WatchOS 6 Betas Appear to Support Direct OS Updates

As highlighted by Jeremy Horwitz with a bunch of screenshots on Twitter, current watchOS 6 betas appear to support direct OS updates suggesting that the Apple Watch may become independent from iPhones later this year.

For now, however, an iPhone is still required for accepting terms and conditions for any direct-to-Apple Watch software updates.

Horwitz notes that the update process can now be started directly from the Apple Watch, whereas previously, owners would have to launch the iOS Watch app to even see new software was available.

Sure seems like the stage is being set for direct-to-Apple Watch software updates in watchOS 6, though it hasn’t been fully freed quite yet from the need to approve things on the iPhone. pic.twitter.com/pf3wBC3vU5

— Jeremy Horwitz (@horwitz) June 17, 2019

WatchOS 6 is already slated to get standalone apps and a native App Store. But with a few more changes, it won’t be long before the Apple Watch becomes completely independent of the iPhone, eliminating a major barrier to its adoption.

For a complete list of Apple Watch models compatible with watchOS 6, follow this post.