Tech giant Apple is bringing blood oxygen detection back to its latest smartwatches after the company was forced to stop offering the feature on US models over a patent dispute. The blood oxygen feature will come to Apple Watch Series 9, Series 10 and Ultra 2 models in the US currently missing the functionality through a software update, the company said in a statement. This feature is meant to help people understand their respiratory health.
Apple is rolling out a software update that enables a redesigned version of the feature for the Apple Watch Series 9, 10, and Ultra 2 that circumvents the import ban imposed by the International Trade Commission. To get around the ban, blood oxygen data collected on the Apple Watch will now be measured and calculated on the iPhone that it is paired to. While users won’t be able to view the data on their wrist, they’ll be able to view it in the iPhone’s Health app under the Respiratory section.
iOS 18.6.1 can be downloaded on eligible iPhones over-the-air by going to Settings > General > Software Update. watchOS 11.6.1 is available for newer Apple Watch models that have blood oxygen monitoring disabled, and it can be downloaded through the Apple Watch app on the iPhone.
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Apple Watch- Blood oxygen featureThis marks the latest development in a years-long saga that saw Apple temporarily yank its popular smartwatches from US store shelves during the critical holiday season nearly two years ago. In 2023, the International Trade Commission ruled that Apple had violated a patent from digital health company Masimo related to its pulse oximeter technology, which Apple denied strongly.
When the order was issued, it applied only to new Apple Watches in the United States, meaning those who already owned an Apple Watch with the feature were unaffected. Apple Watches sold outside the United States were also unaffected by the order.
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Now, Apple has found a workaround and is restoring it through the new iOS 18.6.1 and watchOS 11.6.1 updates. Apple’s decision to release the update follows a fresh US Customs ruling that allows the company to import watches with a redesigned version of the technology.ALSO READ: Video captures massive explosion in New York: Black smoke engulfs Manhattan skyline
Users with models Series 9, Series 10, and Apple Watch Ultra 2 in the US who currently do not have the Blood Oxygen feature will have access to the redesigned Blood Oxygen feature by updating their paired iPhone to iOS 18.6.1 and their Apple Watch to watchOS 11.6.1.
Following this update, sensor data from the Blood Oxygen app on Apple Watch will be measured and calculated on the paired iPhone, and results can be viewed in the Respiratory section of the Health app, the company said. This update was enabled by a recent U.S. Customs ruling.
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 U.S.
How can users access it?In the US, users of these Apple Watch models who don’t currently have the Blood Oxygen feature can get the redesigned version by updating their iPhone to iOS 18.6.1 and Apple Watch to watchOS 11.6.1.
With the latest update, the Blood Oxygen app on Apple Watch now sends its data to the paired iPhone for processing. The results will be displayed in the Health app under the Respiratory section. This change comes in response to a US Customs ruling. In simple terms, Apple Watch users in the US can once again measure their blood oxygen levels directly on their watch, but the detailed results will only appear on the iPhone. Watches that were sold with the original feature, or those purchased outside the US, remain unaffected.