5 Things to Know About the watchOS 10.0.1 Update

Apple’s pushed a watchOS 10.0.1 update to Apple Watch models and today we want to take a closer look at the software.

watchOS 10 has been out for a few weeks now and we’ve been pretty impressed with its features as well as its performance on older Apple Watch models.

While we’ve been having a great experience, some Apple Watch owners have been complaining about issues with the new operating system.

To address some of these early problems, Apple’s pushed out two new versions of watchOS 10. One is watchOS 10.0.1 and the other is watchOS 10.0.2 which is exclusive to the Apple Watch Series 9 and Apple Watch Ultra 2. We’re focused on the former in this guide.

Today we want to cover everything we know about the watchOS 10.0.1 update for Apple Watch. Our guide goes over the software’s changes, offers some thoughts about its performance, and it takes a look at some of the issues impacting the software.

We’ll start with some quick thoughts about its performance.

watchOS 10.0.1 Review

If you’re looking for a full blown watchOS 10 review you’ll need to look elsewhere. Our watchOS 10.0.1 review is simply a quick look at its performance in key areas like battery life.

If your Apple Watch is currently running the initial version of watchOS 10, you’ll see the smallest download size. If you’re moving up from watchOS 9, the download should be much larger. Keep that in mind before you tap install. It could take awhile.

As for the installation, it took around seven minutes to get the software up and running on an Apple Watch 4.

We’ve been using watchOS 10.0.1 on an Apple Watch 4 for several days now and here’s what we’ve learned about the software’s performance thus far:

watchOS 10.0.1 Battery Life & Connectivity

• Battery life is stable right now
• Wi-Fi connectivity is fast and reliable
• Bluetooth is working normally
• GPS is also working properly

App Performance

• Third-party apps including All Trails, ESPN, Spotify and JetBlue are all working fine at the moment
• First party apps like Podcasts are also running well

Speed

• watchOS 10.0.1 feels as fast as watchOS 10.0 did, we haven’t noticed abnormal lag, lockups, or freezes thus far

If you’re dealing with bugs and/or performance issues on watchOS 10.0 or an older version of watchOS, you should install the watchOS 10.0.1 update right now.

watchOS 10.0.1 Problems

We haven’t run into any major bugs or performance issues during our time on watchOS 10.0.1, or watchOS 10 for that matter, but some Apple Watch users have.

We’ve heard about charging issues, issues with Notifications, Bluetooth issues, problems with first and third-party applications, UI lag, issues with cellular service, pairing issues, abnormal battery drain, and issues with Weather complications.

For more about watchOS 10 problems and how to fix them, head over to our guide.

watchOS 10.0.1: What’s New

watchOS 10.0.1 is a small point upgrade focused on patching up issues within the operating system. Apple says the software includes bug fixes and important security updates for your Apple Watch.

The company hasn’t outlined the bug fixes, but it has detailed the security patches on board. There are two patches included in watchOS 10.0.1 and you can learn more about them on Apple’s security site.

watchOS 10 Downgrade

Most Apple Watch owners know this, but if you’re a new user or you’ve simply forgotten, here’s your PSA.

Unlike iOS, iPadOS, and macOS software, you can’t downgrade watchOS software to an older version if you run into trouble and want to move back. It’s unfortunate, but that’s reality.

So, you’ll want to be extremely careful moving to new watchOS 10 software in the weeks ahead. If you’re having a good experience, make sure you read reviews before you tap install on the latest software update.

What’s Next

Apple’s currently working on a new watchOS 10.1 update and the software will arrive later this year. We expect the software to touch down in late October or November alongside iOS 17.1.

If you can’t wait that long, you can download a pre-release version of the software onto your Apple Watch right now via Apple’s beta program.