ZDNET’s key takeaways
- Blood Oxygen is back for affected Apple Watch models.
- Will be reinstated with the latest iOS and WatchOS updates.
- Apple redesigned it to resolve an import ban over patent infringement.
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After a lengthy pause due to legal issues, Apple is finally bringing back the Blood Oxygen monitor for affected Apple Watch models in the US.
Models getting the new Blood Oxygen feature
In a news update<!–>, the company announced that the “redesigned” Blood Oxygen feature will arrive for some Apple Watch Series 9, Series 10, and Apple Watch Ultra 2 users through software updates coming later in the day on Wednesday.
Apple Watch owners in the US restricted from using the feature will be able to access it by updating their iPhones to iOS 18.6.1 and their Apple Watches to WatchOS 11.6.1. Once the updates are in place, you can use the app to measure and calculate your blood oxygen level.
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The iOS and WatchOS updates won’t impact older Apple Watch models that already include the original Blood Oxygen feature, nor will they apply to Apple Watch units purchased outside the US, which were not affected by the legal decision.
Your blood oxygen level indicates the amount of oxygen circulating in your blood. Taking this reading is especially helpful for people with COVID-19 or pneumonia who want to monitor their condition. Normally, you would use a pulse oximeter to measure your blood oxygen, but an Apple Watch with this sensor serves as a more convenient alternative.
How Apple revived Blood Oxygen monitoring
With the Blood Oxygen feature sidelined by a patent infringement ruling, how was Apple able to revive it? The key lies in the word “redesigned.”
To get past an import ban of the feature issued by the International Trade Commission, Apple had to tweak the way the sensor works. Instead of measuring and calculating your blood oxygen levels directly on the watch, the monitor will handle all the work through a paired iPhone. From there, you’ll have to view your results in the Respiratory section of the iPhone’s Health app rather than on your watch.
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With the redesign, a new ruling from US Customs granted Apple the ability to import Apple Watch models with the feature enabled and add it back to existing watches.
In 2020, medical technology company Masimo filed a lawsuit against Apple, claiming patent infringement over the use of the feature in the latest Apple Watch models. The two companies had met years ago to discuss a possible collaboration, but Masimo has alleged that the meeting was just a pretext for Apple to learn about the Blood Oxygen feature and poach some of its staff. Apple did hire several Masimo employees before adding the sensor to its Apple Watch lineup.
As part of its suit, Masimo had asked the courts to stop the sale of all Apple Watches equipped with the technology. After a judge ruled against Apple, the ITC took on the case as a result of a separate complaint from Masimo. That eventually resulted in an import ban of affected Apple Watches. In response, Apple was forced to disable the feature on all models sold in the US after January 17, 2024, when the ruling took effect.
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The ruling and redesign mean that Apple can not only return the feature to its latest Apple Watch models but also add it to the upcoming Apple Watch Series 11 and Apple Watch Ultra 3, which are expected to launch in September. Since the Blood Oxygen feature had been disabled without any hardware changes, bringing it back requires just a couple of quick software updates.
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