iOS 26 May Finally Fix Apple Watch’s Sleep Tracking

The Apple Watch, like most wearables out there, offers the ability to track the wearer’s sleep. It’s a perfectly functional feature, but in some areas, it feels lacking compared to the competition. Thankfully, this is something Apple could change in a future update to the Apple Watch. According to MacRumors contributor Steve Mosser, a sleep score function could come to the Apple Watch.

Apple Watch to get a sleep score system

The report points to strings found in iOS 26, specifically the Health app. This seems to reference the smartwatch’s ability to give users a score based on their sleep. Based on the code, Apple is calling this the “Watch Focus Score,” but we’re not sure if the company plans to rename it later on.

If this is the case, that would be a pretty cool function. Like we said, the Apple Watch can already track the wearer’s sleep. However, it doesn’t really tell the user how good their sleep was. This is compared to other fitness trackers or smartwatches that offer a similar feature. It’s a bit strange that Apple avoided giving users a sleep score, considering how it positions the Apple Watch as the ultimate fitness or health companion.

Instead, the Apple Watch only separates the wearer’s sleep into REM, Core, and Deep. We’re not saying it’s insufficient, but having a score might give users a better way to measure how well they slept. That being said, take note that we may never see the launch of this feature.

iOS 26 is still in beta. This means that there are a lot of things subject to change ahead of its public release. We’ve seen many instances of companies testing new features in beta, only to pull them at the last minute. Either way, we’ll keep our eyes peeled.

What’s new in watchOS 26?

In addition to iOS 26, Apple is expected to release watchOS 26, which is the latest update to the Apple Watch. The update will bring about a bunch of new features. We’re talking about the automatic adjustment of the smartwatch’s speaker volume, the ability to wrist flick back to the watch face, translating messages, and smart selection of workout music.

Apple will also introduce its Liquid Glass UI design to the update. This gives the interface a glossy and glassy look. This will be a similar aesthetic shared by the iPhone and iPad.