Apple Watch May Soon Give You a New Reason to Sleep With It On

Apple appears to be working on a new feature for the Apple Watch that could help you better understand your nightly sleep and predict how you'll feel the next day.

ios 26 watch sleep score
Code discovered in iOS 26 has revealed an intriguing image buried within the Health app. The graphic shows an Apple Watch displaying the number "84" surrounded by three colored bars that match some of the sleep stage colors already used by the device — orange for time awake, light blue for REM sleep, and darker blue for Core or Deep sleep.

The file name "Watch Focus Score" is what makes the finding particularly interesting. It suggests Apple might be developing a comprehensive sleep rating system that goes beyond the basic metrics currently available.

The image includes familiar iOS sleep-related icons like moons and beds, plus a thermometer icon. The latter's inclusion suggests that the potential sleep score could incorporate multiple health metrics, similar to Apple's Vitals feature in watchOS 11.

Currently, your Apple Watch tracks sleep stages, time in bed, and time awake. But unlike many other fitness trackers, it doesn't provide an overall sleep quality score. Such a feature might predict how focused you'll be during the day based on your sleep quality, for example.

Of course, this is still early speculation based on a single image file. Apple frequently tests features that never see the light of day. But given the Apple Watch's increasing emphasis on health features, a comprehensive sleep score feels like a logical next step. The real question is whether this will arrive with watchOS 26 or if Apple is still experimenting with the concept.

Either way, it's another sign that Apple continues pushing the Apple Watch deeper into health territory, where better sleep insights could genuinely improve your everyday life.

Popular Stories

iPhone 17 Pro on Desk Centered 1

iPhone 17 Pro Launching in Two Months With These 16 New Features

Tuesday July 22, 2025 5:00 pm PDT by
Apple's iPhone 17 Pro and iPhone 17 Pro Max are less than two months away, and there are plenty of rumors about the devices. Below, we recap key changes rumored for the iPhone 17 Pro models, as of July 2025:Aluminum frame: iPhone 17 Pro models are rumored to have an aluminum frame, whereas the iPhone 15 Pro and iPhone 16 Pro models have a titanium frame, and the iPhone X through iPhone 14...
Foldable iPhone 2023 Feature Iridescent 1

Foldable iPhone's Display Sizes Leaked

Tuesday July 22, 2025 6:00 pm PDT by
Apple's first foldable iPhone will be equipped with a 7.8-inch inner display, and a 5.5-inch outer display, according to Taiwanese research firm TrendForce. Apple supply chain analyst Ming-Chi Kuo already mentioned those same display sizes for the foldable iPhone in March, meaning there are now multiple sources backing those sizes, so long as TrendForce is not simply copying what Kuo said. ...
Apple AppleCare One hero

Apple Announces 'AppleCare One' Subscription Plan for Multiple Devices

Wednesday July 23, 2025 5:06 am PDT by
Apple today announced AppleCare One, a new subscription plan for customers to cover multiple devices with a single plan. AppleCare One starts at $19.99 per month for up to three products, with the ability to add more for $5.99 per month for each additional device. The plan incudes all of the benefits that come with AppleCare+, such as unlimited repairs for accidents, priority support,...
iOS 26 Feature

Everything New in iOS 26 Beta 4

Tuesday July 22, 2025 3:56 pm PDT by
Apple released the fourth beta of iOS 26 today, and the company has continued making changes to the way that Liquid Glass looks. There are also new features, including the return of Apple Intelligence Notification Summaries for news. This beta is of particular interest because it's likely the beta that public beta testers will get in the not too distant future. Liquid Glass Changes Liquid...
iphone 16 pro models 1

18 Reasons to Wait for the iPhone 17

Tuesday July 22, 2025 8:10 am PDT by
Apple's iPhone development roadmap runs several years into the future and the company is continually working with suppliers on several successive iPhone models simultaneously, which is why we often get rumored features months ahead of launch. The iPhone 17 series is now less than two months away, so we already have a good idea of what to expect from Apple's 2025 smartphone lineup. If you...
Liquid Glass Realistic

Apple Improves Liquid Glass in iOS 26 Beta 4, Reversing Some Beta 3 Changes

Tuesday July 22, 2025 11:21 am PDT by
With the fourth beta of iOS 26, Apple has again made changes to the Liquid Glass design that's available across the operating system, tweaking how the menus and buttons appear in apps. In response to criticism about too little Liquid Glass in beta 3, Apple has upped the translucency in several areas. Beta 4 on left, beta 3 on right Navigation bars in apps like Photos, Music, the App ...
iOS 26 Feature

iOS 26 Public Beta Appears Imminent Based on This Latest Hint

Monday July 21, 2025 7:32 pm PDT by
An anonymous leaker with a proven track record today shared alleged build numbers for the fourth developer betas of iOS 26 and more. The private account on X has accurately leaked build numbers for Apple software updates in the past. We do not link to the account at the owner's request. Here are all of the build numbers shared by the account today: iOS 26 and iPadOS 26 beta 4 (23A5297i)...