Apple’s 2026 “Surprise and Shine” event has come and gone, and in addition to announcing the Apple Watch Series 12 and Ultra 4, Cupertino also revealed an all-new Apple Watch health detection system. This means that in addition to a refreshed Health app arriving later in 2026 that promises to deliver “intelligent, actionable insights,” users will also get better heart rate variability (HRV) metrics and a new readiness score. However, those familiar with Whoop groups may already be familiar with that last bit.
If you’re unfamiliar, a readiness score can go by many names (“daily readiness,” “recovery score,” etc.), and several companies’ electronic devices modeled around fitness have adopted this measure. Essentially, a readiness score uses algorithms and your health metrics to determine how well your body can handle stress on a given day. The higher the score, the more likely you are to be prepared to tackle daily tasks and challenges. Fitbit Premium subscribers gained access to a similar feature in 2021 (although it’s no longer exclusive), but fitness tech company Whoop helped popularize it.
However, Apple’s new Readiness Score will rank users on a scale of 0 to 10, and the Apple Watch will then provide “actionable” recommendations. Readiness will update throughout the day and pull additional details from other apps, for those who use their Apple Watch for fitness or just want to get an idea of their health metrics throughout the day. However, iOS 27 might remove the need for an Apple Watch for fitness tracking anyway.
Latest Apple Watch models take notes from other fitness brands
Apple Watch Series 12 and Apple Watch Ultra 4 users can access Apple’s new Readiness Score. The score will be based on the user’s “recent activity, vital signs, and sleep score,” and the watch will even recommend how prepared a user is for the day. Suggestions include Recover, Pace Yourself, Read, and Go Ahead, suggesting the amount of activity a user is ready for throughout their day.
The Readiness Score also provides more details about the score, and the company’s doctors and scientists developed the algorithm alongside the Apple Heart and Movement Study. If a user performed a particularly intense workout that day, the score will reflect that, but other factors such as vital signs and sleep score will also be taken into account. This comes with a redesigned health app with new Insights and Longevity tabs, as well as a new health detection system in these devices that better tracks heart rate and heart rate variability.
Naturally, Apple isn’t the only player in the readiness score game. Whoop Bands, for example, provide a Recovery Score to inform users of their stress levels (and have done so since 2015), while Oura Rings also feature a Readiness Score. Most modern Fitbit devices can also provide one. Suffice it to say, users have a choice if they want this metric, but it’s worth mentioning that one app already offered Apple Watch users Whoop-like features.
