5 Things to Know About the watchOS 6.0.1 Update

Apple released a new watchOS 6.0.1 update for the Apple Watch that delivers bug fixes and security patches to Apple watch owners.

watchOS 6.0.1 is the first update to watchOS 6, and it is pretty small. It’s not at the same level as iOS 13.1 that rolled out, in fact, it’s more in line with iOS 13.1.1 and iOS 13.2.

If your Apple Watch is already on watchOS 6, this is a very small upgrade with not many changes. If you stuck around on watchOS 5 to see if Apple fixed a lot of the watchOS 6 problems, your list of features, fixes, and patches will be longer. This is a relatively small download and it installs faster than the base watchOS 6 update did. The watchOS 6.0.1 update is 76.4MB on the Apple Watch 5 with GPS and 91.5MB on the GPS+ LTE model.

Now that you know the basics about watchOS 6.0.1 and where it sits in the lineup, this is what you need to know about this update right now as it is rolling out. You may already see an alert on your wrist about this update with a prompt to install it tonight, but you need to read up before you make the jump.

watchOS 6.0.1 Reviews

I’ve been using the watchOS 6.0.1 update on the Apple Watch 5 for a short amount of time and this is what I’ve discovered. I am using the GPS only model, and a friend is sharing his insights from using the GPS+ LTE version of the Series 5. A common complaint about the Series 5 with the Always On Display and with Noise monitoring was bad battery life, but it is still too early to tell if this update fixes that specific problem.

Connectivity

• WiFi is connected and as quick as on watchOS 6.
• Bluetooth is connected immediately to my phone.
• AirPods connected and streamed easily.
• GPS and Compass are Working Nicely.
• LTE users report strong connections.

Apps

• Third-party apps launch and work as expected including Spotify, Calm, MyQ, Starbucks, Ecobee, Facebook Messenger and more.
• Apple’s apps like Apple Music, Messages, Calendar, and Podcasts are working as well.

Speed & Battery Life

• The update feels as snappy and responsive as watchOS 6, which is no shock on the latest Apple Watch hardware.

It’s too early to make any bold statements about battery life, but after an hour, the battery life is stable.

watchOS 6.0.1 Problems

So far there are not widespread reports of any watchOS 6.0.1 problems, but you can expect that some of the problems from the initial release carry over.

Our installation and those of many others went quickly, compared to watchOS 6, which is a great sign. As you can read in our review above, the connectivity is working nicely and so far apps are working well. The only installation issue we’ve seen is that some users were unaware you needed to put the watch on the charger to start the installation.

We’re keeping an eye out for any connectivity or app issues on this new version of watchOS 6. Apple says this update includes performance fixes, which could solve the bad Apple Watch battery life that some users are experiencing.

watchOS 6.0.1 Update: What’s New

You don’t get any new features like you saw with watchOS 6, but this update does fix three specific problems and security patches. This is a focused set of fixes, and it won’t be the last that you see this year.

Here’s what’s new in watchOS 6.0.1;

• Resolves an issue where the Mickey Mouse and Minnie Mouse watch face does not speak time
• Addresses an issue where the calendar complication may not display events
• Fixes a bug that could result in a loss of display calibration data

If you use these features, you should install the update now. There are also likely some additional security updates, but Apple has not posted them yet.

watchOS 6.0.1 Compatibility

The watchOS 6.0.1 update is available to all Apple Watch devices running watchOS 6 already. This update does not extend support to the Series 1 and Series 2 models. Apple is likely connecting that to the next major watchOS 6 update.

You need to install iOS 13.1.2 on your iPhone in order to be able to install the watchOS 6.0.1 update.

What’s Next

Apple has not yet confirmed watchOS 6.1 to the public, but the company is clearly working on new watchOS updates. We expect that this bug fix will tide us over to a larger watchOS 6.1 update.

Expect to see Apple deliver this sometime in October to bring the Apple Watch Series 1 and Series 2 onto watchOS 6 and to build out features. We expect to se a new iOS 13.2 update around this same time frame as well as the macOS Catalina release date.

It wouldn’t be a shock to see a watchOS 6.1 beta arrive for developers in the near future.