Apple Pulls Third Software Update in Past Month Due to Issues

Apple on Wednesday pulled watchOS 11.1 beta 3 after some users complained that the update caused their Apple Watch to freeze or lock up until they restarted the device, according to MacRumors contributor Aaron Perris.

watchos 11 smart stack
This is the third software version that Apple has pulled over the past month. In September, Apple pulled iPadOS 18 for iPad Pro models with the M4 chip after the update prevented some of those devices from working, and it also pulled HomePod software 18.1 beta 2 after that beta caused some HomePod speakers to stop working.

While two out of three of these problematic releases were betas, which are meant to catch these sort of issues, this is still an unfortunate stretch for Apple.

Apple will likely make a new build of watchOS 11.1 beta 3 available in the coming days, or it might simply move on to watchOS 11.1 beta 4.

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

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Top Rated Comments

Kylo83 Avatar
15 weeks ago
They need to hire better people for the job
Score: 31 Votes (Like | Disagree)
Maclver Avatar
15 weeks ago
I will give you that pulling iPadOS 18 was a blunder... but pulling betas are a non-issue becasue they ARE betas. Be glad it was discovered before being released. I think Apple should put a disclaimer in their beta software that it is beta software and shoulnd't be installed on your main device... oh wait.
Score: 20 Votes (Like | Disagree)
thadoggfather Avatar
15 weeks ago
Devices bricking should be more of an internal alpha thing that never sees light of day than a beta.

We'd be dunking on Android bois if they experienced something like this thrice in a short period of a major new OS upgrade.
Score: 18 Votes (Like | Disagree)
Entilzha Avatar
15 weeks ago
So a beta release has issues.

SHOCKING!

This doesn’t excuse the iPadOS 18 official release bricking M4 iPad Pros, mind you, but come on. It’s a beta. People who use betas put their devices at risk, and these things happen. Don’t want to have this happen? Don’t run betas.
Score: 15 Votes (Like | Disagree)
abatabia Avatar
15 weeks ago
This is making me want to get off the beta train for good.
Score: 14 Votes (Like | Disagree)
thadoggfather Avatar
15 weeks ago

So a beta release has issues.

SHOCKING!

This doesn’t excuse the iPadOS 18 official release bricking M4 iPad Pros, mind you, but come on. It’s a beta. People who use betas put their devices at risk, and these things happen. Don’t want to have this happen? Don’t run betas.
iOS 18.0 GM that was yoinked for M4 iPad Pro OLEDs was not a beta tho.. and still isn't being signed almost two weeks later. if you aren't already on 18.0 or a beta, highest it will still go is 17.7

that's embarrassing for a $1k tablet.
Score: 14 Votes (Like | Disagree)