Apple has officially rolled out iOS 26 beta 7 and watchOS 26 beta 7 for developers, introducing significant updates particularly for users of the Apple Watch Series 9, Series 10, and Ultra 2 models. A key highlight of this update is the newly redesigned Blood Oxygen feature, which was unveiled just last week.

This update comes 18 months after Apple initially sold the Apple Watch in the U.S. without the Blood Oxygen capability due to a patent disagreement with health technology firm Masimo. Now, the long-awaited feature is integrated into the latest beta versions, eagerly anticipated by Apple enthusiasts.

The new Blood Oxygen feature operates as follows: users can initiate a session via the Blood Oxygen app on their Apple Watch. The device’s sensors gather the requisite data, which is then transferred to the paired iPhone for processing. Users will be able to access their blood oxygen levels in the Respiratory section of the Health app on the iPhone, though the results will not be directly visible on the Apple Watch.

Moreover, the redesigned Blood Oxygen feature now allows for background measurements. This advancement enables the Apple Watch to continuously collect blood oxygen data discreetly while the user engages in various activities, subsequently sending the information to the iPhone for analysis.

Currently, the seventh betas of iOS 26 and watchOS 26 are exclusively available for developers, with a public beta expected to launch later this week. Users are encouraged to explore the new functionalities and share any notable discoveries in the comments section.

iOS 26 beta 7 is out now for iPhones on the developer beta release cycle. Below we’re collecting all of the iOS 26 beta 6 changes compared to the previous version.

iOS 26 beta 7 changes

Power Mode settings includes a new option for Adapter Power Notifications, possibly to alert users when performance may drop to preserve battery. The toggle is separate from Adaptive Power, giving users control over the experience.

9to5Mac has confirmed that iOS 26 beta 7 and watchOS 27 beta 7 include support for Apple’s “redesigned” blood oxygen measurement feature in the US. Last week, Apple received approval for a viable workaround despite ongoing patent litigation with Masimo. The next public beta should put the workaround on every device. The feature has been disabled for Apple Watch Series 9, Series 10, and Ultra 2 customers in the US for a couple years before last week.

In macOS Tahoe, the MacBook notch is back on the onboarding video that arrived in beta 6 — just without its notch.

macOS Tahoe onboarding video in beta 7 adds the notch pic.twitter.com/Iir3Tk2Vm1 — Zac Hall (@apollozac) August 18, 2025

Refresh for updates as we dig through each new beta release. See anything we missed? Let us know at tips@9to5mac.com!

Apple has reworked how blood oxygen measurements function in iOS 26 and watchOS 26 beta 7. On affected Apple Watch models, Apple said the feature has been “redesigned” so that sensor data is now measured and calculated on the paired iPhone instead of directly on the watch. Users can view the results in the Respiratory section of the Health app on the iPhone.

This change is not about new health insights or improvements in accuracy. Instead, it is a workaround to keep blood oxygen functionality available on Apple Watch models impacted by ongoing U.S. patent disputes. Apple confirmed that the redesign complies with a recent U.S. Customs ruling, allowing the company to continue offering the feature without violating restrictions that previously led to sales bans of certain Apple Watch models in the United States.

Blood oxygen monitoring has been a key part of Apple Watch since the Series 6, but it became the center of legal challenges in the U.S. after Masimo, a medical technology company, claimed Apple infringed on its patents. The International Trade Commission had ruled against Apple in late 2023, forcing the company to disable or restrict the feature on new devices sold in the country.

Apple first rolled out the redesigned blood oxygen system with iOS 18.6.1 and watchOS 11.6.1, ensuring continued access on supported models. It is now also part of iOS 26 and watchOS 26 beta 7. The compatible devices include Apple Watch Series 9, Apple Watch Series 10, and Apple Watch Ultra 2.

By moving the calculation and processing of blood oxygen data to the iPhone, Apple has been able to keep the feature available while meeting trade compliance requirements.

Apple has also not provided details on whether the redesigned blood oxygen feature will be introduced in additional regions or applied more broadly to other devices. For now, its main purpose is to keep the feature available in U.S. markets that were previously affected by legal disputes.