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Apple’s Luxury Watch Faces Major Compatibility Crash in Latest Beta
Apple beta versions often come with bugs and
🚨 Critical Issues with watchOS 26 Beta 2: What You Need to Know
Anyone testing beta software understands the risk—but for Apple Watch Hermès owners, the risk has turned into a confirmed crisis. Apple’s release notes for watchOS 26 beta 2 explicitly state that users of the Hermès edition should not proceed with the update. The luxury Apple Watch, launched in 2015 through a high-end partnership with French fashion house Hermès, features exclusive watch faces and bands. Unfortunately, these customizations appear to be at the heart of the problem.
The major issue? The Hermès model crashes continuously once updated to watchOS 26 beta 2. Apple lists this bug under issue ID 152604139, warning users to avoid the beta entirely.
The problem doesn’t stop there. According to user reports compiled by MacRumors, the trouble spills over to the iPhone side when running iOS 26 beta 2. If a Hermès watch is paired with an iPhone updated to this version, the Apple Watch app on the phone becomes completely unusable. The only workaround—unpairing the watch—temporarily restores functionality. However, once unpaired, the user is unable to re-pair the device, effectively breaking the ecosystem connection.
Apple is clearly aware of the issue and is expected to roll out a fix in an upcoming beta version. Until then, the advice is clear: Do not install watchOS 26 beta 2 or iOS 26 beta 2 if you own a Hermès Apple Watch.
🧠 What Undercode Say: An In-Depth Analysis
The Price of Prestige in Beta Software
The Apple Watch Hermès line represents the intersection of fashion and tech—an exclusive wearable that costs significantly more than standard models. With premium pricing comes an expectation of flawless performance, even in beta environments. That’s why this failure is more than just a technical oversight—it undermines confidence among high-end Apple customers.
Why This Bug Is a Big Deal
In a typical beta phase, bugs are expected and even welcomed as part of the iterative feedback process. But the issues here affect core device functionality. Continuous crashes and the inability to pair or control the watch through the iPhone fundamentally break the user experience.
Moreover, the fact that the Apple Watch app fails to open entirely on iOS 26 beta 2 is troubling. This app is the control center for watch settings, pairing, and data syncing. Its failure renders the entire wearable ecosystem unreliable for Hermès users.
Implications for
Apple typically delivers high standards in beta releases, especially when it comes to internal testing. The fact that such a glaring issue made it into beta 2 suggests that Hermès-specific configurations were not thoroughly tested, or perhaps were deprioritized due to the niche audience. However, those who pay thousands for a luxury product don’t expect to be treated like an edge case.
Developer and Consumer Confidence at Risk
This
Future Fixes and Watch Face Complexity
From a technical standpoint, the likely culprit is the exclusive watch face designs that come with Hermès models. These faces might be relying on deprecated or altered system APIs in watchOS 26, causing the system to crash. Fixing this issue may require either a redesign of the watch face rendering engine or updated permissions within the OS framework.
In any case, a fix is anticipated in the next beta—but by then, consumer perception may already be dented. This situation reminds us how tightly integrated Apple’s ecosystem is, and how fragile it can become with just one broken link in the software chain.
✅ Fact Checker Results
Apple has confirmed the incompatibility in official release notes.
Multiple user reports from MacRumors confirm crashes and app failures.
Apple is actively working on a fix for future beta versions.
🔮 Prediction: Stability Fix Coming Fast, But Damage Is Done
Apple will likely address the Hermès compatibility issue quickly, possibly in watchOS 26 beta 3 or iOS 26 beta 3. However, the incident could leave a lasting impression, particularly among high-paying Hermès customers who now feel underserved. Apple may need to do more than just patch the code—they’ll need to rebuild confidence with elite users through better communication and quality assurance moving forward.
References:
Reported By: 9to5mac.com
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