Enlarge / The 2021, 24-inch iMac with Apple's M1. (credit: Samuel Axon)

Apple released new updates for most of its software platforms today, including macOS Ventura 13.3, iOS 16.4, iPadOS 16.4, tvOS 16.4, and watchOS 9.4.

These are all feature updates, meaning they actually add new functionality in addition to fixing bugs or addressing security vulnerabilities.

iOS and iPadOS 16.4 add a number of minor features. The headliner is (of course) 21 new emojis, like new heart colors, additional animals, and a shaking head. Beyond that, though, Apple says you'll see improved voice isolation on phone calls, support for notifications from web apps that have been added to your phone's home screen, new ways to weed out duplicates in your Photos library, and a number of bug fixes.

Enlarge / The back of the iPhone 14. (credit: Samuel Axon)

Today, Apple released small software updates for the iPhone and Apple Watch. Dubbed iOS 16.0.3. and watchOS 9.0.2, the updates are mostly focused on addressing a handful of bugs that users have experienced since the launch of iOS 16 and watchOS 9 last month.

iOS 16.0.3 claims to fix an issue where iPhone 14 owners on phone calls via CarPlay could barely be heard by the person on the other end, and another issue where Mail "crashes on launch after receiving a malformed email."

It also addresses notification delays and Camera app slowdown on iPhone 14 Pro models. Some users were complaining that the Camera app could take multiple seconds to launch in some cases, and they faced similar delays in switching modes within the app once it had launched.

Enlarge / Apple Watch Series 3 at Apple's announcement event, with its distinctive/divisive red-dotted crown. (credit: Ars Technica)

Like a cat trying to hide its pain, Apple's Series 3 Watch quietly disappeared Wednesday afternoon, following the company's newest Apple Watch announcements , including an ultra-premium rugged Apple Watch Ultra . There wasn't room in Apple's lineup for the S3, nor was there likely room on the S3 for WatchOS 9. Series 3 would have been 5 years old on September 22.

The Series 3 stuck around in Apple's lineup for a strangely long period, outlasting every other Series release except 7 (which it really might have tied, depending on how you time these things). It was the "discount" Apple Watch, even if it was often only $30-$50 less than the Apple Watch SE at times and often far more expensive than third-party refurbished Apple Watches. In July, Ars Technica's Corey Gaskin wrote in an Apple Watch buyers' guide that the Series 3 was "more like a little toy at this point," and was only—maybe—worth it for putting on kids who don't notice their phone ringing.

As with most lives, the Series 3's had a different, brighter look at the start. It was the first Apple Watch with an ( activated ) altimeter for stair-climb and elevation tracking, spoken responses from Siri, and most importantly, LTE connectivity, allowing you to use it without having a phone nearby for Bluetooth tethering. This was seen as a boon to runners, cyclists, and anybody seeking to loosen the umbilical connection they felt to their phone. It could be, Ars wrote at the time, the Watch's watershed moment .

Enlarge / This is not the brand-new Apple Watch "Pro," just the current model, so you'll have to imagine the titanium, the larger size, and the nearly $1,000 price. (credit: Apple)

Numerous Apple-watching outfits have reported that the company is working on a rugged, fitness-minded " Apple Watch Pro, " to be announced at its September 7 event . The device could be even more of an upgrade than some expect, as the latest rumor has the wider, more square-shaped "Pro" watch requiring all-new bands.

Weibo user "Uncle Pan," who has shared accurate information before on AirPods and MagSafe cases, posted Monday from Guangdong that an Apple Watch with a 47 or 48 mm screen will be offered this year. The new band will be wider, indicating a likely square design, Uncle Pan wrote. The user embedded an image from Twitter account Apple Hub, which offered a quirky rendering of the rumored Pro design and cited a price "close to $1,000."

Uncle Pan's post conflicts with Bloomberg's Mark Gurman, who reported in late July that while the Pro watch will be larger than existing Apple Watch models, it will not be squared or feature flat sides.

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CUPERTINO, Calif.—During the keynote presentation kickoff of its annual Worldwide Developers Conference, Apple revealed the first details about the next major software update for the Apple Watch: watchOS 9.

Four new watch faces will better utilize the Apple Watch Series 7's more expansive screen. That means more room for rich complications.

Additionally, Apple is bringing new health and fitness features to the Watch as it usually does with these annual updates. The Running activity mode will calculate vertical oscillation, stride length, and ground contact time. All activity modes will be able to show your h eart rate zones, as well. If you set an HR zone you'll also receive alerts regarding your effect.

Enlarge / The image Apple shared alongside the WWDC 2022 announcement. (credit: Apple )

June 6 marks the beginning of Apple's annual developer conference, WWDC. The week-long event will kick off with a keynote at 10 am PST on Monday loaded with announcements about new software features across Apple's various platforms.

For the first time since before the COVID-19 pandemic started, there will be a significant in-person audience for WWDC, too. And there will be countless sessions during the week on programming APIs, Swift features, and so on. But for most people around the world, new operating systems and hardware announcements are the main draw—and we'll see a few of those during the keynote on Monday.

It's important to note that WWDC isn't typically focused on product announcements for consumers. It's a place where Apple introduces new technologies and tools to developers.