4 Things to Know About watchOS 10.2 Right Now

Apple’s confirmed a new watchOS 10.2 update for Apple Watch.

watchOS 10.2 is a milestone upgrade, the second for the company’s watchOS 10 operating system. As such, it will bring more than just bug fixes and security updates to compatible Apple Watch models.

Apple hasn’t confirmed the watchOS 10.2 release date yet, but the software will roll out to compatible Apple Watch models in the near future.

With all of that in mind, we want to take you through everything there is to know about the next major watchOS 10 update for Apple Watch.

In this walkthrough we’ll take you through the watchOS 10.2’s known changes, what you can expect from the watchOS 10.2 release date and time, information about the beta, and more.

watchOS 10.2 Beta

If you want to try the watchOS 10.2 beta on your Apple Watch right now, you can do so provided you have a Watch that’s compatible with watchOS 10.

Apple’s pushed the watchOS 10.2 beta to developers and the general public. If you want to use the public watchOS 10.2 beta on your Watch you’ll need to join Apple’s Beta Software Program.

Before you download the watchOS 10.2 beta on your Apple Watch, be aware that beta software is often buggy and can hinder your Watch’s performance.

The software could negatively impact your core apps and the overall performance of your device. We don’t recommend using it as a daily driver.

You might able to fix problems on your own, but some bugs and performance issues will probably require a fix from Apple.

Apple’s currently on the final watchOS 10.2 beta, also known as the Release Candidate or RC.

watchOS 10.2 Release Date

Apple hasn’t confirmed a watchOS 10.2 release date and we probably won’t get an announcement ahead of time.

Now that Apple’s on the final version of the watchOS 10.2 beta, we expect the software to land in December. Probably sometime next week.

For more about the watchOS 10.2 release date, check out our guide.

watchOS 10.2 Release Time

As for the release time, the official version of watchOS 10.2 will probably arrive in and around 10AM Pacific.

Keep this in mind if you plan to install the official version of watchOS 10.2 right away.

watchOS 10.2 Features

Milestone updates (watchOS x.x) typically bring a mix new features, enhancements, security patches, and bug fixes to Apple Watch users and that’s what Apple Watch users will get from watchOS 10.2.

Here’s the full watchOS 10.2 change log, courtesy of Apple:

Features

• Access and log Health app data with Siri (Available on Apple Watch Series 9 and Apple Watch Ultra 2)
• Automatically view Now Playing when in proximity of HomePod (2nd generation) or HomePod mini playing media from Music or Podcasts (Available on – Apple Watch Series 6 and later and Apple Watch Ultra)
• Enable the ability to swipe to change watch faces in Settings
• Enable the ability to confirm ending workouts in Settings
• Prioritize the volume of either the music or trainers’ voices in most Fitness+ workouts

Bug Fixes

• Resolves an issue that can cause watch faces added in the Watch app on iPhone to not appear on Apple Watch

We also expect watchOS 10.2 to deliver security patches to Apple Watch users. Apple will reveal those shortly after it pushes the software live.

Wait for Blood Pressure Monitoring

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Gurman believes Apple is targeting 2024 for a blood pressure monitor on the Apple Watch. This is the earliest it will launch and there could be a delay. That being said, it's a feature worth waiting for.  He's outlined three health features Apple's working on: glucose and blood sugar monitoring, the ability to take blood pressure, and the ability to measure body temperature. Of these, it looks like the blood pressure tool is the closest to launch. If this pans out, the Apple Watch 10 would be able to detect a user's blood pressure from the wrist using infrared light. If you have blood pressure issues, or simply want a quick way to check, this feature alone might be worth the wait.

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