Apple Watch Series 2 running slow on watchOS 4.x builds
Ever since watchOS 4 started rolling out, a lot of Apple smartwatch users have been getting the taste of real-time slomo experience, with their watches lagging in performing even basic functionalities.
WatchOS 4 – live since September 2017 – has worsened the user-experience of those owning Series 2 watches. Users report there is an apparent slow responsiveness while using apps like Music, Workout, Timer, along with slow animations, longer loading time, and extreme lag while swiping/scrolling. Even Siri got into the trap of OS triggered speed issues, which users say are there in even the latest builds, including WatchOS 4.2.
Take a look at how some of the complainants word the problems:
In addition to the above mentioned troubles, some users are also reporting compromised battery life.
Not only the official Apple Community, complaints have drenched Reddit, and other popular help forums as well. The reports aren’t limited to Series 2 watches only, as some users with Series 0/1 running watchOS 4 or later are also encountering the same.
A good chunk of complains can be seen on the microblogging service Twitter as well.
@AppleSupport hey Apple! My #AppleWatch Series 2 is very slow when opening the #Workouts app! Please don’t tell me you are doing the same with the watches 🙁 this is really disappointing I’m on WatchOS 4.2 I’m not the only one either. This watch is only one year old! 🙁
— Numbers (@datanumbers) December 28, 2017
@reneritchie @bob_burrough Does Apple do this throttling on Apple Watch, too? My Series 2 has been slow on OS 4. Now everything that’s slow is intentional. (What a cluster.)
— Tom Anderson (@tomfanderson) December 22, 2017
I don’t care about how much faster the series 3 Apple Watch is, compared to the series 2.
What I care is about how much slower Watch OS 4 is on my series 2.
Workouts for example are terribly slow to start and to navigate the menus— João Guilherme (@guilhas) November 8, 2017
Yesterday I updated my Series 0 Apple Watch to Watch OS 4.2 and it totally destroyed my battery. Less than 12 hours use and 11% left.
— Elisa Pacelli (@senseidai) December 11, 2017
If you have a Series 0 Apple Watch do not upgrade to WatchOS 4.1. It will make your watch so slow you’ll want to throw it.
— J.P. Wing (@ThatJPWing) November 20, 2017
@Apple killed my pleasure in using their products: my 1st gen Watch is useless slow with watchOS 4, iOS 11 restarts randomly iPhone 7 Plus.
— Doby (@d_banov) November 7, 2017
Going by the reports, it’s sad that even the latest watchOS versions (4.1/4.2) couldn’t make much of a difference. There is a mixed bag of reports with only a few seeing improvements, while majority still reporting poor performance of watchOS on their Apple Watch units.
Well, it’s too early to comment whether the aforementioned issues are due to broken features, or just like the older iPhones, Apple is throttling their smartwatches as well. The company hasn’t said anything officially about watchOS 4 triggered slow down issues yet, but we hope they at least address the problems in question sooner than later. Meanwhile, we are keeping a tab on all related developments and will keep you posted.
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