Apple is bringing back its blood oxygen monitoring feature to some of its latest smartwatches.
A redesigned version of the feature will be available for Apple Watch Series 8, Series 10, and Apple Watch Ultra models in the US.
The update is enabled by a recent US Customs ruling.
Apple is bringing back its blood oxygen monitoring feature to some of its latest smartwatches. The company has announced that a redesigned version of the feature will be available for Apple Watch Series 8, Series 10, and Apple Watch Ultra models in the US.
SurveyThe change is Apple’s way of working around an import ban from the International Trade Commission (ITC). The update is enabled by a recent US Customs ruling, allowing the tech giant to import Apple Watches with the revised blood oxygen feature.
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Users won’t be able to see their blood oxygen levels directly on the Apple Watch. Instead, the data will be measured using the watch but processed on the paired iPhone. To check their results, users will have to open the Health app on their iPhone and look under the Respiratory section.
The updated feature will be available by updating your paired iPhone to iOS 18.6.1 and Apple Watch to watchOS 11.6.1. However, it will only be accessible to watches sold after the ITC ban began in early 2024. “There will be no impact to Apple Watch units previously purchased that include the original Blood Oxygen feature, nor to Apple Watch units purchased outside of the US,” Apple clarified.
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This update is part of Apple’s ongoing legal battle with medical device maker Masimo. The dispute began when Masimo accused Apple of copying its pulse oximetry technology after discussions about a possible partnership. In 2023, Masimo won a case at the ITC, which led to the ban on Apple Watch imports that included the feature.
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Ayushi Jain
Tech news writer by day, BGMI player by night. Combining my passion for tech and gaming to bring you the latest in both worlds. View Full Profile
