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20 New watchOS 9 Features You May Have Missed

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With watchOS 9, Apple introduced a number of headline new features like new workout metrics, sleep stage tracking, low power mode, and more. But it also made a number of smaller yet notable changes and additions that make your Apple Watch more functional and convenient to use.

In this article, we’ve listed 20 other features and enhancements, some of which may have gone under your radar. Bear in mind that ‌watchOS 9‌ requires Apple Watch Series 4 or later and an iPhone 8 or later running iOS 16.

1. Get Email Notifications When Not Connected to iPhone

Apple Watch users have long been able to receive email notifications from third-party email accounts pushed from their paired ‌iPhone‌. But in ‌watchOS 9‌, you can also be alerted when an important message arrives when you’re wearing your Apple Watch, but away from your ‌iPhone‌.


The option uses iCloud servers to securely access the third-party account, and needs to be manually enabled. To set it up, launch the Watch app on your ‌iPhone‌, tap My Watch, tap Mail, then turn on Email Notifications under “When Not Connected to ‌iPhone‌.”

2. View Activity Rings During Workout

Previously if you were doing an Apple Watch workout and you wanted to see how it was impacting your activity rings, you had to exit out of the Workout app and switch to the Activity app.


Now you don’t have to, because you can get a glance of your activity rings right in the workout display simply by scrolling up with the Digital Crown.

3. Follow Podcasts

In ‌watchOS 9‌, Apple finally fixed its hobbled Podcasts app, and for the first time you can now follow and unfollow podcasts directly from your Apple Watch.


Tap Listen Now -> You Might Like, then tap a show and select Follow. You can also find the same options by searching for a show and tapping on it.

4. Add Calendar Events on Your Wrist

Finally, you aren’t just limited to viewing calendar events synced from your ‌iPhone‌ on your wrist – you can now add them too. Simply tap the ellipsis (three dots) button that appears in the corner of the screen when you stop scrolling, then tap + New Event.


On the next screen you can add all the usual details including event title, location, start date and time, end date and time, and whether to make it a repeat event. Before you Add the event, you can also choose which calendar to add it to, add invitees, opt to receive alerts, and include any notes.

5. Astronomy Watch Face

Apple in ‌iOS 16‌ added new dynamic wallpaper options to its revamped ‌iPhone‌ Lock Screen settings, and the watch face that arguably mirrors these enhancements in ‌watchOS 9‌ is Astronomy.


Astronomy is actually a revamped version of the original Astronomy watch face, but it has been remastered and includes a new star map and current cloud data based on your location. You can set the Earth, Moon, or Solar System as the main view, and customize the font. It supports two complications, and turning the Digital Crown lets you fast forward or rewind to see the moon phase/planet location on another day.

6. Retrace Your Steps With Backtrack

You don’t need an Apple Watch Ultra to use the redesigned Compass app’s Backtrack feature. If your Apple Watch Series 6 or later is running ‌watchOS 9‌, you can use it to track your route and then help you retrace your steps in case you get lost.


Tap the footprints icon in the bottom-right of the screen, then tap Start to begin recording your route. When you’re ready to retrace your steps, tap the pause icon in the bottom-right of the screen, then tap Retrace Steps.

Your starting location will appear on the compass, and a bouncing white arrow will point you in the right direction. Follow the path back to return to where you first turned on Backtrack, then when you’ve arrived at your starting location, tap the footsteps icon and you’ll be able to delete your steps.

7. Change Watch Face Based on Focus

In ‌‌‌iOS 16‌‌‌, you can customize pretty much everything about your Focus. It’s not just the Home Screen and Lock Screen that you can set – if your Apple Watch is running ‌watchOS 9‌, you can select one of your Apple Watch faces to activate on your wrist for a specific Focus mode.


On your ‌iPhone‌, go to Settings -> Focus, select an existing Focus or create a new one. Set any notification silence options for people and apps when your Focus is active, then under “Customize Screens,” tap Edit under the watch face option. Choose a watch face from your Apple Watch face gallery, then tap Done.

That’s all there is to it. With your chosen Apple Watch face now linked to your Focus Mode, it will be activated automatically on your wrist the next time you enable the Focus on your ‌‌iPhone‌‌.

8. View Edited Messages

In ‌iOS 16‌, Apple added the ability to edit texts sent over iMessage, and in ‌watchOS 9‌, you can view any edits to a received message that have been made.


Simply tap and hold the word Edited in blue below the message to reveal the edits. Tap Hide Edits to make them disappear again.

9. Edit Reminders

Previously, the Reminders app only let you view or add reminders. Now it lets you Edit existing reminders and add key details, including date and time, location, tags, and notes. You can also move reminders between lists right on your wrist.

10. Change Calendar View

Not only can you now add calendar events in the Calendar app on Apple Watch, you can also switch to day, list, and week views.


Simply tap the ellipsis (three dots) button that appears in the corner of the screen when you stop scrolling, then under “View Options,” choose from Up Next, Day, and List. When you’ve made your choice, tap Done.

11. Prioritize Background Running Apps in the Dock

Accessed with a press of the Side button, the Dock has been the place you went for quick access to your most recently used apps or favorite app. With ‌watchOS 9‌, however, apps running in the background are prioritized over the rest of the apps in the Dock, making it easier to return to them.


You don’t have to do anything to activate this feature – it’s functional by default.

12. Turn Off Cellular Data

For years now on ‌iPhone‌ you’ve been able to turn off cellular data without losing the ability to make and receive calls. Previously, the same option wasn’t offered on cellular Apple Watch models – whenever your cellular service was enabled, so was cellular data, eating your battery right up.


In ‌watchOS 9‌, Apple has helpfully added separate switches for your watch’s basic cellular/mobile service and mobile data, so now you can control them independently. You can find the settings in your watch’s Settings app, under Cellular/Mobile Data.

13. Kickboard Swim Detection and SWOLF Score

In good news for swimmers, Apple Watches running ‌watchOS 9‌ can now automatically detect when you’re using a kickboard during a pool swim workout.


The Workout app can even give you your SWOLF score, one of the key swim-specific metrics. SWOLF is calculated using a combination of your stroke count and your time spent in the water. The fewer strokes and the less time you take, the lower your SWOLF score, as a measure of your swimming efficiency.

14. Text Size Control

In another boon for accessibility, Apple has added a Text Size control to the Control Center in ‌watchOS 9‌, so now it’s even easier to ensure Apple Watch apps that support Dynamic Type adjust to your preferred reading size.

15. Dictation Auto-Punctuation

Dictation is a popular feature on Apple Watch for sending messages, since it converts your speech to text, which is so much quicker than typing on a tiny keyboard. WatchOS 9 improves the feature greatly by automatically inserting punctuation into your sentences in real time, so you no longer have to say “comma” or “question mark” out loud.


The feature should be turned on by default, but if it isn’t, you can go to Settings -> General -> Dictation and turn on Auto Punctuation.

16. Apple Watch Mirroring

With ‌iOS 16‌ and ‌watchOS 9‌, Apple introduced a new Apple Watch Mirroring feature that lets you see and control your Apple Watch screen from your paired ‌iPhone‌. It’s designed to make the watch experience more accessible for people with physical and motor disabilities, but it can also be useful if, say, your Apple Watch screen is cracked or unresponsive.


To enable it, launch the Settings app on your ‌iPhone‌, tap Accessibility, then under “Physical and Motor,” tap Apple Watch Mirroring, before toggling on the feature in the next screen.

A graphical representation of your Apple Watch will appear on your ‌‌iPhone‌‌’s screen, while a blue outline will appear around the face of your Apple Watch to indicate that mirroring is enabled. You’ll now be able to control your Apple Watch by tapping and swiping on the watch image that appears on your ‌‌iPhone‌‌. You can even tap the Side button and swipe the Digital Crown to mimic the same physical actions that you would perform on your watch.

17. Quick Actions

With new Quick Actions, users with upper body limb differences can now do even more with a double-pinch gesture to respond to alerts on their Apple Watch, including answer or end a phone call, take a photo when the viewfinder and shutter button are showing in the Camera app, play or pause media in the Now Playing app, and start, pause, or resume a workout. You can also use quick actions to snooze an alarm or stop a timer.


To enable Quick Actions, Open the Watch app on your ‌iPhone‌, tap Accessibility, then under “Motor,” tap Quick Actions. Choose from one of the following options: On, When AssistiveTouch is Enabled, and Off. You can also choose their appearance to be Full or Minimal.

With Quick Actions on, when you see an alert on your Apple Watch, you’ll be prompted to perform a Quick Action. For example, when you’ve paused a workout, a prompt lets you know that you can double-pinch to resume it (tap index finger to thumb twice quickly).

18. Control Your iPhone With Apple Watch

In a sort of reverse take of Apple Watch Mirroring, you can also control your ‌iPhone‌ with your Apple Watch. On your watch, go to Settings -> Accessibility, then select Control Nearby Devices. Select your ‌iPhone‌ (or iPad) from the list.


Once connected, you’ll see a series of control buttons enabling you to perform a variety of actions on your ‌iPhone‌, including Go to Home Screen, Open App Switcher, Open Notification Center, Open Control Center, and Activate Siri. Tapping the More button will also give you media playback controls.

19. Find Your Car

The redesigned Compass app includes the ability to create Compass Waypoints and then find the distance and direction between them. The feature can also be used to find your parked car.

If your car has CarPlay or Bluetooth connectivity, you don’t actually have to do anything to set it up. Provided your ‌iPhone‌ is paired with your car in some capacity, your Apple Watch can recognize when you’ve parked and disconnected, and it will drop a waypoint where your car is located.


Launch the Compass app, then look for a blue waypoint on your compass dial. If you turn the Digital Crown, the dial will zoom in and out, giving you a better idea of how far away your car is. Tap the waypoint to get more information about it, then tap Select to see a pointer that will guide you to your car.

If you find yourself relying on this feature frequently, you can even add a Parked Car Waypoint complication to your Watch face that will lead you to your vehicle.

20. Add Favorite Timers

If you use certain timer durations frequently, why not favorite them? In ‌watchOS 9‌, you can.


Simply open up the Timer app, swipe left on a recently used timer, then tap the star icon that appears. The favorited timer will now live at the top of your timer list, until such a time when you swipe left on it and tap the red X to remove it.

Article updated to clarify dock changes and Compass feature support on earlier watch models.

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watchOS 9 preview: A hearty upgrade for workout and sleep tracking

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Apple may have the best smartwatch around, but there are still some areas where it lags the competition, particularly in exercise and sleep tracking. With watchOS 9, the company is bringing a robust slate of Workout updates, alongside new watch faces, redesigned apps and the ability to detect sleep zones. Now that the public beta is here, we can get a first look at whether the company can close those gaps.

To install the watchOS beta, you’ll need to have an Apple Watch Series 4 or newer, as well as an iPhone running the iOS 16 beta. That means if you don’t want to risk losing your data, you might want to wait until an official release before updating.

Hearty changes in Workouts

Some of the most impactful updates are in workouts. Apple added pages that present more data when you’re logging an activity, so you can easily keep track of things like your segments and splits or elevations. Of these new screens, my favorite is the Cardio Zones view, while I found the Activity Rings page the least helpful.

It was satisfying to see where my heart rate was during a 45-minute HIIT session, and the Apple Watch displayed that information clearly. There were five zones in different colors on screen, and the one I was in was highlighted. Afterwards, I learned through the Fitness app’s new summary page that I had spent most of the time (about 22 minutes) in Zone 4, and Apple also helpfully displays the heart rate range for each zone.

Screenshots

The Cardio view is supposed to be available for all workouts, but I didn’t see it in activities like Yoga, Dance or Cooldown. They do all support the new custom workout feature, though, which lets you create specific goals to focus on during your session. This is much more useful in distance or endurance-related activities like running, cycling, rowing or HIIT, where Apple offers suggested templates like 8 x 400m repeats, 1 mile repeats or 20 min of 20 sec / 10 sec. You’ll get haptic and audio alerts when you hit your target heart rate, distance, calories or time.

You can scroll all the way down to set up your own, but this experience is pretty inconsistent across different workout types. For some activities, you’ll have plenty of options like Pacer, Distance, Calories or Time. For others, like Open Water Swim or Rower, you’ll only see Calories and Time, along with a Custom option that lets you set specific periods of work and recovery.

Not every activity is going to be compatible with distance or pace, so this inconsistency is understandable. Just don’t expect the custom workouts feature to behave the same way for all your exercises.

Screenshots

Runners will find a lot of the watchOS 9 tools helpful, though. Apple also added new running form metrics like stride length, ground contact time, vertical oscillation and something it calls Power. That last one measures your responsive energy demand and is displayed as a number of watts. These new metrics are automatically calculated, and are only available during Outdoor Run workouts. You’ll need to be using an Apple Watch Series 6, Watch SE or newer, too.

If you tend to run or bike along the same routes, watchOS 9 can also let you race against yourself in the new Race Route feature. When you complete Outdoor Run, Outdoor Cycle or Wheelchair Run Pace workouts, your iPhone will use on-device processing to group similar routes. The next time you start one of these activities, the Route view will tell you if you’re ahead or behind your typical time, how much distance is left and alert you if you go off your usual path. Apple also added a new Pacer mode that lets you set a target time to complete a distance you specify, and will then guide you to hit the required pace to meet that goal. Garmin and Samsung watches have similar features, so Apple isn’t breaking new ground here, but it’s nice to see come to watchOS.

I don’t usually bike, swim and run within one session, but for triathletes, the new Multisport workout mode makes it easier to switch between the three activities so you don’t have to fiddle with your watch. Apple also added support for Kickboard as a stroke type, and swimmers can see a SWOLF efficiency score on their summaries.

New watch faces and interface

One of the nicer things about each watchOS update is the new faces, which offer a way to refresh your device. This time, Apple not only added the ability to change the background color of existing options like Modular and X-Large, it’s also introducing new Playtime, Metropolitan and Lunar designs. The company redesigned the Astronomy screen, too, and it’s similar to the iPhone version where you can choose between views of the earth, moon or the solar system. Meanwhile, Lunar lets you pick from the Chinese, Hebrew or Islamic calendars to display around the clock.

Screenshots

I never knew how much I’d appreciate having the Chinese Lunar calendar within reach until I added this face. It has Mandarin characters telling me it’s currently the fifteenth day of the sixth month, and I can use this to count how far we are from the next Lunar New Year or my grandmother’s birthday (which my family bases on the Chinese calendar).

Apple also redesigned the calendar app, making it easier to add new events from your wrist. Siri also no longer takes over your whole screen when triggered, instead appearing as an orb floating over the clock.

Because I had set up Medications on my iPhone on the iOS 16 preview, I also received an alert on watchOS 9 when it came time to take my supplement. I could easily log that I had taken my meds, skipped them or snooze the reminder.

Sleep zones and other updates

Speaking of snoozing, Apple also added sleep stage-detection to watchOS 9, using data from the accelerometer and heart rate monitor. It’ll detect when you’re awake, and distinguish between zones like REM, Core or Deep sleep. This feature is way overdue, considering Fitbit has long been able to do this with even its midrange trackers. But while I didn’t get around to testing Apple’s system in time for this preview, I look forward to seeing how it compares when I do a full review.

Screenshot / Engadget

There are some other updates I’d like to spend more time with, too, like the additional metrics when doing a Fitness+ workout. So far, my experience with the watchOS 9 beta has been smooth, and honestly the cardio zones workout view alone has made the installation worthwhile (for a gym fiend like me, anyway). If you’re comfortable with the risk involved in running beta software, and can’t wait till a stable release to get these new features, you’ll likely enjoy what Apple has to offer today.

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What to Expect at WWDC 2022: iOS 16, macOS 13, watchOS 9 and Possibly New Macs

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Apple’s 33rd annual Worldwide Developers Conference is set to kick off on Monday, June 6 at 10:00 a.m. Like the 2020 and 2021 events, it will be held in a digital-only capacity, so it is free for all developers worldwide to attend.

The keynote event will give us our first look at new operating system updates, including iOS 16, iPadOS 16, macOS 13, tvOS 16, and watchOS 9, plus rumors suggest we could see some new hardware. Everything we’ve heard about this year’s event is outlined below.

iOS 16

Most of the rumors about ‌iOS 16‌ have been vague, so we know little about the operating system update at this time. In years past, new versions of iOS have leaked out early and have given us insight into the feature set that’s coming, but that didn’t happen this year.

That said, we have heard some rumors about what to expect, with much of the information sourced from Bloomberg‘s Mark Gurman, who has reliable sources with information on Apple’s plans.

Rumored New Features

  • Overhauled Lock screen with wallpapers that have “widget-like capabilities.”
  • There will be “significant” improvements to notifications, though we don’t know specific details.
  • Messages app with “social network-like functionality” with a specific focus on audio messages.
  • Health app with expanded sleep tracking functionality and medicine management. Apple is working on a tool that will let users scan their pill bottles into the app, plus there are new women’s health features expected.
  • Fresh Apple apps are in the works, with no more specific information.
  • Apple is also working on “new ways of system interaction,” but it’s not quite clear what that means.
  • New Fitness+ workout types.
  • Apple Music classical app with interface based on Primephonic, an app Apple acquired in 2021.

Possible Features Based on iPhone 14 Rumors

  • Always-on display for iPhone 14 Pro and Pro Max (not coming until September).
  • Likely revamped status bar interface for ‌iPhone 14 Pro‌ and Pro Max to accommodate hole punch and pill design that is expected to replace the notch on those devices.
  • The iPhone 14 models are expected to get a car crash detection feature, which would dial emergency services automatically when a collision is detected. This would require new ‌iOS 16‌ functionality.
  • Apple may also add a satellite-based emergency feature to the ‌iPhone 14‌ models, which would be supported in ‌iOS 16‌. This feature would let iPhones send texts in emergency situations when there is no cellular coverage, and report major emergencies when coverage is not available.
  • ‌iOS 16‌ could include support for the buy now, pay later feature for Apple Pay that Apple is developing.
  • Similarly, it could introduce support for the hardware subscription program that will let customers pay a monthly fee for an iPhone, iPad, or Mac.

For more on what we’re expecting in ‌iOS 16‌, we have a dedicated iOS 16 roundup.

iPadOS 16

iPadOS 16 will get many of the new features that are introduced in ‌iOS 16‌, but Apple is also working on additional functionality that’s ‌iPad‌ specific.

With iPadOS 16, Apple is aiming to make the ‌iPad‌ behave more like a laptop than a smartphone, and the new ‌iPad‌ software will be one of the biggest updates announced at WWDC.

The update will feature a redesigned multitasking interface that makes it easier to swap between tasks and see which apps are open, plus it will allow users to resize windows. Apple also plans to implement new ways for users to deal with multiple apps at once, in what sounds like a much more Mac-like multitasking experience.

macOS 13

We don’t know much about the feature set coming to ‌macOS 13‌, as there have been few leaks. It is rumored to feature an overhauled System Preferences interface that will bring it more in line with the Settings app on ‌iPhone‌ and ‌iPad‌, with the update to include individual settings organized by app.


Apple is also expected to revamp some of the default apps, so we could see improvements to Messages, Mail, Safari, and more. Messages in particular is rumored to be getting social network-like functionality with enhancements to audio messages. That’s an ‌iOS 16‌ rumor, but Messages usually has feature parity across platforms.

As for naming, ‌macOS 13‌ could be macOS Mammoth, based on Apple trademark filings. Apple way back in 2013 registered trademarks for many California landmarks and Mammoth is the one that’s been kept active the longest, though its status is unknown at this time and Apple has in the past chosen some names that were never on that list, so the naming isn’t certain.

watchOS 9

watchOS 9 will have some updates that impact the day-to-day operation and navigation on the wrist-worn device.

  • Updated power saving mode that will allow for the use of apps and features while cutting down on battery usage.
  • Expanded atrial fibrillation detection feature with added “burden,” aka how often a person is in a state of atrial fibrillation across a period of time.
  • Improved health and activity tracking.
  • More workout types.
  • Additional metrics for running workouts.
  • Refresh for existing watch faces.

tvOS 16

tvOS doesn’t often get as many new features as other operating system updates, and we don’t know a lot about tvOS 16, but it is rumored to include new smart home tie-ins. You may be able to do more with your smart home products through the Apple TV following the launch of the update.

Hardware Possibilities

The past several WWDC events have focused solely on software and have not included hardware announcements, so it’s not yet clear if we’re going to see any hardware unveiled at this year’s event. If we do, the below listed devices are the most likely candidates.

MacBook Air

If Apple does plan to introduce new Macs at the event, the MacBook Air is the device we’re likely to see, according to Bloomberg‘s ‌Mark Gurman‌. Apple is reportedly “aiming” to introduce the ‌MacBook Air‌ at the event, but COVID-related supply chain issues in China could prevent Apple from doing so.


The next-generation ‌MacBook Air‌ is expected to feature a total design overhaul with a MacBook Pro-like shape that does away with the tapered body. It will be thinner and lighter, and it is expected to come in multiple colors, including space gray, silver, a champagne color, and blue. The ‌MacBook Air‌ is expected to feature slim off-white bezels and a matching off-white keyboard, and it could be around 13.6 inches in size.

The ‌MacBook Air‌ will probably be equipped with a next-generation M2 chip, which is expected to feature the same number of computing cores as the M1 (eight), but it will include speed improvements that make it marginally faster. It is also rumored to have improved graphics with nine or 10 GPU cores, up from seven or eight in the current ‌M1‌ ‌MacBook Air‌.

The ‌M2‌ chip will be the first upgrade to the M1-series chips that Apple has been using in Apple silicon devices to date. Though many rumors have suggested the ‌MacBook Air‌ will feature an ‌M2‌ chip, Apple analyst Ming-Chi Kuo believes that Apple could focus on the redesign rather than new chip technology.

He has said the next-generation TSMC N3 and N4P fabrication processes will not be ready for mass production until 2023, so Apple will only be able to introduce an iterative update expected to use the same N5P chip used for the A15 and the ‌M1‌.

More on the next-generation ‌MacBook Air‌ can be found in our 2022 MacBook Air guide.

Mac Pro

Back in 2019, the redesigned modular Mac Pro was shown off at WWDC ahead of its late 2019 launch, and there’s a possibility that we could see a similar unveiling this year.


Apple’s hardware engineering chief John Ternus confirmed at the spring event that there is an Apple silicon version of the ‌Mac Pro‌ in the works, and it is expected to be coming at some point in 2022.

Apple could perhaps give us a small preview of the ‌Mac Pro‌ ahead of a launch coming later in the year.

Rumors suggest the ‌Mac Pro‌ will feature a chip even more powerful than the M1 Ultra used in the Mac Studio. It is expected to feature up to 40 CPU cores and 128 graphics cores, which would make it twice as powerful as the ‌M1 Ultra‌.

Apple could introduce an ‌M1 Ultra‌ successor that is in fact two ‌M1 Ultra‌ chips linked together, as the ‌M1 Ultra‌ itself is essentially two connected M1 Max chips. If that’s the case, the upcoming ‌Mac Pro‌ chip will be four times as powerful as the ‌M1 Max‌.

AR/VR Headset?

There were rumors last year that Apple’s long-rumored AR/VR headset could see an introduction at the 2022 Worldwide Developers Conference, but it looks like that’s not going to happen.


Bloomberg‘s ‌Mark Gurman‌ and Apple analyst ‌Ming-Chi Kuo‌ have said that the headset is simply not ready to be introduced at this point in time, as Apple still has kinks to work out. Kuo believes that Apple will launch the headset in 2023, and Gurman has said that Apple does not have plans for a “full-blown announcement” of the headset at WWDC.

That said, a trademark for “realityOS,” the operating system for the headset, was discovered recently, and it features a foreign filing date deadline of June 8, 2022. That’s a legal requirement, and it appears that the date is unrelated to WWDC and is a coincidence.

MacRumors Coverage

Apple plans to live stream the WWDC keynote on its website, the ‌Apple TV‌ app, and YouTube, but for those unable to watch, we’ll be covering the event on MacRumors.com and through the MacRumorsLive Twitter account.

We’ll also have in-depth coverage of all of Apple’s announcements throughout the rest of the week and going forward as we test the new software.



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Apple fixes major bugs in iOS, iPadOS, macOS, and watchOS software updates

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Enlarge / The 2021 12.9-inch iPad Pro.

Samuel Axon

Today, Apple released several new operating system updates to the public: iOS 15.3, iPadOS 15.3, macOS Monterey 12.2, watchOS 8.4, tvOS 15.3, and HomePod Software 15.3.

The update notes for these releases are some of the leanest I’ve seen. iOS, iPadOS, and macOS simply state that the update “includes bug fixes and security updates” and is “recommended for all users.”

iOS and iPadOS 15.3 do not add any new user-facing features. Rather, they fix several key security issues. The most notable is a zeroday vulnerability that was being exploited in the wild. Tracked as CVE-2022-22587, the threat stems from a memory corruption bug in the IOMobileFrameBuffer. Hackers who successfully exploit the bug can execute malicious code with kernel privileges on vulnerable devices. The vulnerability also resides in macOS Monterey.

“Apple is aware of a report that this issue may have been actively exploited,” Apple said in Wednesday’s release notes.

Apple also patched a previously reported Safari vulnerability that allowed websites that use the common IndexedDB API to access the names of databases from other websites. Note that this also affected other browsers on iOS and not just Safari (that’s because all iOS web browsers must use WebKit). macOS 12.2 fixes the same bug in the desktop version of Safari. (Unlike iOS, there are macOS web browsers that were not affected.)

For the full list of security updates in iOS and iPadOS, visit Apple’s support page on the subject. There’s a similar page for macOS, too.

macOS 12.2 also finally makes Apple Music fully native and AppKit-based in macOS, and the update improves the smoothness of scrolling in Safari on Macs with 120 Hz ProMotion displays.

As for the Apple Watch update, it’s all about bug fixes again. Specifically, watchOS 8.4 fixes a widespread issue that prevented some Apple Watch Series 7 owners from being able to properly charge the device from certain chargers.

Updates to the Apple TV and HomePod software also hit today. The HomePod 15.3 update “adds Siri voice recognition support for up to six users in a home in English (India) and Italian (Italy)” plus “performance and stability improvements.” The HomePod mini launched in both Italy and India late last year.

Apple didn’t publish any details about the tvOS update, but that update likely offered performance and stability improvements under the hood, too.

Apple has been busy outside the realm of software updates this week as well. For months, users have been complaining to app developers about iCloud syncing issues accompanied by error messages that say, “request failed with HTTP Status Code 503.” Developers quickly recognized that this was a problem on Apple’s end, even as many users assumed the fault was the developers’.

Now, developers are saying on Twitter and elsewhere that the iCloud Sync bug seems to be fixed. Apple hasn’t yet released a public statement on it, though.

All of the aforementioned software updates are available to all supported devices starting today.



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Here are the countries that now support ECG with watchOS 7.6

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Apple earlier today released watchOS 7.6 for Apple Watch users, which brings some bug fixes and also enables the ECG app in more regions. According to Apple, both ECG and irregular heart rate notifications are now available in 30 additional countries. Read on as we detail which countries have received the update.

The ECG app allows users to take an electrocardiogram, measuring the electrical pulses of your heart. Irregular heart rate notifications are now also available in these 30 additional countries for Apple Watch users. With this option enabled, the Apple Watch checks whether your heart rate remains above or below the recommended rate while you have been inactive for 10 minutes.

Apple had already enabled the ECG app in Australia, Japan, Peru, Philippines, Vietnam, and more countries earlier this year. Now the Apple Watch’s advanced health features are coming to 30 additional countries with watchOS 7.6, which you can see in the list below:

  • Andorra
  • Anguilla
  • Antigua & Barbuda
  • Brunei
  • Bulgaria
  • Cook Islands
  • Cyprus
  • Dominica
  • Estonia
  • Fiji
  • French Southern Territories
  • Gibraltar
  • Guadeloupe
  • Guernsey
  • Haiti
  • Isle of Man
  • Jersey
  • Monaco
  • Montserrat
  • Nauru
  • Norfolk Islands
  • Seychelles
  • Slovenia
  • St. Barthélemy
  • St. Helena
  • St. Kitts & Nevis
  • St. Martin
  • St. Vincent & Grenadines
  • Ukraine
  • Vatican City

The Apple Watch’s ECG feature was recently approved by China’s health regulatory agency, but the country was not mentioned by Apple in this update. As some users have been able to use the ECG app in China with watchOS 8 beta, it seems likely that Chinese users will get the new health features later this year.

For more information on how to do an electrocardiogram using your Apple Watch, check out 9to5Mac’s special guide. You can also see the full list of countries where the ECG app is supported on Apple’s official website.

It is worth noting that the ECG app and irregular heart rhythm notifications require an Apple Watch Series 4 or later.

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Apple releases iOS 14.4.2 and watchOS 7.3.3 to close an active vulnerability

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Apple has released two new minor updates for iOS and watchOS devices. The company recommends all users download iOS 14.4.2 and watchOS 7.3.3 as soon as possible. Like iOS 14.4.1 and macOS 11.2.3 before them, they fix a security flaw.

In a support page spotted by MacRumors, Apple says the vulnerability allowed malicious websites to carry out cross-site scripting. That’s an exploit that allows someone to get information from other webpages you have open on your device. Apple notes it has had at least one report of someone taking advantage of the vulnerability out in the wild. As always, you can manually start downloading an update on your iPhone by going into the Setting menu, tapping “General,” and then “Software Update.”

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WatchOS 7.4 is coming: 2 new Apple Watch features people are going to love

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Angela Lang/CNET

The Apple Watch will make unlocking your iPhone less of a hassle while wearing a mask and brings AirPlay 2 compatibility to Apple’s new Fitness Plus workout service. Apple hasn’t revealed the official launch date for its next round of software updates, but the public beta of watchOS 7.4 gives us a glimpse of all the new features we can expect to arrive on the Apple Watch in the next few weeks. 

Unlock with Apple Watch 

With the latest update to WatchOS 7.4 (and iOS 14.5 on the iPhone), you’ll be able to opt in to a feature on the iPhone that lets you use the Apple Watch to authenticate Face ID when your face is covered. 

To activate the feature, both the Apple Watch and the iPhone need to be running the latest version of their respective softwares and must be password protected. 

Toggle the feature on the iPhone under the Face ID and passcode option in the settings and make sure your Apple Watch is unlocked and on your wrist. You may be required to type in your password on the first try, but after this you should be able to swipe up to unlock the iPhone with Face ID.

The Watch will give you an alert and haptic feedback to let you know your iPhone has been unlocked.


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Cast Fitness Plus on Airplay 2 devices

Fitness Plus gives you two types of workout recommendations: Either more of what you like or something new to balance out your routine. 


Vanessa Hand Orellana/CNET

If you have an Apple Watch and you’re trying out Apple’s new Fitness Plus, you’ll now have more ways to work out. You can now cast the Apple Watch workout service on any device or TV with AirPlay 2. At launch, the service was only available to view on an iPhone, iPad or newer version of the Apple TV. 

You’ll still need to select a workout in the Fitness Plus app on your iPhone or iPad. Then either press the casting icon in the lower right hand corner of the screen or select screen mirroring in the quick settings section to cast to a device. 

The Apple Watch will get a lot of the same features found in iOS 14.5, including the 217 new emoji and the option to change your default music. Apple also released updates for iPadOS and TVOS. 

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Apple Security Fix Mean it’s Time to Update Your Devices

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Photo: JOSH EDELSON / Stringer (Getty Images)

A newly released set of security fixes from Apple is “recommended for all users,” meaning that for anyone with an iPhone, iPad, Mac or Apple Watch, it’s probably time for an update.

According to Apple, the patch will correct a security bug that left WebKit — the engine that powers Apple’s Safari browser — vulnerable to a memory corruption. Once users visited a web page containing the malicious code, the vulnerability could be exploited by attackers, who could then access the affected device and write malicious code onto it.

If the security fixes are applied, iPhones and iPads users will be updating to iOS and iPadOS 14.4.1, watchOS users would be updating to 7.3.2 and macOS Big Sur would be updating to version 11.2.3.

Despite being reported by Google and Microsoft, the bugs aren’t thought to have been actively exploited — unlike the three separate zero-day security flaws discovered in January. All three of the previous bugs had been “actively exploited,” Apple reported at the time, by hackers who found a way to chain the three vulnerabilities together in order to access the underlying iPhone software.

Apple users can secure their devices by heading to System Preferences, and then clicking on Software Update to check to see if there’s one available.

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Unlock Your iPhone With Your Apple Watch When Wearing a Face Mask

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Apple’s iOS 13.5 update made your iPhone jump to your secondary method of authentication more quickly when you’re trying to use Face ID while wearing a face mask, but it’s still an arduous process you have to go through each time you want to unlock your iPhone. iOS 14.5 fixes this by adding in a new auto-unlock option for those who also own an Apple Watch; I do, and this is too good a feature to wait for.

I say “wait for” because iOS 14.5 isn’t technically available to the public yet. Apple’s testing the update as part of a developer beta—that wonderful phrase that suggests you’re in for a potentially buggy experience if you opt to slap it on your iPhone right now. I go back and forth on this; I love being able to access the latest features, but having a sluggish or otherwise fussy iPhone—especially if it’s my primary device—isn’t the best experience.

Still, in these pandemic times, having to tap-tap-tap my iPhone after I’ve gotten used to the wonderful convenience of Face ID isn’t very fun, either. So much so, that I think I’m going to go ahead and install the iOS 14.5 beta. What’s the worst that could happen?

If you’d like to join me, here’s how you can get into this normally-for-developers beta. To start, make a backup of your iPhone, whether you’re sending it to iCloud (via Settings > your Apple ID > iCloud > iCloud Backup) or connecting your iPhone to a computer and performing a manual backup. This is important, as you’ll want to be able to revert back to your normal operating system if the beta is too buggy for your tastes.

Screenshot: David Murphy

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Next, open Safari on your iPhone and navigate over to Beta Profiles. Tap “Download” on the box for the iOS 14.5 beta and don’t be stymied by the warning screen:

When prompted by your iPhone about downloading a configuration profile to your device, tap “Allow.” Once done, close Safari and open up your Settings app. Tap on General > Profile, where you’ll find the profile you just downloaded. Tap on it, and then tap on Install in the upper-right corner. You’ll eventually be asked to restart your iPhone as part of the installation process. Do that.

Screenshot: David Murphy

Once your iPhone boots back up, tap on Settings again, and then General > Software Update. You should now be able to download the iOS 14.5 Developer Beta (if it hasn’t already started downloading).

Screenshot: David Murphy

Once it’s done, you’ll find the new Apple Watch-unlock feature in Settings > Face ID & Passcode. However, you’ll also need to repeat these same steps to install the developer beta of watchOS 7.4 (updating your Apple Watch as you normally would in the end, rather than going to your iPhone’s Software Update section).

Don’t assume that this handy feature will work each time you’re using your iPhone while wearing your Apple Watch. The feature, designed for pandemic life, requires your iPhone to detect that you’re wearing a face mask. If it does, and you’re also wearing your (passcode-enabled and unlocked) Apple Watch, your iPhone will unlock automatically. If you aren’t wearing a mask, you’ll have to unlock your iPhone the old-fashioned way.

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