Apple fixes Walkie Talkie app vulnerability in watchOS update

If you are, for some reason, an avid Walkie Talkie user on the Apple Watch, you will be pleased to learn that the functionality is back in the latest watchOS update today. The watchOS 5.3 release notes specify that the update "[p]rovides important security updates including a fix for the Walkie-Talkie app."

The feature was notably disabled nearly two weeks ago after Apple discovered a vulnerability, one which was unspecified but was clearly serious enough for them to quickly pull one of the hallmark updates of watchOS 5.

Apple disables Walkie Talkie app due to vulnerability that could allow iPhone eavesdropping

If you're not familiar, the Walkie Talkie app allows two users to send short push-to-talk chat messages to one another. It's a nice way to reduce the complexity of using the Apple Watch as a full-featured communications tool, speeding up the process of sending messages, rather than using voice transcription.

The update is available now.