Apple Watch users can now browse the web on their devices, thanks to a new feature in the latest update to the watchOS software. This feature is called “Web Browsing.” To use Web Browsing, you first need to open up your watch’s home screen and then select “Web Browsing.” From here, you’ll be able to access a variety of web pages and apps that are available on the Apple Watch. To start browsing a page, just tap on it and then select “Open in Web Browser.” You can also use this function to open up a web browser window on your computer if you’re not using an Apple Watch.
While µBrowser certainly won’t replace browsing the web on your phone or tablet, it could be acceptable to look something up in a pinch if your phone is inaccessible. Perhaps you have a cellular Apple Watch, and you left your phone at home and need to search the web for something important.
Some substantial drawbacks come with browsing the web on the Apple Watch aside from the obvious ones like the small screen. According to developer Arno Appenzeller, there’s no back button on the app, so you’ll need to start a new session if you want to go back. Additionally, logging in on most websites will probably not work.
As a minor annoyance, the developer says, “Also note that µBrowser uses the Authentication flow of watchOS for that reason the dialogue will show up every time you open a page.”
A companion app for iPhone lets you manage your bookmarks on the larger screen, which is an excellent convenience.
µBrowser doesn’t seem like a perfect way to look at the web, but it’s decent for the first attempt at an Apple Watch browser. Hopefully, Apple will try to create something similar with Safari to see how it would work with official support. In the meantime, if you feel like browsing the web on your wrist is something you want to try, this option is here for you.
