Apple released iOS 26.4 beta 1 yesterday, and the update includes a variety of changes and new features. In addition to everything we’ve covered so far, there are two specific changes to the Health app: updates to the Vitals metric and sleep tracking.
Apple Health adds two new insights with iOS 26.4
Apple removed the Blood Oxygen feature from Apple Watch in January 2024 due to a patent dispute with health technology company Masimo. The company then launched a “redesigned” version of the feature last August, which lets users take a Blood Oxygen reading on their Apple Watch, then view the result on their iPhone. You cannot view the result on the Apple Watch itself.
Even after the launch of the “redesigned” version of the feature, Blood Oxygen was still not present in the Vitals overview in the Health app on iPhone. You could only view it as a separate metric, as noted by MacRumors.
With iOS 26.4, Apple has added Blood Oxygen readings back to the Vitals graph in the Health app. This is how it worked before the feature was removed in January 2024. This means you can now view five metrics in the same Vitals chart: heart rate, respiratory rate, wrist temperature, blood oxygen, and sleep duration.
Sleep tracking
Speaking of sleep, iOS 26.4 also adds a new sleep metric to the Health app: you can now see a breakdown of your bedtime over the last two weeks. In a new Sleep Highlight, you can see your average bedtime along with last night’s bedtime for comparison.
Read more about what’s new in iOS 26.4 beta 1 in our full guide. The update is available now for developers and public beta testers.
My favorite Apple Watch links:
- Apple Watch Series 11
- Twelve South Butterfly 2-in-1
- Anker 3-in-1 Charging Station for iPhone, AirPods, and Apple Watch
- Nomad Titanium Apple Watch Band
- Apple Watch Ocean Band
Follow Chance: Threads, Bluesky, Instagram, and Mastodon.
FTC: We use income earning auto affiliate links. More.
Comments