Several months ago the Wristcam Apple Watch camera accessory band was released. Yesterday, a significant update was released that adds live video messaging support so you can communicate with family and friends right from your watch.

We received one for testing and will be spending a couple of weeks with it as we work on the full review. A business trip, and terrible Wi-Fi, have hampered our ability to set things up and get rolling, but stay tuned as we put the Wristcam and its new live video messaging functionality to the test.

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The Wristcam band accessory is available in the two Apple Watch sizes for $299. It has an 8MP outward-facing camera and a 2MP self-facing camera with support for 1080 HD video and high-resolution photos. There is 8GB of internal storage so it can hold up to 2000 photos or an hour of video before you need to download it to your iPhone.

We will dive into all of the specifications and details in our full review soon, but it does have an IP68 dust/water resistant rating so you can use it in the water. I plan to test it while leaving the iPhone behind on runs, bike trips, and hikes since a camera was one last reason I was also taking a phone along.

The new update today brings a second app, Live Messenger, to your iPhone that works in conjunction with the Wristcam app and the Wristcam watch band to communicate with your family and friends. Capabilities of the Live Messenger app include:

• Live video: Wristcam’s app for Apple Watch powers live or later video communication with Apple Watch and iPhone users.
• iPhone compatible: Wristcam users can send and receive live video to anyone with an iPhone, even if they don’t have Wristcam or Apple Watch.
• Live or later: Videos can be watched live, in real-time, or later, whenever convenient.
• Phone-free support: Cellular-enabled Apple Watch users can enjoy Wristcam’s live video capabilities, even with the phone out of range.
• Adventure ready: Wristcam is IP68 water-resistant and has all-day battery life and plenty of embedded memory to support you in your next summer adventures.

The Wristcam was designed by early Apple Watch engineers and the few test shots that I have been able to capture have been impressive. The new Live Messenger functionality is something entirely new for the Apple Watch so I recommend you watch the How-To video as you consider the Wristcam band.

The company also recently launched Siri shortcuts so you can quickly and easily capture content by speaking to your Apple Watch. There is also now a complication for the watch face so you can easily launch the Wristcam app and start capturing the world around you from your wrist.