What happened to DOCK, which gave me quick access to the 10 apps I selected and use most, in Watch OS 10? Also, how is pushing the side button easier or better than a quick swipe up to access the Control Panel?
[Re-Titled by Moderator]
DC_NJ1961 wrote:
So the swipe up gives you the apps, and pushing the Crown gives you the apps. Both give you the same function?
No.
I too am upset about the absence of the dock. Especially because I think it’s ridiculous to dedicate the oval button to the control center, which everyone knows is probably one of the least used things on the watch. But after further investigation I discovers that you can customize the Smart Stack to basically be the same as the dock. It gives you the one widget for quick access to 3 apps. Then you can add quick access to any of your other favorite apps under that. In conclusion, I’m not happy about the ridged changes to the software, but I am learning to compensate to allow my watch to be almost as functional as the old software.
Paulpar88 wrote:
I too am upset about the absence of the dock. Especially because I think it’s ridiculous to dedicate the oval button to the control center, which everyone knows is probably one of the least used things on the watch.
You think the Control Center is one of the least used things on the watch?!? Scroll through the forums and see how many people are complaining that they can't find this thing they use multiple times a day. It's a mistake to think that everyone uses the Watch exactly the same way you do. Personally, I fall into the Control Center camp. I probably have used the Dock less than fifty times since it's original appearance. I did like Glances, which it replaced.
But after further investigation I discovers that you can customize the Smart Stack to basically be the same as the dock. It gives you the one widget for quick access to 3 apps. Then you can add quick access to any of your other favorite apps under that. In conclusion, I’m not happy about the ridged changes to the software, but I am learning to compensate to allow my watch to be almost as functional as the old software.
Excellent adaptation to new circumstances! I'm not being snarky. The only constant with technology is change so, being able to do that is a useful skill.
The dock is NOT gone. Just double click the crown and !voila`! you have the dock again.
I hope that helps.
Jonnyben wrote:
That is the last apps switcher. It is not the dock that we can put up to 10 favorites.
The Dock is gone.
There has been an alternative to the Dock, and it is still available in the new Watch OS. An alternative that I think is better than the Dock was. Complications on watch faces. I use the Modular watch face on which you can have 6 complications. Other people use Infograph for this, which can have 8 complications. Most apps now have complications available. I have different watch faces for different collections of complications. E.G. health apps, weather apps, time-related apps, and apps for communicating.
In the old OS it was just left and right swiping to get to the different watch faces. Super easy. So you could have fast access to more choices than the limit of 10 in the Dock. Unfortunately, it's now a press-hold-swipe-tap to switch watch faces. Annoying, but still a good way to get at commonly used apps. Especially with the Dock now gone.
it would but there is no way to make a list of apps to go in the dock. That was how the dock worked. One could argue that is the dock. The crown double click is recently opened apps. That may be things you want in the dock. But it is based on prior usage, not preferred apps as the dock had.
Double-click the crown to bring up the dock. I found the you really have to quick double-click (as opposed to two separate clicks).
It seems the perfect smartwatch experience is again a work in progress for this and several other reasons. I'm super ****** that I cannot swipe between faces anymore. Might switch back to normal analog watches over that issue, unless they can come up with a single face that can show me 15 complications (three neighboring faces could do that).
Hi. I posted earlier on this thread and I would like to get back on subject. I have followed up on a number of conflicting comments on this thread so I want to restate my understanding. As of the latest version of the Watch OS, the side button no longer brings up the dock, app switcher, or whatever you call it. it brings up a control panel. There is no physical control that brings up a selection of only apps that I choose. Interestingly enough, on the IOS Watch app under the Accessibility options there appears to be an option to assign the side button to the dock. However the function seems to do nothing. If someone knows of a one-gesture (click, double click, swipe, etc) feature that brings up a group of apps that I SELECT, I would welcome the input. Thanks.
On my Ultra with WatchOS 10 installed, when I swipe up I have access to the dock. Hard press and I can alter the apps in the dock. However, I see it as more of a collection of widgets, less as a real dock. But it kind of works for me.
katygal1 wrote:
Bringing up recently used apps is not the same as being able to set favorites. I have two apps I use every night before bed--mindfulness and a sleep app. If I've used multiple apps throughout the day, those come up as recent apps, leaving me to have to use the alphabetical list to get to my nighttime apps.
You have other options. The first one to consider is changing from the list view to the gird view and then putting those apps at the center so that when you press the Digital Crown, they're right there. Or, if available, add them as complications to a watch face. You could even set up a Focus to change your watch face to one with those complications at bet time.
Lastly, you can add the widgets for those apps to the Smart Stack and delete other widgets so that you only have the few you really want.
newappleguy2020 wrote:
That’s not what they’re complaining about. We liked that we could select a small set of apps to view instead of seeing things like Stocks and App Store that never get used.
Tell Apple what you'd like to see:
If you use the Grid view for you apps, you can arrange them so that your favorites are in the middle of the screen where you will see them first. You can also take a look at the Smart Stack. It is not exactly like the Dock. It's more like Glances, which preceeded the Dock. You may find it useful.
It's also useful to keep in mind that, just because you don't use Stock or the App Store, that doesn't mean that they aren't used by lots of other people. Not everyone has the same needs or presences that you do.
WCNJ wrote:
Wrong. Pushing the DC once opens the display of all apps.
Because that's not how you open the dock. Press the digital crown twice.
Since the Favorite Dock is gone, I have shifted to asking Siri to start the favorite app, ie. Hold down the stem button and Say 'Start Heart Rate App'
Houman-H wrote:
Same issue here, and why there is no official statement from Apple regarding this changes in iOS 10 updates?
Apple doesn't issue a press release for every single change in the OS. However, if you check the User Guide, you will see instructions.
Open apps on Apple Watch - Apple Support
See also:
Where is the dock in watchOS 10?
