The Second Beta of Watch OS 5 Has Been Released to Developers

A significant update has been made available to developers who are working on the latest version of Apple's watchOS, specifically Watch OS 5. In this second beta release, several notable changes have been introduced that will likely impact users' experiences with their Apple watches. One of the most prominent features in this update is a new now playing icon that appears on the top of the watch face whenever music is being played. This icon serves as a clear indicator that music is currently playing and can be easily accessed by tapping on it, which then takes you directly to the now playing screen.

This new feature is reminiscent of another indicator that is already present on some Apple watches, particularly those used during workouts. When a workout session is in progress, a small green icon appears at the top of the screen, signifying that the user is currently engaged in an activity. The introduction of this now playing icon in Watch OS 5 serves as a consistent visual cue for users to easily access and manage their music playback on their watch.

In addition to this new feature, developers have been able to explore other updates and changes within the second beta release of Watch OS 5. One notable change is related to the application list, which has seen a significant update in terms of functionality. Scroll down through the list of applications to find Walkie-Talkie, an app that was previously listed as "Coming Soon" in the first beta. However, after updating to the second beta, Walkie-Talkie has become fully functional and is now available by default.

Walkie-Talkie provides a convenient way for users to communicate with their contacts directly from their Apple watch. When you open the app, it displays your list of contacts who have chosen to be added to the walkie-talkie group chat. You can also add new contacts or create additional groups within the app, which makes it easy to manage and stay in touch with friends and family.

To initiate a conversation with a contact, simply tap on their name, and you will be taken directly to that person's screen where you can engage in real-time communication using voice messages. The user interface of Walkie-Talkie is straightforward and intuitive, making it easy for users of all ages and technical backgrounds to navigate.

Another feature worth noting within the second beta release of Watch OS 5 is a toggle switch at the top of the screen that allows you to adjust your availability when it comes to receiving or sending walkie-talkie messages. This feature ensures that users can control their level of engagement with group chats by choosing to be "Available" or "Not Available." When you choose to be unavailable, no one will be able to send you walkie-talkie messages until you decide to make yourself available again.

Another useful feature within the app is a shortcut that directly takes you to the Walkie-Talkie screen when accessed from the watch's home screen. Moreover, there are also complications that allow users to seamlessly jump into Walkie-Talkie if they frequently use it throughout their day.

In contrast, another aspect of Watch OS 5 remains unchanged from its previous iteration – time travel. In iOS 12 beta 2, searching for "time travel" revealed that the feature is still present but has been removed from its original location within the app's clock settings page. The references to this feature in the current update hint at future developments that will be integrated into Apple watch models as they launch alongside new iPhones in September.

As developers eagerly await further updates and features, users of Apple watches are likely excited about the prospect of experiencing these new capabilities firsthand. If you have any other observations or insights about Watch OS 5's second beta release, please share them in the comments below. And if you enjoyed this article, be sure to like it, subscribe to our channel for more updates on technology and gadgets, and check out our price guide section for daily deals and offers on Apple products.

"WEBVTTKind: captionsLanguage: enthe second beta of a watch OS 5 has been released to developers and when there are a couple big noticeable changes first up whenever you have some music playing you'll now notice a new now playing icon on the top of the watch face tapping on this new icon will take you directly to the now playing screen this is very similar to when you're in a workout and there's a little green icon on top letting you know you're in a session is the exact same thing scrolling down our list of applications we come to walkie talkie which in the first beta just said coming soon but after updating to the second beta walkie talkie is now functional by default it shows you what walkie-talkie is and takes you to a list of all of your contacts you can see I've added Vadim here in below then I have the plus button to an additional quick contacts that I want to chat with and going up to the top above the deems cart you can see we can toggle on or off our availability when we're off we can't go and chat with anyone and no one can chat with us tapping on Vadim's name the Odle card there takes us to the tox screen I can tap and hold to go ahead and talk to Vadim and he can chat with me right back when we're available within walkie talkie you can see on the top of the screen we have another little shortcut that'll take us right to the walkie talkie app and there's even a complication making it easy for you to jump right into walkie talkie if you use it frequently we saw a few watch OS and Apple watch related things over on iOS 12 beta 2 first up time travel if you actually search for time travel you'll see that it kind of is still there but it's been removed from the app it's no longer available in that clock pane references were also uncovered for new upcoming Apple watch models that have yet to be announced we'll likely see those in September alongside and new iPhones so what do you guys think of the new features and walkie talkie are you excited to try it out if you found anything else new that we didn't cover be sure to let us know down below in the comments if you enjoy this video like it and hit that subscribe button also check out a price guide which makes it extremely easy to find the best deals and Apple products updated daily be sure to follow us on social media and we'll see you in the next videothe second beta of a watch OS 5 has been released to developers and when there are a couple big noticeable changes first up whenever you have some music playing you'll now notice a new now playing icon on the top of the watch face tapping on this new icon will take you directly to the now playing screen this is very similar to when you're in a workout and there's a little green icon on top letting you know you're in a session is the exact same thing scrolling down our list of applications we come to walkie talkie which in the first beta just said coming soon but after updating to the second beta walkie talkie is now functional by default it shows you what walkie-talkie is and takes you to a list of all of your contacts you can see I've added Vadim here in below then I have the plus button to an additional quick contacts that I want to chat with and going up to the top above the deems cart you can see we can toggle on or off our availability when we're off we can't go and chat with anyone and no one can chat with us tapping on Vadim's name the Odle card there takes us to the tox screen I can tap and hold to go ahead and talk to Vadim and he can chat with me right back when we're available within walkie talkie you can see on the top of the screen we have another little shortcut that'll take us right to the walkie talkie app and there's even a complication making it easy for you to jump right into walkie talkie if you use it frequently we saw a few watch OS and Apple watch related things over on iOS 12 beta 2 first up time travel if you actually search for time travel you'll see that it kind of is still there but it's been removed from the app it's no longer available in that clock pane references were also uncovered for new upcoming Apple watch models that have yet to be announced we'll likely see those in September alongside and new iPhones so what do you guys think of the new features and walkie talkie are you excited to try it out if you found anything else new that we didn't cover be sure to let us know down below in the comments if you enjoy this video like it and hit that subscribe button also check out a price guide which makes it extremely easy to find the best deals and Apple products updated daily be sure to follow us on social media and we'll see you in the next video\n"