Watch OS 10 with Voiceover

By Levi Gobin, 11 June, 2023

Forum
Apple Beta Releases

Hello everyone
I am not one for testing watch OS Betas because of what happened to my Apple Watch Series 4.
It basically kept restarting on me, and then eventually threw up a red question mark On the screen. Unlike iPhones or Mac or any other Apple products, to remove the beta, you have to send it into Apple. I know how to restore an iPhone off of the beta, as well as reinstall MacOS, but I really do not feel like sending in my Apple Watch every time it glitches out on the beta.
Has anyone noticed anything different in watchOS 10 beta compared to watchOS 9? Are there any new voices in watchOS 10? Eloquence?
How does the new smart stack interface work with voiceover on the Apple Watch? According to Apple, watch OS 10 is the biggest update Apple Watch has ever had. Is this the same as far as Voiceover is concerned? Are there lots of new features, voices, etc.?

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Comments

By Manuel on Friday, July 7, 2023 - 05:54

I'm not testing myself, but I heard from someone who tests the beta on his Watch. He demonstrated the new Smart Stack Interface and it seems to be accessible using VoiceOver. On the other side, there are a few glitches in the first beta witch watchOS and VoiceOver, Voices are crashing, scrolling dosn't work reliably and the redesigned apps and the new design language in general don't work quite well with VoiceOver in beta 1.

By Siobhan on Friday, July 7, 2023 - 05:54

It's the very first beta of a new OS so there's gonna be things that don't work as expected. I haven't updated, I probably won't for the watch but Mac and phone, yep. i'll do it though when the second or third beta comes out.I mean it's like eating a cookie that you think is done but has to go back in the oven for a few more minutes. Keep reporting though.

By Siobhan on Friday, July 7, 2023 - 05:54

Were I to choose to update my watch or phone, I hold no one else responsible if something says, nope? but myself. It's just way to early in the test cycle for me.

By Levi Gobin on Friday, July 7, 2023 - 05:54

Last year, I tested iOS 16 beta, and Mac OS 13 beta. watchOS 9? not until the RC came out. Same for watch OS 8. The RC (release candidate) is what will be released to the public a week later.
that's why I asked if anything was found so I have something to look forward to.

By KE8UPE on Friday, July 7, 2023 - 05:54

Hi,
Yes, Eloquence is there in watchOS 10 & it actually sounds quite good on my series 7.
As another person stated earlier, The smart stack works quite well with voiceover.
I haven't seen any significant issues, which are so bad, I would discourage installing the beta. Yes, this is beta one, however, it can only get better from here.

By Levi Gobin on Friday, July 7, 2023 - 05:54

I’m so happy Apple finally added eloquence to the Apple Watch.
What other new features have you noticed as far as Voiceover is concerned or anything major that has changed? Are there any other new voices besides eloquence? Have the neural Siri voices come to the Apple Watch as well?
I really can’t wait for the public beta for watchOS, and that is when I might try it again.
can’t wait to see what else is there!

By Igna Triay on Friday, July 7, 2023 - 05:54

While I cant wait to install, I'll wait for the public beta just to be on the safe side.

By Holger Fiallo on Friday, July 7, 2023 - 05:54

Agree with her 100%. The only purpose for posting about the beta to report how things are doing, bugs and no complain. I will install beta iOS 17 when beta 3 or 4 is out in my iPad.

By Levi Gobin on Friday, July 7, 2023 - 05:54

Part of me says, I’ll be fine. I’ll just take my watch into the Apple Store.
Another part of me says, no, it’s too early in the Beta cycle. And another part of me says, but I just don’t care. It will be whatever.
I really want to install the beta and try out all the features, but past experiences from watchOS betas have told me otherwise. I would probably do it if you could downgrade the Watch yourself, but unfortunately the only way to downgrade a Watch is to send it into Apple and have them do it. For those who have taken the leap of faith, could you upload a recording of voiceover in Watch OS 10 showing off some of the new features for us all to see?

By JC on Friday, July 7, 2023 - 05:54

If you recall, apple has made the developer betas free for everyone who has their Apple ID linked with the free developer account, without paying $100 to enroll, so that means anyone can install the developer beta with the free option. still, their's risks involved, so test at your own risk. I tested the beta for both macOS and iOS last year, and it was a bit buggy at first, but it got better between the beta cycle. I'm hoping to test again on both MacOS and iOS once either beta 2 or 3 gets released. Still, I'm glad to see that eloquence is now on watchOS 10. hopefully it'll be improved in future beta releases. I'm not a watch owner, but for those who are, enjoy testing watchOS 10, if you guys are even lucky.

By Siobhan on Friday, July 7, 2023 - 05:54

The public betas are the same ones the developers get just with a small change. If i have this right, I think the first public beta will be like the second developer one and I do know that when the gold master or rc release candidate is put out, it's the same all others get the next week. Not sure if i answered you correctly.

By Levi Gobin on Friday, July 7, 2023 - 05:54

I’ve got someone who could take me to the Apple Store if my Watch glitches out on the watchOS beta.
Even though previously on this post I said I was going to wait...

I can’t wait to try out all the new features and see eloquence on the Apple Watch here in a few minutes.
Yes, I am installing the watchOS 10 developer beta onto my Apple Watch series 7. I think what happened on my Apple Watch Series 4 was solely because it was an older Apple Watch, and I got it for free.
Wish me luck, I’ll be needing it.
As a bonus, I will upload a recording of watchOS 10 and my thoughts on it .

By Holger Fiallo on Friday, July 7, 2023 - 05:54

The public will be out in July, probably after the holiday. It might be the beta 2 or 3. It more likely be more stable specially with VO. Developer is just for them to test the apps, create new apps and make sure their current one work well with iOS 17.

By Levi Gobin on Friday, July 7, 2023 - 05:54

Thanks for the info, but that is not going to stop me from updating now. If all goes wrong, I just take my Apple Watch to the Apple Store.
It is currently downloading to my watch as we speak, or as I write this.

By Levi Gobin on Friday, July 7, 2023 - 05:54

I just made a 30 minute recording going over my findings and watch OS 10.
Note, that before I started recording, I couldn’t find eloquence. So when I say this, and then find it in the settings as soon as I tried to show you that it’s not there, that’s why.
Yes, there are bugs, but that’s expected because it’s a Developer beta.
I’m not complaining, and so far no showstoppers.
A note, that because of the new way to navigate on the Watch, there are overlays on the screen which are a tour to watch OS kind of. This will cause the interface to be slightly buggy and play the screen change sound over and over again. Try your best to get through the tour and that should go away as you see me do in this recording.
Hope you enjoy, and here’s the Google Drive link.
https://drive.google.com/file/d/12GnnJtE-auYx-r6TxrTgzr065TCj9BuS/view?usp=drivesdk