Apple has released watchOS 11.6.1 for Apple Watch, reintroducing the Blood Oxygen app for certain customers in the United States. The update works in tandem with iOS 18.6.1, also released today, and marks the first time the feature has been available on new watch hardware since late 2023.

Apple is now offering the first public beta of watchOS 26, the next major update for Apple Watch, ahead of its official fall release. While the biggest visual update may appear to be the limited Liquid Glass elements, the substance of watchOS 26 exists in how it integrates with Apple Intelligence for smarter workouts and more context-aware communication. After some hands-on time with the update, here’s what stands out so far.

Apple Watch has nearly 60 faces, and watchOS 26 optimizes way more than before for Apple Watch Series 10. It’s not all good news with watchOS 26, however, as Apple continues to discontinue watch faces through software updates.

Apple has officially announced watchOS 26, the successor to watchOS 11. The new name aligns with iOS 26 (and using the upcoming year to reference each software version). The flagship new software feature for Apple Watch in watchOS 26 is called Workout Buddy, an Apple Intelligence-powered fitness feature.

Alongside the expected design overhauls coming to iOS 26 and the rest of Apple’s platforms at WWDC, 9to5Mac has learned that watchOS 26 is set to introduce one of the most requested Apple Watch usability features to date: third-party widgets in Control Center.