Apple Watch's Quirkiest App May Be Gone for Good
Remember Walkie-Talkie? Apple is apparently betting you won't.
The push-to-talk app has vanished from the first developer beta of watchOS 27, disappearing from both the app list and Control Center, with no way to bring it back. Apple hasn't said why, but it's probably because not many people used it.
If you include yourself in that cohort, here's a quick explainer.
Walkie-Talkie arrived with watchOS 5 back in 2018 and let two Apple Watch wearers send quick voice clips to each other over Wi-Fi or cellular, using the FaceTime architecture under the hood. It was niche for sure, but the people who used it likely really loved it.
Apple, for its part, mostly ignored it. Eight major watchOS releases came and went without a meaningful update, save for an emergency shutdown in 2018 after a bug let someone eavesdrop through your mic.
Could it return before the fall, when watchOS 27 is released to the general public? Technically yes, since we're still in early beta territory. But this comes across as more like a quiet burial for the app. If so, RIP Walkie-Talkie.
Popular Stories
Apple's "Surprise and Shine" event kicks off today at 10:00 a.m. Pacific Time, where we're expecting to see the foldable iPhone Duo, the iPhone 18 Pro and Pro Max, Apple Watch Series 12 and Ultra 4 models, new AirPods 5 earphones, and perhaps some other announcements.
Apple is providing a live video stream on its website, on YouTube, and in the company's TV app across various platforms. We...
Bloomberg's Mark Gurman today further outlined what to expect from the Apple Watch Series 12 and Apple Watch Ultra 4 set to be unveiled on September 9.
While it was initially rumored that Touch ID may be coming to the Apple Watch this year, Gurman reiterated that he does not expect the Series 12 or Ultra 4 to have any major design changes compared to the current Series 11 and Ultra 3 models.
...
Apple's biggest event of the year is almost here, and all eyes are on Cupertino. With the first foldable iPhone expected to headline Apple's "Surprise and Shine" event on Wednesday, September 9, at 10:00 a.m. Pacific Time, the rumor mill has been running full throttle, fuelled by the biggest single design change in the life of the iPhone.
To get you up to speed, here's a quick reference...
