Apple today released iOS/iPadOS 26 Beta 7 (build number 23A5326a) to developers, a minor update following last week's beta release. The most notable change in this update is the reinstatement of blood oxygen measurement on the Apple Watch, but only for users in the United States. Due to a patent dispute with medical device company Massimo, this feature had been disabled since January 2024. By shifting data processing to the iPhone, Apple has cleverly circumvented patent restrictions, allowing users to view relevant data in the Health app.
In addition to the return of blood oxygen, the new beta also introduces an "Adaptive Power Notification" option. This feature will clearly notify users when the system automatically adjusts performance to conserve battery life (such as reducing brightness or switching to Low Power Mode), making it particularly useful for battery-conscious users.
In terms of design, iOS 26 continues the "Liquid Glass" visual language, and this beta further enhances the sense of depth. For example, the background color of the Control Center has been darkened, making interface elements easier to distinguish. While these subtle adjustments demonstrate Apple's continued refinement of the user experience. Currently, this version is only for developers, and ordinary users need to wait for subsequent public beta or official version release.
