Apple seems to be finally saying goodbye to Walkie Talkie on the Apple Watch in watchOS 27. In the first developer beta, the app disappeared from both the app view and the Control Center, and there is no way to reinstall the feature yet.
Walkie Talkie was used for years to instantly send short voice messages to other Apple Watch contacts. Since the application was rarely used, it is not surprising that this functionality has now been removed. This means that starting with watchOS 27, you will no longer have access to these communication functions on the Apple Watch.
What was Walkie Talkie again?
With the Walkie Talkie app, you could instantly set up an audio connection with another Apple Watch user at the touch of a button. Like a traditional walkie-talkie, you held down the screen to talk and released to listen. The feature used FaceTime audio to deliver the short voice clips at lightning speed, as long as both users were connected to Wi-Fi or a cellular network.
Permanently removed from watchOS 27
That nostalgic ‘over and over’ feeling will finally come to an end with the arrival of watchOS 27. Apple is completely removing the app from the software, which means that all references to the communication feature will simply disappear from your wrist after installing the update. Receiving Walkie Talkie requests from contacts who are still on older watchOS versions will also no longer be possible from that moment on.
The best alternatives on your Apple Watch
You are not left to your own devices, because watchOS offers plenty of options to stay in touch. There are several built-in alternatives that often work better.
Audio messages in the Messages app: Via the Messages app (iMessage) you can easily and quickly record and send a voice message from your wrist. The recipient can listen to this when it suits, which is often more convenient than interrupting live. Open the Messages app on your Apple Watch, tap the plus button next to the text field, choose Audio, speak, then tap Send.
FaceTime audio call: Do you really want to talk to someone live without having to type? Then start a FaceTime audio call via the Phone or Contacts app on your Apple Watch. The sound quality is crystal clear and you don’t have to continuously hold down a button.