Those who like to keep themselves at the forefront of Apple’s iOS releases should check out the latest update for the operating system, which brings it up to version 8.2 beta 5, with which Apple have introduced several changes to the OS in anticipation of their upcoming watch release, most notably in WatchKit. The API has been available since the first beta of the operating system’s version 8.2, and Apple have been releasing updates for it ever since, improving the availability to various additional tools for developers, and ensuring that the release of the watch will be met with a sufficient software platform for the device to stand on.
Developers are now given the option for creating their own Settings bundles for the extensions they write for WatchKit, and there have been a few other additions to the codebase as well that make it a bit more extensive and flexible. In addition, the way the code is structured in some places, as well as the fact that there are currently various open issues that have to be resolved, have led most developers to believe that this will not be the last beta release of the OS, and we’ll get another chance to test out some upcoming features in the next few weeks.
The new iOS beta also addresses some issues with Wi-Fi calling on T-Mobile, according to the changelog, although the feature is apparently not finalized yet. Once 8.2 has been released officially, the option will be available under Settings/Phone, where users can enable it and use Wi-Fi calling in supported conditions (and carriers). The feature is still relatively young and it’s expected to have some technical issues, but reports indicate that it’s already quite stable internally, and doesn’t need much additional testing.
Apple are planning to release their Watch in April, putting the release date of iOS 8.2 at some point before that, although it’s not known when exactly the update is going to land. Apple would likely want to release at least one or two additional betas for the OS before that, so we’ll probably see more activity from the company before the Apple Watch lands on the market.
And the watch itself is so far shaping up to be a great offer on the wearables market, and a solid debut for Apple in that field. Some have been skeptical of the merits of such a device when Apple made their initial announcement, but since then, confidence in the project has been picking up, as more and more people have been showing an interest in purchasing the Apple Watch (dubbed the iWatch by some) when it hits the market.