The Apple Watch Series 6 became the first wearable from the company to feature an oximeter, where individuals would be able to measure their blood oxygen levels. Apple has strictly mentioned that the blood oxygen measurement app isn’t meant for medical uses, but it looks like one user from The Washington Post wanted to see how it actually fares during real-world use.
Reporter Says Apple Watch Series 6’s Oximeter Is ‘Mostly Useless’
According to Geoffrey Fowler, a technology columnist for The Washington Post decided to don the Apple Watch Series 6 to test out its oximeter. Needless to say that the results he received would have disappointed anyone. Where we continue to hear life-threatening situations where the Apple Watch Series 5 managed to dial 911 or detect a heart condition before things got dicey, here, the Apple Watch Series 6 fails to continue that trend, at least in one area.
Fowler reports that the wearable provides conflicting readings when using the blood oxygen measurement application. Thanks to these massive differences in reading, Fowler concludes that the Apple Watch Series 6 is ‘mostly useless’ in this regard.
“Sometimes the new Apple Watch Series 6 reports my lungs and heart are the picture of health, pumping blood that's 100 percent saturated with oxygen.
At other times, it reports my blood oxygen is so low I might be suffering from emphysema. (I am not.)”
He also mentions that some of the problem may be associated with the Solo Loop band. To remind you, the Solo Loop is available in a variety of sizes and while going down a size managed to eliminate some of those unsuccessful measurement errors, it did manage to leave a mark on his arm due to the level of tightness.
Apple has made it crystal clear that its oximeter in the Apple Watch Series 6 should not be used when considering a health evaluation.
“Blood Oxygen app measurements are not intended for medical use, including self-diagnosis or consultation with a doctor, and are only designed for general fitness and wellness purposes.”
While this might be disappointing to hear that you won’t be able to walk around with a wrist-mounted blood oxygen measurement tool, there’s positive news on the horizon. The tipster Komiya has mentioned in his tweet that Apple will continue to improve the feature through software updates, so let us see what changes watchOS 8 brings forth when specifically focused on the oximeter’s accuracy.
https://twitter.com/komiyaappleseed/status/1309094011781742593?s=20
As for the reporter’s verdict, do you think the inaccurate readings garnered while using the oximeter of the Apple Watch Series 6 sway you away from purchasing it? Tell us down in the comments.
News Source: The Washington Post
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.
Follow Wccftech on Google to get more of our news coverage in your feeds.
