Apple’s upcoming watchOS 26.5 update includes a new Pride Luminance watch face and fixes for two Apple Watch issues, according to Apple’s release notes cited by multiple outlets. The new watch face comes with customizable layout and color options. In addition, Apple addresses a problem in the Messages app where, when paired with a dual SIM iPhone, the watch may use SMS instead of iMessage. The update also fixes an issue in the Workout app where audio alerts may fail to play if the iPhone is not nearby the watch.
One outlet reports that the watchOS 26.5 release candidate has already been seeded, indicating that a full public rollout is expected shortly. Another outlet frames the update as released in parallel with iOS 26.5 and notes the appearance of the watchOS 26.5 RC ahead of wider availability. Both sources describe the same two bug fixes and the same Pride Luminance watch face feature set, presenting watchOS 26.5 as a targeted maintenance update focused on app reliability and personalization.
