Apple today seeded the RC version of an upcoming watchOS 7.3 beta to developers for testing purposes, with the beta available a week after the release of the first beta and over a month after the launch of watchOS 7.2 with support for Fitness+, cardio fitness notifications, ECG updates, and more.
To install the watchOS 7.3 beta, developers need to download the proper configuration profile from the Apple Developer Center. Once the profile is in place, the watchOS 7.3 beta can be downloaded through the dedicated Apple Watch app on the iPhone by going to General > Software Update.
To update to the new software, the Apple Watch needs to have 50 percent battery life, it must be placed on the charger, and it must be in range of the iPhone.
watchOS 7.3 adds a new "Time to Walk" feature for Apple Fitness+ subscribers, introducing an audio experience in the Workout app where guests share inspiring stories as you walk.ECG functionality is expanding to Japan, Mayotte, Philippines, and Thailand, while irregular heart rhythm notifications are coming to Japan, Mayotte, Philippines, Taiwan, and Thailand.
The update also introduces a Unity watch face that's inspired by the colors of the Pan-African flag, with shapes that change throughout the day as you move, creating a face that's unique to you.
There's also a bug fix for an issue that could cause the Control Center and Notification Center to become unresponsive when Zoom is enabled. Apple's full release notes are below:
watchOS 7.3 includes new features, improvements, and bug fixes, including:
- Unity watch face—inspired by the colors of the Pan-African Flag, the shapes change throughout the day as you move creating a face that’s unique to you
- Time to Walk for Apple Fitness+ subscribers—an audio experience in the Workout app where guests share inspiring stories as you walk
- ECG app on Apple Watch Series 4 or later in Japan, Mayotte, Philippines, and Thailand
- Irregular heart rhythm notifications in Japan, Mayotte, Philippines, Taiwan, and Thailand
- Fix for an issue where Control Center and Notification Center may be unresponsive when Zoom is enabled
Now that an RC version of watchOS is available, the update should see a public release next week.
