Restoration of Blood Oxygen Monitoring Feature on Apple Watch in United States

Apple has announced that the Apple Watch Series 9, Series 10, and Apple Watch Ultra 2 will soon be capable of measuring blood oxygen saturation levels in the USA. This new feature will be enabled by the release of watchOS 11.6.1 and iOS 18.6.1, software updates that Apple has recently made available.

The updates come following a patent dispute with Masimo, a medical device company, which led to Apple disabling the blood oxygen tracking feature in the US. However, Apple has implemented a workaround that processes the blood oxygen sensor data from the Apple Watch in the USA by shifting the calculation from the watch to the connected iPhone. This allows the results to be accessed on the iPhone's Health app.

The blood oxygen saturation monitoring feature is a significant addition to these Apple Watch models, providing users with valuable health insights. The feature was initially available on older Apple Watch models, but there were no changes for the Apple Watch outside the US.

It's worth noting that the Apple Watch Series 9 and Watch Ultra 2 were banned from import and sale in early 2024 due to Apple infringing on Masimo's patents related to blood oxygen measurement. However, with the implementation of the workaround, Apple has managed to reintroduce the feature for these models in the USA.

The blood oxygen measurement results are accessible in the Health app on the iPhone, making it easy for users to track their blood oxygen levels over time. This feature is expected to be a valuable tool for users who require regular monitoring of their blood oxygen levels, such as those with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) or sleep apnea.

In conclusion, the release of watchOS 11.6.1 and iOS 18.6.1 marks a significant step forward for the Apple Watch Series 9, Series 10, and Apple Watch Ultra 2, as they will now be able to measure blood oxygen saturation levels in the USA. This new feature is expected to provide users with valuable health insights and make the Apple Watch an even more indispensable health tool.