watchOS 26.5: Apple fixes SMS bug with Dual-SIM and training alerts

Apple has released the release candidate of watchOS 26.5 (Build 23T570) for developers. The update fixes two bugs that particularly affect users with dual-SIM iPhones and athletes without a paired iPhone. In parallel, iOS 26.5 as RC has also been released.

As Apple documents in the Release Notes on the developer site, watchOS 26.5 fixes a problem where the Messages app on the Apple Watch used SMS instead of iMessage when the watch was paired with a Dual-SIM iPhone. The bug occurred when the Watch did not correctly recognize the primary iMessage phone number in a configuration of physical SIM and eSIM – a issue that particularly impacted business users and international users with multiple phone numbers.

Workout Alerts Work Again Without iPhone

The second bug fix concerns the workout app: audio cues for pace, heart rate, or splits could be missing if the iPhone was not within Bluetooth range of the Apple Watch. This particularly affected runners and athletes who took their cellular watch to training without their iPhone. The notifications are now played back locally on the Watch via the built-in speaker or connected Bluetooth headphones.

In addition to the bug fixes, watchOS 26.5 brings a new “Pride Luminance” watch face with numerous customization options for layout and colors. It complements the also new Pride accessories for the Apple Watch.

Availability and Supported Models

The update supports all Apple Watch models from Series 6 onwards, including SE (2nd and 3rd generation), Ultra, Ultra 2, Ultra 3, and Series 11. A prerequisite is an iPhone 11 or newer with iOS 26. As Apple typically rolls out software updates simultaneously worldwide, the release for all users – including in the EU – is expected from next week, likely between May 11 and 13, 2026. The update will be distributed as usual via the Watch app on the iPhone via over-the-air update.

No security-relevant patches are included in watchOS 26.5. Apple is likely to look ahead at WWDC (June 8-12, 2026) and introduce watchOS 27.

(mki)