The Apple Watch gains some useful features in watchOS 27, but it also loses features that some users may have missed.
Walkie Talkie app appears to be deprecated in watchOS 27
As noticed by MacRumors, watchOS 27 Beta 1 no longer includes the Walkie Talkie app or the Control Center tile.
This may change in a future beta, but it seems more likely that this experience, available only on Apple Watch, will be retired this year.
Walkie Talkie was introduced in 2018 as a bit of a novelty feature in watchOS 5, but some Apple Watch users find it useful in practical scenarios.
Apple Watch apps will continue to work on watchOS 26. Walkie Talkie requires you to add a connection through the app and keep the app status on to receive voice messages.
Unlike the Messages app, Walkie Talkie only works on your Apple Watch and doesn’t save your voice messages.
We will update this article if Apple clarifies the situation regarding watchOS 27 not having a transceiver.
watchOS 27 is currently available as a developer beta. A public beta will be held in July ahead of the official release this fall.
Apple Watch Series 11 is currently on sale at Amazon starting at $299, which is 25% off the regular price of $399. watchOS 27 requires Apple Watch Series 9 or later, Apple Watch Ultra 2 or later, and Apple Watch SE 3.
