The ways watch OS 8 and Series 7 point to greater iPhone independence and what’s still missing – Guide

Apple is preparing to move away from the iPhone and towards a more independent watchOS platform. One change in watchOS 8 is that it now allows users to use an Apple Watch Series 7 as their primary device, instead of using the iPhone as their only device. This change makes using an Apple Watch independently much better than ever before.

Text input and larger screens

Apple is introducing a new keyboard for the 7 series of its devices. This keyboard is not the first time you can type on an Apple Watch, as third-party developers have been able to create their own keyboard apps. However, these keyboard apps were not allowed to appear in other apps, leading to workarounds like FlickType. ..

Since the Apple Watch was never really necessary to have a full keyboard, it was never really able to stand on its own. A keyboard would give the watch more power and make it more standalone, which is why it is obvious that one should be added. Dictation and scribbling do the job right away, but for the Apple Watch to become a standalone device, it needs a keyboard for setup wizard and more powerful applications – whether from Apple or other developers. ..

A QWERTY keyboard would allow for a more accurate watch experience, as well as other features that would make it more independent from other devices.

Apple has made many improvements to their text input for other watches. They added the ability to edit text more accurately, and added characters and symbols to existing text. Overall, they seem to have just improved all of their text input features.

Definitions

On watchOS 8, Apple tweaked a ton of its own apps in very subtle but important ways. The settings app, for example, gained the ability to manage an Apple ID. Now you can edit your Apple ID contact information, change your password, update Sign In with Apple, manage subscriptions, manage devices, and more. Why anyone would want to do any of these things on a small screen is beyond me; what I do know is that they are necessary additions to allow the clock to work independently of the iPhone. ..

Photos and music

Photos and Music on the Apple Watch have received some important updates in the latest version of watchOS. The new design is more like the app on the iPhone, and it can now handle photos like a complete photo client.

The new viewing modes on the Apple Watch are great, including the mosaic grid that became popular on the iPhone. Photos can also bring out memories and highlights. The clearest indication of independence is that you can now share photos directly from the watch app.

The new music service is effectively a full client for your watch. You can share songs, playlists, albums and more from your watch via email and messages.

HomeKit

This year, Home received a significant update that makes it more like an iPhone. With watchOS 8, the Home app now works more like an iPhone, providing a comprehensive overview of your home’s status updates and tuning control over individual devices. Additionally, Home has been updated to include new features in addition to its existing ones, such as support for camera devices in your home and precise tuning control over individual rooms.

The Home app is more versatile than ever, and the ability to switch between scenes and devices is a great feature.

Contacts

The new Contacts App in WatchOS 8 is a great way to keep track of your contacts. Previously, you had to remember where your contacts were stored on your iPhone. With the new app, you can easily access them on your watch.

find mine

Apple’s Find My app has been split up into a number of different applications that serve specific purposes. There are now dedicated apps for finding your devices, finding things, and finding friends. Now you can see anything and anyone that integrates with the enhanced Find My network on your wrist. ..

Tips

Apple has released a new tutorial on how to use the Apple Watch, which is available through the paired iPhone. This tutorial is designed to help new Apple Watch owners learn more about their devices and how to use them.

iMessage Apps

In Messages in watchOS 8, you can now find the iMessage GIFs app to send reaction GIFs. This allows you to search and send reaction GIFs quickly and easily. Additionally, there are dedicated iMessage apps for Apple Pay Cash, voice recordings, digital ringtone and Memoji.

pairing

Something that isn’t necessarily confirmed, but seems to be the case, is that watches can more easily switch between connected iPhones. I’ve heard stories about setting friends up new iPhones, they said it was impeccably easy to get your watch. up and running on your new phones. In fact, they hardly needed to do anything. With device-to-device transfer, it just worked. If the watch can bounce between devices now connected safely and efficiently, then it probably can do so between any device connected to a specific Apple ID. A standalone Apple Watch might want to connect to your Mac or iPad. If it could jump between devices, it would no longer be an iPhone accessory and it would open up the floodgates for Android users.

What is missing?

Apple has not released a new update to watchOS 9 for Series 7 and larger monitors since September of last year. This lack of updates may be due to the fact that the company is working on a new product, or it could be because there are some features that are not yet available on watchOS 9. One thing that is missing from watchOS 9 is Safari, which may be due to the fact that Apple is still working on a new browser for the device. Another thing that is missing from watchOS 9 is a proper password manager, as iCloud Keys are not currently available.

Final note

Apple’s new operating system, OS 8.1 and the Series 7 iPhone are both pointing to greater iPhone independence. However, there are still some areas that need to be clarified. In this guide, we’ll take a look at what OS 8.1 and Series 7 mean for the iPhone and how it could benefit users.