Apple has released iOS 26 beta 7 and watchOS 26 beta 7 for developers, introducing a redesigned Blood Oxygen feature for select users. The new feature was previously launched in iOS 18.6.1 and watchOS 11.6.1 last week, marking an 18-month wait since the Apple Watch without this feature left American markets due to a patent dispute.
The updated Blood Oxygen feature is now available to those running iOS 26 and watchOS 26 betas on their Apple Watches and iPhones. It allows users to start sessions through the app on their Apple Watch, with data collected by the watch then sent to the iPhone for calculation in the Health app’s Respiratory section. The redesigned version also supports background measurements.
Apple assures that existing Blood Oxygen-equipped Apple Watch units will not be affected and do not require an update. Developers can now test these updates, and a new public beta is expected to follow shortly.
The seventh iOS 26 and watchOS 26 betas are available for developers, providing an opportunity for users to provide feedback before the feature’s release.
Source: https://9to5mac.com/2025/08/18/ios-26-new-blood-oxygen-feature-for-apple-watch