Apple releases major operating system updates for its gadgets every year, this is a well-known fact. And even though smart watches and set-top boxes receive much less attention than smartphones, tablets and computers, updates for them are still of great interest.
watchOS 10
The watchOS 10 update is available to Apple smartwatches starting with Series 4 and newer models. To install it, you need an iPhone that has already been updated to iOS 17 and paired with the watch.
Widgets
Just like with the iPhone, you can use widgets on the Apple Watch. Called Smart Stacks, they dynamically update based on context (location, time of day, and available information), can be interacted with as mini-apps, and can be navigated and switched between using the Digital Crown. Widgets can be customized, and unnecessary ones can be removed from the screen.
Interface
The way to launch Control Center has changed – you don’t need to swipe up on the watch face, just press the side button. Previous versions of watchOS required you to return to the Home screen or long press the bottom of the screen if an app was running. The dock, which was launched by pressing the side button, has also been preserved, but now it requires a double press to open it.
Built-in Applications
WatchOS 10 has updated almost every built-in app. New animation effects have been added to them, they have become more informative, and in general they have become more convenient to use. For example, in “Weather” you can now see information about air quality, wind speed and humidity, in “Activity” you can see a weekly summary of achievements, and “Messages” primarily displays photos and names of contacts, rather than correspondence with them.
Dials
watchOS 10 adds several new watch faces, including Snoopy and Woodstock, which are also interactive and change depending on the time of day and the user’s actions.
Cycling computer
With watchOS 10, Apple’s smartwatch turns into a cycling computer. Once you start a cycling workout, they start showing related information on the watch face, including speed, heart rate, and a map with the route, ascents, descents, and the like. Experienced cyclists use an iPhone + Apple Watch combination, placing the iPhone in a special mount on the handlebars so as not to be distracted from the watch, but simply with the watch the ride will be much more informative than without it. If you want to get even more involved, you can buy pedals that support Apple Watch, and then the Health app on your iPhone will display detailed information about how you spin them – how many revolutions per minute and with what power at different stages of the ride.
Cards
Maps now show the approximate walking time to the nearest cafes, restaurants and other popular places, as well as information about them (for example, opening hours). You can use maps and navigation even without the Internet, but to do this you need to first download them to your iPhone (of course, in this case you must have your iPhone with you).
Weather
All important weather information is clearly displayed on one screen: temperature, humidity, precipitation pressure, road visibility, wind speed, etc. When you scroll the screen, you can see the weather forecast for several days ahead.
Activity
By tapping the icons in the corners of the display, you can view your weekly summary and rewards, as well as the progress of the users you share activity data with. The Mobility, Exercise, and Warm Up rings appear on separate screens. Your weekly summary shows your total mobility and exercise time, as well as your warm-up time. The Share screen in the Activity app shows your friends’ photos or avatars. In the “Trainer Tips” section, professional trainers from the Fitness+ service give advice on training, healthy habits and staying motivated.
Optimized charging
watchOS 10 analyzes the time of active use of the watch and, depending on this, optimizes charging. This feature is called Optimized Charge Limit, originally only on the Apple Watch Ultra, but now available on SE and Series 6, 7, 8 and 9. When activated, a special icon appears on the watch face while charging. You can click on it so that the watch will charge as soon as possible, and if you do nothing, it will charge completely at a more optimal time (for example, when the user wakes up).
conclusions
watchOS 10 is one of the biggest updates to the Apple Watch in years. It doesn’t fundamentally change the experience of using the watch (which is good), but it does bring a few handy improvements to the operating system interface and applications, and also adds a few additional features to the watch. We can say that this update refreshes the watch, and it becomes interesting to use again, even if it has become boring.
TVOS 17
The tvOS 17 update is available for Apple TV 4K and Apple TV HD set-top boxes. It can be downloaded and installed through system settings.
Home page and Control Center
The home page now accommodates six application icons in a row, rather than five, and the same goes for the dock. There are three options in the main context menu: Change the Home screen, move the application to a folder or create one and
delete the application.
“Control Center” looks almost the same as in macOS, it has become more compact and when you open it, the running content is not blurred. It has a power off button, quick access to Wi-Fi settings, a Do Not Disturb mode switch, connection to wireless headphones or speakers, an automatic shutdown timer, a button to connect game controllers, and search for content. There you can also see the current time, Internet connection status and user avatar.
FaceTime
The FaceTime application has appeared, which allows you to see your interlocutors on the big screen and use your iPhone or iPad to capture images and sound. There are no confusing settings here; setting up the connection at first is very simple, and later it’s even easier. You can initiate or receive a call directly on Apple TV; another option is to route it to Apple TV from your iPhone or iPad during a call through the menu. The Continuity Camera feature on the MacBook works in much the same way. The camera on an iPhone or iPad follows the user (if they support Center Stage), allowing you to blur the background, add animation, and trigger emoji with hand gestures.
Finding the remote control
Using Siri on your iPhone, you can find the remote control for your Apple TV. The remote control must be nearby, within a radius of several meters, then it will be detected. The search works on the radar principle, when the circle on the iPhone screen becomes as large as possible, this means that the remote control is very close.
Picture and sound
tvOS 17 introduces support for Dolby Vision 8.1 technology, and when using the second generation HomePod, the sound undergoes additional Enhance Dialogue processing, thanks to which the voices of actors stand out in the center against the background of other sounds for better audibility and distinction.
Screensavers and wallpapers
You can now set various screensavers depicting landscapes as a background, as well as selected photographs from your own library
Fitness
The Fitness app now lets you create personalized home workout plans. If you have an Apple Music subscription, you can choose what you want to exercise to – music or a speech from a coach.
conclusions
tvOS 17 is a small update, but this is to be expected, since Apple almost never makes fundamental changes to this platform. Due to changes in the system and application interface, you will have to get used to some new things, but as a result they may be more convenient than before.