It's time to update
After what feels like an eternity of betas, Apple has finally released watchOS 4.3 for the Apple Watch. The new update includes a wide variety of updates, from big new features to convenience updates, bug fixes and even some added intelligence.
The big one is the ability to control the music playback of other devices. You can now control your HomePod’s volume and music playback right from your Apple Watch. Additionally, an issue where Siri music commands for some devices were not working has been addressed.
Read this: The best Apple Watch face and complication combos
Then there’s iPhone music control. Apple launched Apple Music streaming for Apple Watch in watchOS 4.1, but when it did it also killed the ability to control music playing on your iPhone. While it’s likely Apple killed the ability because it saw it as a stop-gap feature until it could get Apple Music on the Watch, some users enjoyed the ability to keep their phone in their bag or pocket and select their music from their wrists.
The Siri watch face, actually, has gotten a little smarter. It’ll show you your progress toward closing Activity rings, and you’ll even get to see when new songs are added to Apple Music mixes. Activity achievements have also received a bug fix, as they were incorrectly awarded for some users.
And finally, for those of us who use the Apple Watch’s handy Nightstand mode, you can now use it in any orientation. So no matter what dock you have on your nightstand, you’ll be good to go.
To download watchOS 4.3, you’ll first have to download iOS 11.3, which comes with some features of note. There’s ARKit 1.5, which allows developers to place objects on vertical planes in addition to horizontal ones, supports higher-resolution camera images and adds the ability to recognize images like posters and billboards. Health Records has also been added as a beta for US iPhone users.
