So, how will M2 be different? "It goes beyond the remarkable features of M1," apparently. It's about power efficiency, with an 5nm tech and 20 billion transistors. Expect 24GB of unified memory, 8-core CPU, 4 high-performing cores, and 4 power efficiency cores. Expect a 10% performance over the M1 chip. Apple also bashes the Intel 12 Gen chip by stating M2 will be much quieter and be more power-efficient.

We can also expect a 10-core GPU, which is two more than the M1. 

So, M2 is here. The MacBook Air will be the first Mac to get the upgrade. That's right, M2 MacBook Air is here, and is completely redesigned around M2. Hoorah!

That's one sleek-looking dark MacBook Air. And it looks mighty thin.

The all-aluminum is "built to last," and is a 20% reduction in volume. It's 11.3mm thin, and 2.7 pounds. There are four models available, including a black and gold option. And yup, MagSafe is back.

Expect a Liquid Retina Display, and it will be a larger 13.6-inch display. And it's apparently 25% brighter. It also has a new 1080p camera, while the speakers and mics are integrated just above the keyboard. Oh, and a 4-speaker sound system with surround sound. And there's touch ID.

Video editing-wise, it's 40% faster than the previous MacBook Air, and 20% faster for image editing. Expect 18 hours of battery life, along with a 67W adapter and a plug with two USB-C ports. All in all, it's sweet. 

Wait, there's more. The 13-inch MacBook Pro is also getting M2.

It supports 24GB of unified memory, and offers a 20 hour battery life. A bit of a bump over the MacBook Air M2. 

The MacBook Air will be priced from $1,199, while the 13-inch MacBook Pro will be available from $1,299. They'll be available next month. 

Now, we're getting into macOS 13.

"Crack product marketing team." Lol. It's called macOS Ventura. 

Stage Manager is a new way to focus on apps you're using without the distractions. It will automatically put apps you're working on off to the side, while the one you're working on goes to centre stage. Stage Manager allows you to cycle through them just by clicking on them. You can also drag and drop and pair it on a window you're working on, putting them in different groups.

With just a click on the desktop, you can quickly transition to the full desktop to access files. 

Spotlight is getting an update too. You can quickly search for different apps and files just by searching them up, and look for information via Live Text and it will show searches everywhere, including web results. 

Safari is claimed to be the "world's faster browser" and "most power-efficient" thanks to macOS Ventura. Safari also now has Shared Tab Routes, so you can share all the tabs in one place.

Safari will be using Passkeys, a passwordless way to log in to different online accounts. It's available right now, and you can sign in just by authenticating your identity with biometrics or OTP. 

Oh, gaming. This will be interesting.

metal 3 will bring new features, introducing Metal effects upscaling, allowing developers to render graphics much easier. No Man's Sky is coming to Mac later this year thanks to this. Game loading is getting an update, minimizing wait time when loading up different games.

Oh, hello. Resident Evil Village is coming to Mac as well. Now that's exciting for gamers. It will be available on Macs ranging from the Air to the Mac Studio, including a 4K experience. It will be arriving later this year. 

We're back to continuity. Hand Off is being extended to FaceTime. Your Mac will be able to automatically pick up a call, and you'll be able to switch seamlessly between devices.

Then there's continuity camera, which allows you to use your iPhone as a webcam. It will also automatically pick up your iPhone when you're using it as an iPhone. Plus, it even allows for Centre Stage.  There's even desk view that seamlessly integrates to the webcam setup. It can be used with Zoom, Teams, WebX, and more. The holder will be available later this year. 

And now we're switching to iPadOS with a meme-worthy transition. Loving it. 

iPad will be getting a proper Weather app, along with a bunch of new apps. Collaboration is one of them. You can kick off a Collaboration, all you need to do is select a Messages group and a project will send automatically. You can even kick of a call for those in the project right in FaceTime. You can also see who's looking at what, and see live updates from collaborators. 

It's also coming to iOS and macOS. 

A Freeform board also allows people to join in on a project while they are on FaceTime, kind of like a big drawing board that everyone can jot notes down on. Plus, it's coming to iOS and macOS later this year. 

iPadOS 16 will also have Metal 3, which allows you to play games with better graphics like in Divinity: Original Sin.

Activity is also coming to the Gaming dashboard, so you can see all the achievements your gamer fellows have got. iPadOS 16 will also let you seamlessly play games with friends over FaceTime. It's also coming to iOS and macOS. 

Oh, Reference Color. Reference Mode offers accurate colors for creative professionals, whether you're using it as a standalone device or with a Mac. There's also a new display scaling setting for split-view. This seems to be more for m1 iPads, though.

Stage Manager will also be coming to iPadOS, meaning you'll be getting the same treatment like in macOS. You can resize windows, easily switch between recently used apps, and also overlap windows. Plug it into an external display and it acts as a seamless second display that also uses Stage Manager. You can also have up to four windows overlapping at once, and up to eight when using two displays. 

And now we're back to Tim Cook, closing out the big show. There are a lot of announcements, from the M2 MacBook Air and M2 MacBook Pro to Resident Evil Village coming to Mac.

These software features will be available this fall, but there will be more sessions throughout the week, going into more detail.

That's a wrap for WWDC 2022's keynote. Stay tuned for more news about each big announcement. 

Apple Watch is getting a variety of new updates with watchOS 9, with a number of enhancements to fitness tracking, new watch faces and some compelling new health features.

Announced during WWDC 2022, Apple Watch is giving fitness fans much deeper data for activity tracking and for users that take any kind of prescription medication a new reminders function will help you stay on track and even inform you of any potential interactions between medications. 

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The biggest update to fitness tracking is the addition of heart rate zones, allowing you to target a specific intensity for your workout and let your watch notify you if you are "in the zone." Additional fitness tracking updates include the ability to see splits, intervals and elevation changes.

For those looking for more Apple Watch faces, you're in luck. Apple is refreshing many of its built-in faces to take advantage of the larger display found on the Apple Watch Series 7, but we'll also see more variations coming to older models such as the Apple Watch Series 6 and Apple Watch SE. These include a new astronomy and lunar face, along with a watch face that allows you to scale up the typeface.

With WWDC 2022 approaching, Apple is gearing up to reveal the latest software updates coming to its popular Apple Watch. However, we may already have an inkling of what upgrades are coming to the smartwatch.

With watchOS 9, Apple is reportedly planning to bring a new low power mode that will allow users to save battery life while using other features and a number of apps. This is an important upgrade from the Power Reserve mode, and it may be announced on June 6 during Apple's WWDC 2022. 

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While the power reserve feature can prolong your Apple Watch's battery life when it's on its last legs, it turns off all features except for the most basic function of a watch — showing the time. The new low power mode is expected to offer more functionality without consuming much battery.

According to the Bloomberg report (via 9to5Mac), that's not the only feature planned to arrive. The Apple Watch is tipped to get new workout types, along with new metrics to track during workouts. Mark Gurman hinted at this earlier this week, stating watchOS will receive "major upgrades to activity and health tracking." We're also expecting to see an expansion to the smartwatch's sleep tracking features.

Apparently, Apple is also planning to offer new women's health features, possibly an expansion of the postpartum fitness program added to Apple Fitness+ earlier this year. Plus, the report suggests a pill medication reminder app and updated reports about atrial fibrillation.

For those looking for more Apple Watch faces, Gurman also states that the Cupertino tech giant will be refreshing many of its built-in faces. This suggests that a number of the watch faces will take advantage of the larger display found on the Apple Watch Series 7, but we may see new variations of them for other products such as the Apple Watch SE.

We're excited to see everything WWDC 2022 has in store, especially since iOS 16 is tipped to bring new health-tracking features and an update to notifications. Stay tuned for further updates. 

Apple's WWDC 2022 will soon be upon us, but we may already have a good idea about what iOS 16, iPadOS 16, and watchOS 9 will bring to the table — but don't expect too many changes.

Taking place on June 6, the upcoming event will primarily focus on the latest and greatest software updates to Apple's various platforms including iOS 16, iPadOS 16, macOS 13, watchOS 9, and tvOS 16. Bloomberg's Mark Gurman believes that while we may not see a major redesign to iOS, we can expect "fairly significant enhancements across the board."

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As stated in the Power On newsletter (via iMore), iOS 16 is tipped to bring new health-tracking features and an update to notifications. Named "Sydney," the upcoming iPhone software update is expected to go hand-in-hand with the Apple Watch too, as Gurman also states that watchOS 9 will offer "major upgrades to activity and health tracking."

As for iPadOS 16, Gurman weighed in stating that it might get a new multitasking interface. While macOS 13 and tvOS 16 will be in the spotlight, we have yet to hear what new features the updates will have up their sleeves.

Another key feature rumored to be in the works is Apple Classical, a new app that will replace classical music service Primephonic. According to MacRumors, signs of the upcoming Apple Music app have been spotted in the iOS 15.5 beta. Primephonic was taken down after Apple purchased the service back in 2021, giving us reason to believe it will be incorporated into Apple Music and possibly revealed during WWDC 2022.

Interestingly, Apple's heavily rumored AirPods Pro 2 are also expected to offer a wealth of health-tracking updates. If these new features for iOS 16 and watchOS 9 are revealed during the upcoming event, this could give us an idea of what to expect for the second-gen earbuds — expected to arrive in the second half of 2022.  

Whatever iOS updates are coming to Apple's various products during WWDC 2022, we can also expect them to arrive on the iPhone 14. We'll be covering the event as it happens, and you can follow our coverage for all of the latest from WWDC 2022.

Masks make Face ID unlock for iPhone difficult, a solution may be coming with iOS 15.4, but for now, Apple Watch owners alone have a solution, here's how to unlock your iPhone with Apple Watch.

Apple introduced this feature with iOS 14.5 and watchOS 7.4 in 2021 and it's a fantastic option for anyone with an iPhone and Apple Watch. Using it keeps you secure while eliminating the hassle of punching in your passcode whenever Face ID refuses to work.

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You don't need the latest iPhone 13 or Apple Watch 7 for this feature, but the iOS 14.5 and watchOS 7.4 software requirements mean you need an iPhone 6s or newer and an Apple Watch 3 or newer. If you check those boxes this feature is quick and easy to set up and use so let's get to it. 

How to unlock your iPhone with Apple Watch

• Open Settings
• Select Face ID & Passcode
• Enter your passcode when prompted
• Scroll down to Unlock with Apple Watch and tap on the toggle to turn it on

I told you this was easy, you're all done. From now on if you trigger Face ID unlock on your iPhone and you are wearing a mask or your face is otherwise obscured you will get a notification on your Apple Watch that your iPhone was unlocked by the Apple Watch. Just swipe up from the bottom of your iPhone and proceed as usual.

If you are worried that someone may try to take your phone and use this method to unlock it quickly, don't worry a notification pops up on your Apple Watch with the option to lock your iPhone. 

Hopefully knowing how to unlock your iPhone with Apple Watch saves you some time and hassle and allows you to stay safe and masked up when necessary.

Thanks to Apple's updated AssistiveTouch feature, Apple Watch users can control and navigate through their wearable using simple hand gestures. With the feature, users won't have to ever touch the display or controls of an Apple Watch.

Using built-in motion sensors, like the Apple Watch's gyroscope and accelerometer, users will be able to control a cursor or select apps on the display through hand gestures, like a pinch or a clench. It's a nifty feature that's worth checking out, so read on to find out how to turn on AssitiveTouch and use hand gestures on your Apple Watch. 

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How to turn on AssistiveTouch on Apple Watch

While Apple's selection of new accessibility features are designed for people with mobility, vision, hearing, and cognitive disabilities, the Apple Watch's AssistiveTouch can help people control their wearable in various tricky situations — or if they prefer to keep their Apple Watch free from smudges or fingerprints.

The AssistiveTouch feature is available on the latest iOS 15 and watchOS update, but is only available on the Apple Watch Series 7, Series 6 and Apple Watch SE.

• On your iPhone, open the Apple Watch app. 
• Scroll down and tap on the Accessibility option. 
• Under "Motor," tap on "AssistiveTouch." 

• From here, switch on "Assistive Touch." 
• While it should be on by default, make sure the "Hand Gestures" is also switched on.

That's it. You will now be able to control your Apple Watch using one-handed hand gestures. Using the hand with your Apple Watch, you can pinch (tapping your index finger to your thumb) or double-pinch to move forwards and backwards, while clenching or double-clenching can be used to tap or open menus.

Better yet, you can customize gestures in the "Hand Gestures" menu, allowing you to change what each gesture does instead of using Apple's default options.

It's a handy tool that works like a charm, so it's worth giving it a go. For more ways to make the most of your Apple Watch, check out how to change Activity goals on Apple Watch and how to unpair the Apple Watch.

Apple's hugely-anticipated Worldwide Developers Conference (WWDC) unveiled a bunch of cool updates coming to the iPhone, iPad and MacBook, with new features arriving on iOS 15, iPadOS 15, macOS 12, and watchOS 8.

Reports indicated Apple was gearing up to reveal the new 14-inch MacBook Pro and 16-inch MacBook Pro models. While we didn't get any big hardware reveals, the number of software updates more than made up for that.

Check out everything announced during Apple's WWDC 2021 event below.

1:26pm - CEO Tim Cook is gearing up for the big event with a cool clip. 

Let the countdown begin! We are now an hour from Apple's WWDC 2021 and social media is buzzing about what could be revealed. We've put together our own article about what to expect at the event, from the potential announcement of the next MacBook Pro to new features coming to iOS 15.

Here’s a look at everything we expect to see at WWDC 2021.

Not long until we finally see all the fancy new software updates from Apple. Check us out on @laptopmag in the meantime. 

If you're still looking for a place to watch WWDC 2021, look no further. For those on Twitter, you may have already spotted Apple's unique hashtag. 

With only 15 minutes to go, Apple posted the Apple Keynote livestream on its event page. 

Apple teased another special event, introducing Apple Music's upcoming spatial audio feature. Before WWDC kicks off, check out what to expect at the "Introducing Spatial Audio" special event.

We're about to kick off! Bring on the iOS 15, iPadOS 15 and macOS 12 updates.

Apple's WWDC 2021 kicks off with a list of various ideas. And it has many different Tim Cooks involved. "Welcome to crazy ideas," apparently. 

Tim Cook starts off by talking to a crowd of Memojis 

Apple engineer Craig Federighi presents what's new with iOS 15

iOS 15 will bring upgrades to FaceTime, with a focus on Facetime Calls. Apple will be bringing Spatial Audio to Facetime Calls.

Facetime will also feature voice isolation to block out background sounds. There is also wide spectrum, to pick up a "symphony of sounds."

Apple will introduce "Portrait mode" to Facetime when video calling, meaning the background will be blurred bringing the user into focus.

Generate a link and make an event with Facetime Links. Android devices will also be able to use this feature. They will be end-to-end encrypted, too. 

Apple also introduces SharePlay, which will allow users to share a video and and apps across multiple devices. Users will be able to watch Disney+, Twitch, NBA, HBOMax and more with friends using the SharePlay feature. 

iOS 15 will introduce new ways to use Messages. Mindy Borovsky introduces a collage design feature that users can use to multiple pictures when texting.

Apple introduces Shared with You, which lets you share different articles and playlists on Apple Music that can be viewed later and replied to in Messages conversation. 

Apple's Messages in iOS 15 will let users pin texts.

Notifications will have a "fresh new look," introducing the "Notification summary" on the locked home screen. This will organize messages seen on an iPhone's locked home screen.

iOS 15 will let you use different "Focus" modes, including "Do Not Disturb" and "Sleeping" modes that can be customized. The feature will be applied across different Apple devices, including iPads and MacBooks.  

Apple's Chelsea Burnette introduces Apple Music being used with Memories, which are built "on-the-fly." Intelligently chosen songs will be used to make a montage, which can be personalised to a user's liking. There will be "intelligent song suggestions," but users can pick and choose their own songs to use. 

Apple's Jennifer Bailey talks about updates coming to Apple Wallet. Expect more cards being added, including a card to Disney World. Apple Wallet is also adding more Keys, including hotel card keys, work place cards and keys to cars. Apple Wallet will also let users scan their driver's license to be used as a form of identification. This will be available in participating U.S. states, starting this fall. 

Meg Frost introduces further updates to Apple Maps, introducing it to more countries. iOS 15 will offer new details for buildings and more, including elevations and road colors and labels. There is also a new night mode on Maps.

Apple Maps will add more road details, including turn lanes, bus and taxis lanes, and crosswalks. On highways, Apple Maps will include complex interchanges in a 3D space.

Apple Maps will also generate 3D augmented reality directions, coming to a selection of cities in the U.S., and more later this year. 

Gagan Gupta talks about AirPods. iOS 15 will feature a "conversation boost" to help users listen to direct conversations when using the AirPods Pro.

Announcement notifications are also coming iOS 15 with AirPods. Siri will be able to make announcements, such as when your dinner has been delivered. Siri will also read your shopping list.

AirPods can be used with the Find My app with iOS 15, letting AirPod owners find their earbuds and be notified when they might be left behind, too. 

iPadOS 15 will offer a big update with home screen widgets.

Apple will add bigger widgets specifically for the iPad, including a larger files widget, pages for gaming, and more.

App library is also coming to iPadOS. This can also be used to hide different apps. 

Apple is also introducing new keyboard shortcuts. On a shared note, users can add a tag or mention other users in the note. Apple's Quick feature on iPadOS lets users jot down quick messages on a pull-up window. It can be used on Safari which can automatically add links.

Quick Note can be used with iPadOS and macOS. 

Translate is coming to iPad, which can be used to translate documents using iPadOS' updated shared view and multi-tasking features, and much more. 

Apple introduces "Mail Privacy Protection" during its Privacy talk. It can hide your IP address and hides your location. It also hides if you open emails. Safari will also hide your IP when surfing the web.

The App Privacy Report will let users known when apps access your information, and which third-party domains are accessing different private information. It will also let you know the times when apps access various data. 

Siri can be used offline using on-device speech recognition. Users will be able to start a timer, check the weather, turn on dark mode, and more without having to be connect to Wi-Fi. 

Apple introduces iCloud+ with an emphasis on privacy and security, including a "Hide My Email," "Private Relay," and more at the same price as the current iCloud subscription.

Apple Health Mobility will assess your fall risk, with Walking Steadiness. It will provide insights on the way you walk all to create the "first of its kind" health metric. It will monitor how users walk, and different ways to improve. 

Apple Health will be able to share valuable (and secured) data with a doctor. The information shared with a chosen doctor can be picked, from heart health to cholesterol levels. This will currently only be available to U.S. facilities. Apple makes it clear it does not have access to any of the health information stored on the Health App. 

Apple's Kevin Lynch talks about watchOS, with a focus on health. Apple's watchOS 8 will have an enhanced Breathe App, with a new animation and a "reflect" feature to help users focus. The Apple Watch will be able to monitor a year's respiratory rate as well, which will be able to be viewed o the Health App.

Apple Fitness+ will feature a list of new fitness videos with a new instructor. It will also introduce a new spotlight playlist, so users can jam to different artists during a set period while working out. 

Apple's watchOS will be able to display pictures and share photos to different contacts using the Apple Watch. Users will also be able to dictate message and use the scribble feature to customize the text, along with emojis. watchOS 8 will also add gifs that can be sent using the Apple Watch to different contacts. 

We're now finally getting into macOS. Apple's macOS Monterey announced, with all the features previously announced for iOS 15 and iPadOS will also be included on macOS apps. Continuity seems to be the big focus, with "Universal Control" being the main feature.

For example, the MacBook cursor will be able to be used with the iPad. Using the MacBook trackpad, the Universal Control feature will be able to drag files and more to and from different Apple devices. This includes the iMac, MacBook and iPad. It's pretty cool. 

Apple will also be bringing Shortcuts to Mac, which can design shortcuts to your specific work flow. Shortcuts will be the "future" of how Macs are used, so we're looking forward to see how it might work. 

Apple reimagines the Safari experience, offering a new tab design. Right in the tab bar, users can change URL instead of using the task bar. Safari will also have tab groups, which can be labelled different to what a user prefers. Tab groups can also easily be dragged into an email, and will show up on different Apple devices, including the MacBook. We're intrigued. 

Apple will have a different Safari experience for the iPhone, which also includes tab groups. Apple wants to bring the MacBook safari experience to iPhone users.

Safari on iPhone and iPad will be able to use different web extensions such as Honey and more. This is stuff we like to see. 

A lot was announced for Apple's iOS 15 and iPadOS. You can find everything you need to know about iOS 15 from WWDC 2021 along with iPadOS 15. 

Apps on the App Store will need to hit the Apple "standards," as per usual. What's more, the App Store will now highlight events along with moments that need to be highlighted. Users will be able to opt for notifications for these new In-App events.  

Tim Cook closes out WWDC 2021, just under two hours long.

We've got a better look at everything that was announced a WWDC 2021 for whatever you're most interested in. Check out our links below.

iOS 15 revealed at WWDC 2021
iPadOS 15 unveiled at WWDC 2021
Apple macOS Monterey announced
watchOS 8 announced at WWDC 2021
Apple AirPods just got a bunch of cool features

watchOS 8 was featured onstage at WWDC 2021 following a significant update on new features from Apple Health. 

Apple Watch is easily the most popular smartwatch in the world and the watchOS 8 update reflects how mature Apple's wearable operating system is at this point with a number of small quality of life enhancements.

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watchOS 8 is enhancing a number of the calming or mindfulness features with updates to Breathe and a new Reflect feature. watchOS 8 is adding Respiratory Rate to your sleep tracking features. watchOS 8 adds Tai Chi and Pilates as workout types. 

Apple Fitness Plus is adding a new Artist Playlist series for your workouts along with a series of new updates. 

The face watchface is already the most popular and it is getting a massive update that adds layers to your photos for a more 3D look. The Photos app on Apple Watch is getting an update similar to what is seen in iOS 15 with memories, a new collage look and support for sharing photos directly from the watch. 

Messages is getting an update as well with the ability to dictate, scribble or add emojis in your message from the same view. 

That was the extent of the updates for watchOS 8 right now, but we suspect that more could be coming when the Apple Watch 7 is announced later this year.