gizmosure

Tag: Apple Watch

  • Apple Watch users can delete stock apps with watchOS 6

    Apple Watch users can delete stock apps with watchOS 6

    Apart from iOS 13, it appears Apple plans to bring significant changes to the upcoming watchOS 6. One of these major changes is said to be support for deleting first-party apps. Now, this essentially implies that users will be allowed to remove almost all stock apps if they wish to. These include the likes of apps such as Alarm, Timer, Stopwatch, Remote, Camera Remote, Radio, ECG, Breathe, Noise Cycle Tracking, and more.

    Removing an app from Apple Watch works largely similar to what you’d do an iPhone. Just long press on the grid to trigger the blurry effect and press the small X symbol to delete a specific app. That said, this method only works for third-party apps, as Apple restricts users to delete first-party apps that Apple Watch comes pre-installed with.

    However, this is all about to change when watchOS 6 starts rolling out. Users will be able to uninstall apps such as Radio, World Clock, Timer, Stopwtach, Walkie-Talkie, and several others. In case users want them back, they’ll just need to reinstall the apps from the App Store.

    However, nothing will change when it comes to removing third party apps. Deleting an app from Apple Watch will result in removal of the same app from the iPhone as well. That said, this behavior won’t apply to apps that come shipped with the Apple Watch. TechCrunch, however, notes that not all of the built-in iOS and watchOS can be removed, as the likes of Heart Rate and Messages will be there.

    Apple plans to release watchOS 6 in September. This is certainly good news for Apple Watch users who wouldn’t want to clutter up their screen with unused apps. The changes mentioned above are likely to make their way in the beta builds in the coming weeks.

  • Pandora update for iOS brings offline playback on Apple Watch

    Pandora update for iOS brings offline playback on Apple Watch

    Pandora’s latest iOS update brings a rather nifty feature for Apple Watch users. The music streaming service has updated its iOS app which brings offline playback for the smartwatch, most likely due to popular demand. With the new update, users will be able to control music playback or like whatever song is currently playing on Pandora. Now, this essentially negates the need of carrying your iPhone and allows you to play music on your Apple Watch while on-the-go.

    “You asked, and we listened! By popular demand, we bring you a brand new, built-from-the-ground-up app that’s seamlessly integrated into the Apple Watch experience”, confirmed Pandora. Here’s what Apple Watch users can look forward with the new update:

    • Access remote playback controls.
    • Give your favorites a Thumbs Up directly from the Now Playing screen.
    • Listen without an internet connection! Pandora Plus & Premium subscribers get access to offline content – no phone required

    That said, only Pandora users can enjoy this feature, so you’ll need to subscribe for Pandora Plus or Pandora Premium to listen to offline music on your Apple smartwatch. Not to mention, users need to upgrade to watchOS 5 in order to enjoy offline playback with Pandora.

  • AT&T working on a 2-in-1 portable charger for iPhone and Apple Watch

    AT&T working on a 2-in-1 portable charger for iPhone and Apple Watch

    It appears AT&T plans to join the lucrative and ever-growing wireless charger accessory market. As according to an FCC filing, the carrier is allegedly working on a 2-in-1 iPhone and Apple Watch charger that also houses a 3000mAh battery for charging on-the-move.

    The filing also reveals the name of this accessory, which AT&T calls the Power Drum Wireless charger and Apple Watch Power Bank. Not to mention, it’ll also work with any smartphone that supports the Qi wireless charging standard.

    power drum

    Going by the the diagram shown in the filing, the top of the Power Drum serves as Qi charging pad for your iPhone or any Qi-compatible smartphone. Besides, the device integrates Apple Watch charger on the front. The hardware supports output of up to 10W, though it can be dialed back to 7.5W for iPhones.

    You can find the complete documentation of the Power Drum below:

    • Made for: Apple Watch Series 3, Apple Watch Series 2, Apple Watch Series 1, Apple Watch (1st generation)
    • 2-in-1 portable charger, charges an Apple Watch and Qi-enabled wireless device simultaneously
    • 3000mAh capacity battery
    • Built-in magnetic charging module for Apple Watch
    • LED charge indicators
    • Input: Micro USB
    • Output: up to 10W on select wireless charging devices and up to 5W on Apple Watch

    As we can see in the documentation above, it does not mention support for the Apple Watch 4. That said, it’s highly unlikely the accessory won’t support the latest Apple Watch. It only implies that AT&T began working on the Power Drum nearly a year ago.

    As far as pricing goes, the documnetaion suggests the Power Drum will set you back by $99.99. However, there’s no mention when the carrier will start shipping the device. We’ll update you as soon as we hear anything new. Until then, keep checking back for more.

  • Apple releases watchOS 5.1.1 update to fix bricked Apple Watches

    Apple releases watchOS 5.1.1 update to fix bricked Apple Watches

    Apple starts rolling the new watchOS 5.1.1 update. With the new update, Apple has resolved the issue that led to bricked Apple Watches. The new watchOS 5.1.1 software update was released today and is now available via an OTA update on all supported Apple Watches running watchOS 5.0.1.

    Apple Watch users are advised to install the update to enjoy the new features included in watchOS 5.1.1. These include 70 new emoji characters, support for Group FaceTime audio, along with a new full screen colour watch face.

    How to update to watchOS 5.1.1

    In order to install the new update, you’ll need an iPhone running iOS 12.1. Next, just open the watch app on your iPhone, go to General, Software Updates, and tap on download/install the update. Also, make sure that your Apple Watch has sufficient charge in order to successfully the install the new update.

    To recall, Apple pulled the plug on watchOS 5.1 after its release last week as users reported the update bricked their Apple Watches. According to reports, Apple Watches were getting stuck on the Apple logo after users installed the previous update. Series 4 are Series 3 Apple Watches were primarily impacted by the issue.

    It took the company around a week to fix the issue by including a patch in the new watchOS 5.1.1 update. Hopefully, the new update delivers and Apple Watch owners don’t have to worry about any bricking issues.

    That said, it’s worth noting that users who’ve installed watchOS 5.1 and it caused a bricking issue on your Apple Watch, you’ll need to get in touch with Apple Support as installing watchOS 5.1.1 won’t fix the issue.