Apple Health Gains Average Bedtime Tracking and Restored Blood Oxygen Monitoring

Apple continues to refine its Health app with the latest iOS 26.4 update introducing an Average Bedtime metric to the Sleep section, providing users with deeper insights into their sleep patterns. Simultaneously, blood oxygen level monitoring has been reinstated in the Vitals readout, resolving a feature previously impacted by legal disputes.

Average Bedtime Feature

The recent Average Bedtime feature within the Sleep section displays both the user’s bedtime and their typical bedtime, calculated as an average over a two-week period. Apple Support highlights this addition as a tool to help users understand how consistent bedtimes impact sleep quality. This builds upon the existing feature introduced in iOS 26.3, which showcased average sleep time over the past seven days.

Restoration of Blood Oxygen Monitoring

Apple has re-integrated blood oxygen level monitoring into the Vitals overview within the Health app. Previously, while a section for blood oxygen existed in iOS 26.3 and earlier, the graph did not display the measurement. The restoration comes after a period where blood oxygen sensing was removed from the Apple Watch due to a legal battle with Masimo.

The Masimo Dispute and its Impact

Masimo accused Apple of infringing on patents related to blood oxygen sensing technology, leading to an import ban imposed by the U.S. International Trade Commission. According to Wikipedia, to comply with the ban and continue selling the Apple Watch in the U.S., Apple removed the blood oxygen sensing capability from the Apple Watch in early 2024. However, Apple was able to reintroduce the feature on the iPhone in August 2025. Currently, blood oxygen measurements are still unavailable directly on the Apple Watch in the U.S.

Availability

iOS 26.4 is currently available to developers and public beta testers, with a general public release scheduled for spring 2026.

Recent Apple Announcements

These updates arrive alongside other recent Apple announcements, including a special event planned for March 4, 2026, in New York, London and Shanghai. The Apple Health app is also expected to notice further enhancements with the upcoming release of a new iPhone 17e and an iPad Air featuring the M4 chip in the coming weeks. A rebranded “Sales Coach” app is slated for release later this month, and reports suggest five new features are planned for the iPhone 18 Pro models, including a smaller Dynamic Island.

Apple is also expanding its presence in the smart home market with rumored releases of new HomePod mini and other home products in 2026.