Apple’s Blood Oxygen Monitoring Returns To Its Latest Apple Watches

Apple announced connected Thursday it’s introducing a redesigned Blood Oxygen characteristic for immoderate Watch Series 8, Series 10, and Apple Watch Ultra. With this move, Apple is bringing backmost humor oxygen monitoring by tweaking nan characteristic to get astir nan International Trade Commission’s (ITC) import ban.

Blood oxygen information will beryllium measured and calculated connected nan user’s paired iPhone, and results tin beryllium viewed successful nan Respiratory conception of nan Health app. This intends users won’t beryllium capable to position nan information connected their Apple Watch, arsenic they’ll request to do truthful connected their iPhone.

Apple says nan update announced coming is enabled by a caller U.S. Customs ruling, which intends that nan tech elephantine is allowed to import Apple Watches pinch nan redesigned Blood Oxygen feature.

The alteration doesn’t impact antecedently sold models pinch nan original type of nan characteristic aliases units bought extracurricular nan U.S.

The redesigned characteristic only applies to Apple Watches that were sold aft nan ITC import prohibition took effect successful early 2024. These users tin entree nan redesigned Blood Oxygen characteristic done an iPhone and Apple Watch package update coming connected Thursday.

The move comes arsenic Apple has been successful an ongoing ineligible conflict pinch aesculapian instrumentality shaper Masimo, which has accused nan tech elephantine of stealing its beat oximetry exertion aft first talks astir a imaginable collaboration.

In 2023, Masimo secured a triumph against Apple astatine nan ITC to artifact imports of Apple Watches pinch humor oxygen monitoring, aft nan committee recovered that Apple’s exertion infringed upon Masimo’s patents. Apple past had to region nan feature.

Apple counter-sued Masimo, claiming that nan institution copied Apple Watch features to usage successful its ain smartwatches. The tech elephantine has besides filed an appeal of nan ITC ban.