New beta from Apple packs clues pertaining to new app

Jan 13, 2015 07:51 GMT  ·  By

Apple has published the release notes for iOS 8.2 Beta 4, a new pre-release build of the upcoming firmware which now includes WatchKit, a framework for developing Apple Watch apps.

Despite covering a plurality of key areas in the operating system, the changelog put forth by Apple omits some aspects, such as the introduction of a new pane in the Settings app which mentions an upcoming app for the Apple Watch.

“Go to the Apple Watch App”

iOS 8.2 Beta 4 (build 12D5461b) packs an “Other Devices” area in the Settings app, under Bluetooth, which states that in order to pair an Apple Watch with the handset, users must “go to the Apple Watch app.”

Developers suspect that this app will be a dedicated tool that comes pre-installed both on the wearable and in iOS 8.2, when the new firmware is released. In fact, iOS 8.2’s biggest focus is the Apple Watch itself. As reported when the first builds rolled out, iOS 8.2 packs the WatchKit framework that opens the door to Apple Watch app development.

The current beta doesn’t include the iPhone counterpart of the Apple Watch app just yet. There’s a chance the app will actually not come pre-installed with iOS 8.2, as not everyone will own an Apple Watch following the release of this update, and customers tend to get mad when Apple installs things without them asking (i.e. U2 album).

The update currently doesn’t have a definitive release date planned. The Apple Watch is scheduled to launch in early 2015, according to Apple’s web site. Employee training is reportedly set to begin in March, making it fairly possible for the wearable to launch around the same time.