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Theater Mode

Theater Mode is Coming to Apple Watch in Upcoming watchOS 3.2 Beta

That iThingy You're Wearing
January 24, 2017

Even though Apple hasn’t released the first beta version of watchOS 3.2 to registered developers, the software will offer two notable additions – Theater Mode and SiriKit.

Grab the popcorn

Grab the popcorn

In watchOS 3.2 release notes, Apple describes how Theater Mode works:

Theater Mode lets users quickly mute the sound on their Apple Watch and avoid waking the screen on wrist raise. Users still receive notifications (including haptics) while in Theater Mode, which they can view by tapping the screen or pressing the Digital Crown.

Even though Apple notes that the feature arrived in watchOS 3.1.3, which arrived to the public earlier this week, it doesn’t seem to be available to users. The option could possibly be activated when the watchOS beta is installed.

The mode was originally rumored to land in iOS 10.3, but wasn’t included in the first beta version that was seeded to registered developers earlier today.

Apple also notes that SiriKit will arrive in Apple Watch software. That will allow users to accomplish tasks like book a ride, send a message, make a payment, or make other requests to an app. The functionality arrived on the iPhone and iPad in iOS 10.