Apple to Relaunch Redesigned Blood Oxygen Feature on Apple Watch in the US
More than a year after an import ban forced Apple to remove blood oxygen monitoring from certain Apple Watch models in the US, the company has announced it will reintroduce a redesigned version of the feature. The update will roll out later today for Apple Watch Series 9, Series 10, and Watch Ultra 2 users through a joint software update for both the Apple Watch and iPhone.
To access the reworked feature, users will need to update their devices to iOS 18.6.1 and watchOS 11.6.1. Once installed, blood oxygen data captured by the Apple Watch will be processed on the iPhone instead of the watch itself. The results will be viewable in the respiratory section of the Health app.
Apple clarified that the update will not affect Apple Watch units previously purchased with the original blood oxygen feature or devices sold outside the US.
This development comes amid Apple’s ongoing legal battle with Masimo, a medical device company that sued Apple in 2021, alleging patent infringement related to pulse oximeter technology. After years of litigation, the US International Trade Commission ruled in favor of Masimo, leading to a temporary ban on sales of the Apple Watch Series 9 and Ultra 2 in the US.
To comply with the ruling, Apple removed the blood oxygen monitoring feature from affected models. However, the company has now found a way to reintroduce the functionality with a modified approach, following a recent US Customs decision.
The relaunch of the blood oxygen feature marks a significant step in resolving the dispute while allowing Apple Watch users in the US to regain access to a key health-tracking tool.