The Apple Watch could finally be decoupling from the iPhone, or at least according to the first beta of watchOS 6.
First views of the beta indicate that the smartwatch has gained its own over-the-air software update mechanism under Settings > General > Software Update. As on the iPhone, the mechanism checks for any available watchOS update and, if prompted, downloads the update directly to the Apple Watch.
The feature went live on Monday as Apple seeded the second beta of watchOS 6 to developers.
Per the mighty Jeremy Horowitz, users still must review and accept the watchOS terms and conditions using an iPhone.
Prior to this, updating an Apple Watch required the device to be paired to an iPhone for the entire process.
This change is in line with the Apple Watch gradually becoming more independent from the iPhone. In 2017, for example, Apple Watch Series 3 models launched with cellular capabilities for making phone calls and more without an iPhone. And in watchOS 6, the Apple Watch received its own on-wrist App Store.
Stay tuned for additional details as they become available.