The new Apple Watch Series 3 has been having some LTE issues, causing users to be disappointed and buyers to be wary of grabbing the wearable.
Now that's all a thing of the past, as the Cupertino brand is making things right with the new watchOS 4.0.1 update.
Apple Watch Series 3 watchOS 4.0.1 Update
Apple just released watchOS 4.0 about a few weeks ago, and it's following up the update with watchOS 4.0.1 to fix the aforementioned LTE problems of the Apple Watch Series 3.
Owners of the wearable can now download and install the patch using their iPhones via the Apple Watch app.
"watchOS 4.0.1 fixes issues that in rare cases were causing Apple Watch to join unauthenticated (captive) Wi-Fi networks, such as those found in public places like coffee shops and hotels, which direct the user to a web page before the network can be accessed," the description reads (via 9to5Mac).
Apple Watch Series 3 LTE Issues
As a recap, the 4G LTE connectivity is one of the biggest selling points of the Apple Watch Series 3, making it a stand-alone device. In other words, users don't have to pair it with an iPhone to take advantage of its features.
However, Apple fell short of delivering that experience to consumers when the wearable was plagued with the frustrating LTE issue.
To get a better picture, here's what all the fuss is about: The Apple Watch Series 3 would automatically try to connect to Wi-Fi hotspots, even to unusable ones. This is attributable to the device's attempts to conserve battery life since connecting to an LTE signal tower instead of Wi-Fi consumes more power. As a result, it would keep on disconnecting from LTE.
Particularly, the problem turns up when it connects to unauthenticated Wi-Fi networks, or as Apple calls it, "captive" hotspots, which are typically used in libraries, cafes, or other public places that offer free Wi-Fi.
The thing is, those networks usually require a confirmation from users before their devices can interact with them, but because of the Apple Watch Series 3's limitations in which it can't bring up the webpage to make the confirmation, the wearable won't let users complete the setup and use the Wi-Fi connection while also barring them from using an LTE connection.
It's worth mentioning that Apple already knew about the issue before the Apple Watch Series 3 even rolled out, working on a fix that is the watchOS 4.0.1 update.
