The International Trade Commission (ITC) introduced a ban hammer on the Apple Watch Series 9, Apple Watch Series 10 and Apple Watch Ultra 2 for infringing on Masimo’s patents, forcing the company to disable the blood oxygen monitoring sensor for users in the U.S. While Masimo believed that justice was served, Apple has just issued a press release in which it has stated that the feature is making a return, and its functionality will be restored using the firm’s intelligent tactics, because how else will you become a trillion-dollar giant if you do not think outside the box?
With blood oxygen monitoring restored, Apple Watch owners can measure key metrics from the ‘Blood Oxygen’ app
In the latest press release, Apple mentions that smartwatch owners who currently do not have access to the blood oxygen feature can start using it by updating their paired iPhone to iOS 18.6.1 and their Apple Watch to version watchOS 11.6.1. Data will be displayed on the ‘Blood Oxygen’ app running on the Apple Watch and calculated on the iPhone. The results can then be viewed from the ‘Respiratory’ section of the Health app. As for how this was possible, the press release states that a U.S. Customs ruling favored this decision.
“Users with these models in the U.S. 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. This update was enabled by a recent U.S. Customs ruling.”
Apple Watch models that include the original blood oxygen monitoring feature, as well as those purchased internationally, will remain unchanged by the update. While this change can be considered a clever workaround, users need to own an iPhone and must go through a series of steps to view the results. The update can be cumbersome, but for the time being, it is Apple’s best attempt at delivering an alternative.
News Source: Apple
About the author: Omar Sohail is a reporter and analyst for Wccftech's mobile section, specializing in the technology and business of the mobile industry. His expertise lies in the intricate hardware supply chain, covering developments in semiconductor manufacturing, chip lithography, and camera sensor technology.
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