Is your daily routine regular? Apple iOS 26.4 Beta 1 adds "Average Bedtime"

Tech News from IT House, February 18: Technology media MacRumors published a blog post yesterday (February 17) reporting that in the iOS 26.4 Beta 1 update, Apple has adjusted and upgraded the “Health” app to include a new “Average Bedtime” metric.

IT House quotes the blog post, stating that this feature is located in the “Sleep Highlights” section and aims to help users monitor their sleep patterns more intuitively. The system automatically records the actual time users fall asleep each night and compares it to the average bedtime over the past two weeks.

Unlike the existing “Average Sleep Duration” in iOS 26.3, this new metric focuses more on reflecting users’ sleep regularity, helping users identify issues such as staying up late or irregular sleep schedules, thereby assisting in adjusting their sleep cycles.

For U.S. users, another significant improvement is the integration of the “Vitals” view. Prior to this update, due to patent disputes, blood oxygen data could only be viewed as a standalone metric and was not integrated into the core vitals overview.

iOS 26.4 redraws the blood oxygen readings into the vitals chart, allowing users to compare key data such as heart rate, respiratory rate, and blood oxygen levels on a single interface, restoring the convenience and completeness of data viewing.

This interface adjustment for the blood oxygen feature reflects a legal battle between Apple and biotech company Masimo that has lasted for years. Masimo accused Apple of infringing on its blood oxygen sensing patents and successfully obtained an import ban from the U.S. International Trade Commission (ITC), forcing Apple to modify the related features.

At the beginning of 2024, in order to maintain the sales eligibility of Apple Watch in the U.S., Apple had to remove the blood oxygen measurement function from the watch. In August 2025, Apple reintroduced the blood oxygen data reading through technical adjustments, but restrictions still remain.

Due to legal rulings, U.S. users still cannot view blood oxygen readings directly on the Apple Watch screen; all data must be synchronized to the Health app on the iPhone. The iOS 26.4 update essentially further optimizes the display of this data on the iPhone, making it more intuitive within the “Vitals” overview.