It’s been a busy week for Apple updates. If you have an iPhone, iPad or iPod touch, you’ll have been asked to update to iOS 10.3.2 - though there have been some issues. Mac users have been presented with macOS 10.12.5. Owners of the latest Apple TV will have found tvOS 10.2.1, and finally, Apple Watch users have an update of their own to enjoy, watchOS 3.2.2.
Previously, the latest software was watchOS 3.2, so you may be wondering where 3.2.1 went to. Apple has leaped over that, straight to 3.2.2, thank you very much.
But don’t worry, that doesn’t mean this is a big update that will take a long time to install – it’s under 50MB. This is a more minor update than the one to watchOS 3.2 which added features like Theater mode to prevent you distracting fellow audience members.
When I did it, download, verification and installation was all over in 20 minutes. Note that Apple insists not just that the Watch is charged above 50 per cent but that it remains on the charging puck, and near the iPhone with which it’s paired, for the whole process.
This can be a pain when you’re getting ready to go to work, say, and the Watch is sitting there slowly doing its business. Removing the Watch from the charger during this time is tempting (and I’ve done it with no bad result) but definitely not recommended.
Things have come on a long way since the early days of the iPhone when receiving a call during a software update once caused my whole phone to brick and need resetting, but it’s still better not to startle the process by breaking consistent electrical and Bluetooth connections at this delicate time.
Apple’s description of it focuses just on bug fixes and security patches. According to the watchOS 3.2.2 Apple page, there was a focus on possible memory corruption issues. Well, we all have enough of those in our lives. Or is that an age thing?
Also addressed were validation issues and race conditions – a race condition is what happens when a system tries to perform two or more operations simultaneously when it shouldn’t.
The patch applies to all models of Apple Watch. So, should you upgrade?
I’d say yes. Security patches are always worth installing as soon as possible, of course. And in the four days since I’ve updated I’ve had no downsides at all.
And one big bonus: battery life.
The Watch has always had way more than a day’s battery life – I don’t worry if I forget to put it on the charger overnight once in a way. And it improved with successive software updates.
But in my brief time with the update battery drain has been noticeably slower so there’s been more juice in the Watch by the end of the day. Some Twitter users (for example) and commenters who have found the same have been delighted by the uptick. It’s still too early to say if everyone will see this improvement, of course.
Whatever, this seems like a stable and secure update, and it may even help battery life, so I’d say, go for it.
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