What you wanted to know about Apple Watch and were not afraid to ask
There seems to be no end to various and often not-quite-obvious features, options and applications available on Apple devices. Which means that we’ll never run out of the questions about yet another little button, icon or abbreviation found by a curious user on iPhone, iPad, Apple Watch and so on. Well, fine by us.
Let us start from a small but intriguing option to which one of our eagle-eyed readers just recently drew our attention.
This curious Apple Watch owner came across the icon in the form of a rain drop image and reported to us that this rain drop appears to burst when the dial is turned. No wonder that it prompted the question what this feature is for. (And, we must add, a rather interesting presumption that it releases water from the watch).
Kidding aside, this feature is called “Water lock” and what it actually does is locks the screen, preventing it from reacting to accidental tapping – for example, during swimming or bathing. And once the lock is no longer needed, you can deactivate it by turning the Digital Crown. Then the tapping will start working again and – yes, Curious Owner, you are partly right, but we always knew how smart our readers generally are – any water that could get into your watch during the swimming will indeed come out.
Kidding aside, this feature is called “Water lock” and what it actually does is locks the screen, preventing it from reacting to accidental tapping – for example, during swimming or bathing.
And if you prefer to clear your watch from the water manually, just swipe up from the bottom of the Apple watch’s face. Then Control Center will open, allowing you to tap on Water Lock and then, to turn the very same Digital Crown. (What you can’t do, however. is just undo this lock feature once done).
But remember not to get carried away with watch-dipping. The Apple watch is, indeed, water-resistant, but for something waterproof you’ll have to turn somewhere else. Now, whether or not you can find something just as flexible, powerful and useful somewhere else is another matter entirely.
And, speaking of powerful… That brings us to another side of the topic of Apple devices in particular and gadgets per se in general.
Because it looks like some among our readership will never be quite reassured with our attempts to quell their fears of that soon-impending rise of the machines. Whatever we say, they still suspect that their gadgets have a mind (and, therefore, intentions) of their own. At least, that’s what we couldn’t help reading into one of the questions we just received. It is – verbatim – put this way: “How does the Apple Watch decide which wireless connection to use?” Decisions, decisions, indeed.
But, regardless of the terms used, this question is really worth answering, so read on.
For starters, only the Apple Watches of Series 2 – or higher – can connect to anything but your own iPhone.
For starters, only the Apple Watches of Series 2 – or higher – can connect to anything but your own iPhone. And not all of them, but just those that have at least watchOS 5 version installed. Moreover, even if you have such a device, it won’t “choose” a Wi-Fi until you tell it to do so. Plus, the only networks accessible to the Apple watches are those of 2.4 GHz variety.
And that’s how you instruct your not-so-independent device to connect to non-iPhone Wi-Fi. Firstly, open the Settings. Then choose Wi-Fi, thus telling your device to start searching for the signals. Which is the only stage when your watch will do anything resembling choosing. Namely, it will put the networks which are closer to you, suffer from less interference or boast a better connectivity, on the top of the list.
Once presented with this list (or just one network name, as the case might be) tap the name of the network you want to connect your Apple watch to.
If the said network is protected with a password, use Scribble to enter it. In case of typos, use the Digital Crown (you have to turn it to get more options, from erasing a character to changing its case).
Having entered the password, tap “Join”.
And don’t forget: you need a cellular-connected watch to make calls and send texts without an iPhone.
And don’t forget: you need a cellular-connected watch to make calls and send texts without an iPhone.
But then again, if you have one, chances are, you almost certainly own the other as well. After all, Apple’s watches and iPhones are one of the most dramatic proofs of this old (but often true) saying about good things coming in pairs. And the makers of both are very well aware of that fact.
At least, if we go by the newest rumors about their upcoming new product launch. Because, despite the matter of the new Apple products’ launch still not being quite cleared, it is expected of the company to introduce the Big News – the iPhone 12 and the Apple Watch 6, that is – on the same day. And, naturally, there are already some not-quite-confirmed-but-interesting bits of news trickling in – at least, about the second one of the two.
Do you remember that funny theoretical – and a bit demanding, to our taste – question we answered recently? The one about how the Apple would go about including a blood oxygen sensor into their watches? Well, surprise: it’s no longer quite that theoretical. That reader is either a very good guesser, or has some incredibly good (and quick) sources. Yes, the next Apple Watch version might well indeed come with such a sensor, according to a DigTimes’ report. It is also predicted that the new sensor will fulfill the same warning function as the one performed by the already-existing EKG feature of the watch, because a shortage of oxygen may indicate a lot of various health problems.
It is predicted that the new sensor will fulfill the same warning function as the one performed by the already-existing EKG feature of the watch, because a shortage of oxygen may indicate a lot of various health problems.
And, furthermore, a reporter from 9to5Mac even claims that the WatchOS7 beta already boasts such a sensor, according to some unnamed witnesses. If it’s true, then we soon will see exactly “how Apple would do it”.
Which is, of course, just one of the multitude things for us to see and marvel at, once this long-awaited launch will finally happen. If anything, Apple always manages to bring their customers something new to want, ponder about and play with. So we are not afraid to run out of your questions about their devices any time soon. There will always be new ones.
Except, perhaps, for one, which most likely will stay with us (and you) forever: what about the previous versions of the said gadgets? On one hand, you won’t be able to resist the new versions with new features and options: sooner or later, they’ll draw you in. But then again, as we once already noted, quite a few older ones are still working well enough. Too well, in fact, for you to just get rid of them… or for them to simply clutter your homespace without doing a thing.
Well, believe it or not, we can solve this riddle for you, too. You can easily – and we mean easily – get rid of your old watch without feeling sorry or guilty about it, and even earn some money in the process. Just go to Igotoffer.com. This small yet sturdy company will buy any of your no-longer-needed gadgets – old or not so old, working or broken, no vendor receipts needed – in a few simple steps, clearly explained on the site. And you’ll have some material help to acquire all these newer, shinier, more features-laden, more interesting-questions-posing watches and phones as a result.
And our conversation will then continue indefinitely. What’s not to like?
Links
- Apple Watch – Official Apple Support
- Sell your used Apple Watch online – iGotOffer
- Everything About Apple’s Products – The complete guide to all Apple consumer electronic products, including technical specifications, identifiers and other valuable information.
Top 8 Features of Apple Watch Series 5 [Video]
Video uploaded by AppleInsider on September 20, 2019
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