Apple Releases Minor watchOS 4.2.3 Update With Bug Fixes

Apple today released a minor software update for the Apple Watch, upgrading watchOS 4.2.2 to watchOS 4.2.3. The watchOS 4.2.3 update comes one month after the release of watchOS 4.2.2, a minor update focusing on bug fixes.

watchOS 4.2.3 can be downloaded through the dedicated Apple Watch app on the iPhone by going to General --> Software Update. To install the update, the Apple Watch must have 50 percent battery, it must be placed on the charger, and it must be in range of the iPhone.

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Today's update addresses minor bugs discovered since the release of watchOS 4.2.2, and it includes a fix for a bug that causes device crashes when a specific character in the Indian language Telugu is sent, received or input into an app. Similar fixes have also been released for macOS High Sierra and iOS 11.

watchOS 4.2.3 will be succeeded by watchOS 4.3, an update that's currently in beta testing and slated for release in the spring. watchOS 4.3 introduces portrait orientation support for Night Stand mode, and it reintroduces support for controlling music played on the iPhone with the Apple Watch.

Related Roundup: Apple Watch 10
Buyer's Guide: Apple Watch (Neutral)

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Top Rated Comments

Truckondo Avatar
94 months ago
I won’t call it a minor update when they take as long as they do.
Score: 12 Votes (Like | Disagree)
Apple_Robert Avatar
94 months ago
I hope that Apple gets to the point where updates can be done directly from the watch, without having to go through the phone. Good thing I don't have anything pressing for the next 20 - 30 mins. :)
Score: 6 Votes (Like | Disagree)
Westside guy Avatar
94 months ago
The update doesn’t take long something wrong with your watch then
His watch - and just about everyone else's watch other than yours, apparently. :D
Score: 6 Votes (Like | Disagree)
Radeon85 Avatar
94 months ago
And stop the requirement of it being at 50% whilst needing to be on the charger. I always just put it on the charger for a second to start the update then wear it again while it's doing the update. Have done this since the very first watch update on S0, S2 and S3, never had an issue.

Being placed on a charger should not be a requirement unless under 50%.
Score: 5 Votes (Like | Disagree)
Tubamajuba Avatar
94 months ago
I think he is taking about in general. In general, the bigger updates do take a long time.
And it takes around 2 minutes for the Series 3 to boot up- the fastest watchOS has to offer. Series 0 is something like 4 minutes.

I'd blame the sluggishness of those things on the fact that the S3 processor is only about as fast as the A6 in the iPhone 5, if even that. Also, has anyone figured out how fast (or slow) the NAND chips in the Apple Watches are? I doubt anywhere near as fast as the ones in recent iPhones.

Eventually Apple's "S-series" processors will be able to handle booting and updates much quicker, but we're likely still some ways away from anything approaching the 30-second bootup time and 5-10 minute OS updates that the iPhones enjoy.
Score: 2 Votes (Like | Disagree)
Benjwri Avatar
94 months ago
And stop the requirement of it being at 50% whilst needing to be on the charger. I always just put it on the charger for a second to start the update then wear it again while it's doing the update. Have done this since the very first watch update on S0, S2 and S3, never had an issue.

Being placed on a charger should not be a requirement unless under 50%.
You realise if your watch runs out of battery while updating you could kill it right? It’s better for Apple to be safe because if they weren’t you can imagine the lawsuits if someone’s watch was killed by an update.
Score: 2 Votes (Like | Disagree)