Apple is extending its newest health features to older smartwatch models through the launch of watchOS 26 on September 15.
The update will bring hypertension notifications, live translation, and the wrist flick gesture to the Apple Watch Series 9 and newer, as well as the Watch Ultra 2. Hypertension notifications will use data from the optical heart sensor to monitor blood vessel responses over 30 days. If signs of high blood pressure are detected, users will receive an alert. Apple expects FDA and global regulatory clearance this month, with rollout planned for over 150 countries.
The upcoming Sleep Score feature is also included in the update. It will be available on the Watch Series 6 and later, all Watch Ultra models, and the 2nd-gen Watch SE and later. Sleep Score combines heart rate, wrist temperature, blood oxygen, and respiratory data to assess sleep quality, provided it is paired with an iPhone 11 or later.
With watchOS 26, Apple ensures users with slightly older devices still gain access to advanced health tracking, reducing the need for immediate hardware upgrades.
