Apple Releases watchOS 9.1 With Battery Life Improvements and Matter Integration

Apple today released watchOS 9.1, the first major update to the watchOS 9 operating system that came out in September. watchOS 9.1 has gone through several rounds of beta testing, and it accompanies the macOS Ventura launch, and the debut of iOS 16.1 and iPadOS 16.1.

watchOS 9.1 can be downloaded for free through the Apple Watch app on the iPhone by opening it up and going to General > Software Update. To install the new software, the Apple Watch needs to have at least 50 percent battery, it needs to be placed on a charger, and it needs to be in range of the ‌‌‌‌iPhone‌‌‌‌.

Today's update introduces an extended battery life option when using Outdoor Walking, Running, and Hiking Workouts. You can opt to reduce the frequency of heart rate and GPS readings if you have an Apple Watch Ultra, a second-generation Apple Watch SE, or an Apple Watch Series 8.

Music can now download on the Apple Watch using WiFi or Cellular when it is off the charger, and the update adds support for the Matter smart home connectivity standard. Apple's full release notes for the update are below:

This update includes improvements for your Apple Watch.

- Battery life extended during Outdoor Walking, Running, and Hiking Workouts with the ability to reduce the frequency of heart rate and GPS readings on Apple Watch Series 8, Apple Watch SE (2nd generation) and Apple Watch Ultra
- Music can download while Apple Watch is off charger using Wi-Fi or cellular
- Matter, the new smart home connectivity standard, is supported enabling a wide variety of smart home accessories to work together across ecosystems

This update also includes bug fixes for your Apple Watch.

More information on the new features that Apple added with the watchOS 9 update can be found in our watchOS 9 roundup.