watchOS 3 is an operating system designed and developed by Apple, especially for the Apple Watch from 2016 to 2017. The system was released on September 13, 2016, and was preinstalled on the new Apple Watches and as an update through the iPhone for the previous series.
watchOS 3 provided fast access to a summarized view of the most popular native or third-party applications used on the Apple Watch. The Glances view was opened with a swipe-up gesture from the watch face screen. With watchOS 3, Glances was replaced by a redesigned Control Center – much like iOS.
The friend’s menu, invoked with the side button, now acts as a dedicated dock for apps. Users will be able to keep apps running in memory and receive background updates and refreshed information. Other updates are a new Dock invoked with the side button to replace the performance-laden Glances, an updated Control Center, and new reply options on Messages.
Several new watch faces have also been added, including Minnie Mouse, along with the ability to switch watch faces from the lock screen simply by swiping. A new feature called SOS allows users to hold the dock button to make a call to the local emergency line and pull up a medical ID.
Another feature is the Activity Share, which allows the sharing of workouts with friends and even sending their heartbeats to one another. Breathe’s new app guides users through breathing exercises throughout the day, with visuals and haptic feedback.
gets the last update (3.2.3) on July 19, 2017, and later has been replaced by a newer version of watchOS 4. Today watchOS 3 is 7 years old!
watchOS 3 Details
| Released | September 13, 2016 – 7 years ago |
| Last Software Update | July 19, 2017 – 7 years ago |
| Time of Support | 309 days (10 months) |
| Original Price | Free |
| System Requirements | Apple Watch Apple Watch Series 1 Apple Watch Series 2 iPhone 5 or later |
| Distribution | Trough paired iPhone |
Versions of the watchOS 3
| Versions | Build | Release Date |
| watchOS 3.0 | 14S326 | September 13, 2016 – 7 years ago |
| watchOS 3.1 | 14S471 | October 24, 2016 – 7 years ago |
| watchOS 3.1.1* | 14S883 | December 12, 2016 – 7 years ago |
| watchOS 3.1.3 | 14S960 | January 23, 2017 – 7 years ago |
| watchOS 3.2 | 14V249 | March 27, 2017 – 7 years ago |
| watchOS 3.2.2 | 14V485 | May 15, 2017 – 7 years ago |
| watchOS 3.2.3 | 14V753 | July 19, 2017 – 7 years ago |
New Features in watchOS 3
| Versions | Features |
| watchOS 3.0 | Initial Release Navigation Favorite apps in Dock Apps in Dock updates with up-to-date information on the launch The dock can contain up to 10 apps Simple switch to a different watch face with a swipe Control Center can be toggled with a swipe-up New Watch faces Minnie Mouse face Activity faces Numerals faces Complications support for Photo, Photo Album, Timelapse, and Motion faces New Complications: Workout, Music, and Messages, etc. Face Gallery in Apple Watch app on iPhone 3rd-party Complications support Activity Share and compare activity rings Activity progress notifications for a person you have shared your activity progress with Smart replies for the above notifications New “Sharing” tab on the Activity app on iPhone Workout Quick start Customizable metrics view Gestures support for pausing, resuming, or marking segments Support for “Other” workouts not listed in built-in workout types Auto-pause in running workouts for inactivity Siri support Route maps with a speed indicator (Outdoor workouts only) For Wheelchairs Activity rings support for people using a wheelchair Pushes now contribute to the move-ring Stand ring and “Time to Stand” notification substituted with Roll ring and “Time to Roll” notification Outdoor Run or Walk pace workouts Breathe app New app for breathing sessions Visualization and haptics indicate when to inhale or exhale Adjustments for session length and amount of breaths per minute Summary with heart rate “Time to Breathe” notifications Weekly Summary Communication Full-screen effects for celebrations Tap to quick reply Animations for handwritten messages Send built-in or 3rd party stickers Ability to view secret messages Replies now available in Messages and Mail notifications New and redesigned emojis Scribble Write directly on Apple Watch and it will automatically convert to text Scroll through predictions with Digital Crown Available in English, Simplified Chinese, and Traditional Chinese Emergency SOS You can now call emergency services by pressing and holding the side button Your SOS contacts will be notified of your location You can also display your Medical ID stored on your Watch Emergency numbers are automatically adjusted per your location Home New app to control accessories through HomeKit You can now control all your accessories directly from your wrist IP camera support: Watch live video with controls and notifications directly on your Watch Miscellaneous New Reminders app New Find My Friends app Apple Pay support in 3rd-party apps New controls in the Calendar app: You can now delete events or switch calendars FaceTime audio calls support Search for Settings on the Apple Watch app on the iPhone New remote camera controls: Flash, Live Photos, HDR, Zoom, Burst, and facing New Siri languages: Spanish (Chile), Cantonese, English (Ireland), English (South Africa) |
| watchOS 3.1 | Bubbles and fullscreen effects on Messages can now be replayed Reduce Motion of Messages effects Fix: “Timer complete” notification being delivered twice Fix: Apple Watch Series 2 not fully charged Fix: Disappeared Activity rings on watch faces Fix: Force Touch options not appearing in 3rd-party apps |
| watchOS 3.1.3 | Fix: Bricking Apple Watches after updating to watchOS 3.1.1 Includes fixes from watchOS 3.1.1, including… Fix: Contact names not appearing in notifications and the Messages app Fix: Unable to respond to notifications Fix: Stocks Complication not updating on watch faces Fix: Activity rings not displaying on Activity watch faces Fix: Dials of Analog watch faces not displaying after changing the temperature unit in the Weather app Fix: Maps app still launching after navigation has ended Fix: Month view of Calendars app showing incorrect dates |
| watchOS 3.2 | Siri now works with 3rd-party apps with features including: Start a workout Send messages Make payments Book rides Theater Mode New Scribble languages: French, Spanish, Italian Sync progress for music playlists is now displayed in the Apple Watch app on the iPhone |
| watchOS 3.2.2 | Bug fixes |
| watchOS 3.2.3 | Bug fixes Final version to support iPhone 5 and iPhone 5C |
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