The Worldwide Developer Conference (WWDC) 2016 officially kicked off on June 13 at the Moscone Center in downtown San Francisco and the biggest confirmation that tech enthusiasts got is that Apple did not launch the second generation of its Apple Watch.
However, the American tech giant unveiled the watchOS 3, the latest operating system for its smart wearable.
The no-show of the Apple Watch 2 at the WWDC 2016 actually makes it two Apple events in a row where the device did not come out.
Back on March 21, in Apple’s “Let Us Loop You In” event, rumors were rife that the American tech giant would be launching the Apple Watch 2 because the month actually marked one year when its predecessor officially made it to the market.
When that did not happen, most of the speculations were looking at the WWDC 2016 for Apple to launch the Apple Watch 2 among some other devices. But come the opening of the WWDC 2016 on Monday, it was clear that Apple would not be rolling out any device in the developers’ conference and simply launched its latest operating systems for various media.
With the WWDC 2016 out of the launching way, it is now clear that Apple would be unveiling its Apple Watch 2 in September during its annual iPhone launching event, Thus, the Apple Watch 2 would likely be joining the launch of the iPhone 7 and the iPhone 7 Plus and perhaps some other gadgets in the American tech giant’s vast roster.
A multitude of benefits for the Apple Watch
Despite the absence of the Apple Watch 2, users of the Apple smart wearable are still happy with the release of the watchOS 3 because it has hastened the processing time of the Apple Watch seven times faster than its usual speed.
The watchOS 3 also allows for background updates, storing the most-used apps in memory for faster load times, notes the IT Pro of UK.
The operating system also introduces a macOS-style dock, which allows users to quickly access their favorite apps. The feature is ably complemented with a new Control Center for quickly changing settings which makes navigation in watchOS 3 much quicker and simpler.
In addition, new watch faces have been introduced with the watchOS 3 including a Minnie Mouse face and one based on the activity rings. Interchanging faces of the watch can now be done with one swipe.
But the most important feature of the watchOS 3 is the SOS app. By pressing and holding the side button, users can actually launch a call to the local emergency services. At the end of the call, the app will also broadcast the user’s location and a message to his ICE contact, along with the emergency services.
In addition, Apple has turned the Apple Watch into a medical ID bracelet with the watchOS 3. After the SOS call, the watch shall automatically start displaying all the medical details that the user entered in the Health app on his or her phone, details Tech Crunch.
The HealthKit-enabled apps can now provide data for the user’s medical details. It could also be useful if the user is unconscious or is not able to physically tell emergency responders when they arrive to rescue her or him from his or her medical condition.
Apple Watch 2 features and capabilities
There have been plenty of rumored features and capabilities of the Apple Watch 2 online, and among the latest to have made the internet are speculations that the smart wearable will have expanded Wi-Fi abilities and a wrist-mounted FaceTime camera.
The second iteration of the Apple Watch will reportedly have more variants too other than the Sports, Steel, and Edition models that were made available for the first Apple Watch.
Reports also have it that Apple Watch 2 could feature advanced bands or new materials including tungsten, palladium, titanium, or even platinum.