Apple Seeds Third watchOS 26 and visionOS 26 Developer Betas

Apple has provided developers with the third beta versions of watchOS 26 and visionOS 26. This release follows two weeks after the second betas were made available. These software updates can be downloaded via the Settings app on each respective device, requiring a developer account for access.

What's New in watchOS 26 Beta 3?

watchOS 26, along with tvOS 26, incorporates the stylish new Liquid Glass design elements, mirroring the aesthetic changes introduced in iOS 26 and macOS 26. This beta brings several notable enhancements to the Apple Watch experience.

One of the key additions is the introduction of an AI-powered Workout Buddy. This innovative feature is designed to provide users with personalized motivation and encouragement during their workouts, helping them stay on track and achieve their fitness goals. The Smart Stack, a central feature of the Apple Watch interface, also receives an upgrade. The Smart Stack now leverages more personal context, resulting in more relevant and helpful suggestions tailored to individual user needs and preferences.

Further enhancing functionality, watchOS 26 now includes a dedicated Notes app, allowing users to quickly jot down memos and reminders directly on their wrists. Additionally, the update adds support for Live Translation, a convenient feature for those who frequently interact with different languages.

This third beta, importantly, aims to resolve a critical issue impacting Hermes Apple Watch models. Previous betas had caused these models to overheat and crash, a problem Apple appears to have addressed in this latest release.

visionOS 26 Beta 3: A Deeper Dive into Spatial Computing

visionOS 26 beta 3 introduces exciting new capabilities for spatial computing on Apple's Vision Pro headset. A significant addition is the support for spatial widgets. These widgets can be placed virtually anywhere within your three-dimensional workspace, offering a truly immersive and personalized computing environment. The placement and positioning of these widgets provide an innovative way to interact with information and applications.

Apple has also focused on refining the realism and responsiveness of personas within the visionOS environment. These digital representations are designed to be more lifelike and engaging, enhancing the overall interaction with the Vision Pro's augmented reality capabilities. The improvements aim to create a more natural and intuitive experience when interacting with virtual characters and objects within the system.

For users looking for collaborative experiences, visionOS 26 beta 3 enhances support for shared spatial experiences. This feature enables two Vision Pro users to share and interact with the same virtual environments, opening up possibilities for collaborative work, gaming, and entertainment. The enhancements made to the shared experience aim to improve synchronization and reduce latency, providing a smoother and more seamless experience for multiple users.

Availability and Future Release

Currently, these beta versions of watchOS 26 and visionOS 26 are exclusively available to registered developers. However, Apple plans to release a public beta of watchOS 26 in the near future, giving a wider range of users the opportunity to test the new features and provide feedback before the official launch. Both watchOS 26 and visionOS 26 are slated for a general release in the fall.

While the third beta of watchOS 26 has been released, Apple has yet to release a third beta version of tvOS 26.

Further Discussion

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This article, "Apple Seeds Third watchOS 26 and visionOS 26 Developer Betas" first appeared on MacRumors.com

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