Apple seeds watchOS 10 developer beta 8

Developers can download the new watchOS beta

The eighth developer build of watchOS 10 is now available for testing, with the final release of the Apple Watch operating system on the horizon.

Developers participating in the beta program can pick up the latest versions via the Apple Developer Center or by updating their devices with the beta software. Public beta versions are typically available a short time after the developer releases, via the Apple Beta Software Program.

The eighth build is number 21R5355a, replacing the seventh, 21R5349b.

The eighth replaces the seventh, which arrived on August 22, while the sixth was introduced on August 15. The first appeared on June 5 following the WWDC keynote.

The changes to watchOS 10 starts with faces and widgets, with a new Smart Stack brought up by pressing the Digital Crown that shows widgets and other useful data. The Digital Crown can also summon up the Control Center, in a change of its previous functionality.

New Palette and Peanuts watch faces are included, and Apple's core apps are updated to be more glanceable and to take up more display space. For a more cohesive experience, Apple has provided the design language it uses to developers of third-party apps.

Cyclists get new views to monitor their cadence, speed, and power during a ride. A new Live Activity on the iPhone can be expanded full-screen to show more cycling data.

Hiking workouts gain views for important safety waypoints, such as the Last Cellular Connection Waypoint and the Last Emergency Call Waypoint. Elevation Views, Topographic Maps, and trail searches join the pile.

AppleInsider and Apple strongly suggest users don't install beta operating systems or other beta software on "mission-critical" or primary devices, as there is the small chance of issues that could result in the loss of data. Testers should instead use secondary or non-essential hardware and ensure they have sufficient backups of their critical data at all times.

Find any changes in the new betas? Reach out to us on Twitter at @AppleInsider or @Andrew_OSU, or send Andrew an email at [email protected].