Apple's watchOS 7.3 is here and brings several new features with it to the Apple Watch. The previous iteration of the operating system, watchOS 7.2, was instrumental in helping incorporate Apple Fitness+ with Apple's collection of wearable wrist devices. The newest version builds off of that progress while introduces some other neat perks in the process.
When it was released in September 2020, Apple marketed watchOS 7 as a tool to introduce new watch faces, sleep tracking technology, handwashing detection, and new workout types, among other things. It also featured aspects like Family Setup, which lets users pair an Apple Watch intended for a family member to their own iPhone. Multiple different updates to watchOS 7 have followed in the last few months, with watchOS 7.3 serving up the latest set of improvements.
Among the new features included in watchOS 7.3 is Time to Walk - an audio experience found in the workout app that lets Apple Fitness+ subscribers listen to stories as they walk. The update also includes a Unity watch face, which creates a unique face by changing shapes throughout the day. In addition, Apple has introduced specific features for users in Japan, Mayotte, Philippines, and Thailand, including the ECG app and irregular heart rhythm notifications. Apple says watchOS 7.3 also fixes a bug where Control Center and Notification Center apparently became unresponsive when Zoom was enabled.
watchOS 7.3 Security & The Black Unity Collection
In conjunction with the release of watchOS 7.3, Apple also unveiled the Black Unity Collection, which the company says is meant to "celebrate and acknowledge Black history and Black culture." Included in the collection is a limited-edition Apple Watch Series 6, a Black Unity Sport Band, and the aforementioned Unity watch face. The entire collection, including the Unity watch face, is modeled after the colors and design of the Pan-African flag. The physical Black Unity Collection products will be available starting February 1, while the Unity watch face is already available for current Apple Watch wearers to use.
Aside from watchOS 7.3's ties to the Black Unity Collection, the latest version also includes a security update that's available for Apple Watch Series 3 products and later. The details on what this security update specifically provides is rather sparse, but Apple did disclose that "a race condition was addressed with improved locking." In addition to beefed up security for Apple Watches, security updates for other popular products like iPhones, Apple TVs, and iPads were also provided through iOS 14.4 and iPadOS 14.4, macOS 11.1, and tvOS 14.4.
It may not be the most exciting aspect of watchOS 7.3 - that honor likely goes to the new Unity watch face or the implementation of Time to Walk - but the included security update has the potential to be the most important. In a modern age where data hacking and privacy concerns are growing issues, it's essential to maintain security with all of a user's connected devices. While Apple can't explicitly force users to consistently update their products, making new security updates regularly available is a good step towards minimizing breaches in user privacy.
Source: Apple