TL;DR:
• Apple announces redesigned blood oxygen feature for Apple Watch Series 9, 10, and Ultra 2
• Feature returns after 18-month hiatus due to Masimo IP dispute that cost Apple millions
• U.S. Customs ruling enables Apple to sidestep 2023 ITC ban
• Available now via iOS 18.6.1 and watchOS 11.6.1 updates
Apple just brought blood oxygen monitoring back to the Apple Watch, ending a bitter 18-month standoff with medical device maker Masimo that forced the tech giant to pull one of its flagship health features. The redesigned sensor launches today for Series 9, Series 10, and Ultra 2 users following a favorable U.S. Customs ruling that Apple says cleared the way for the return.
Apple is declaring victory in one of the most expensive intellectual property battles in wearable tech history. The company's Thursday announcement that blood oxygen monitoring is returning to Apple Watch represents the end of an 18-month saga that saw Apple pull watches from stores during peak holiday sales and ship millions of devices with disabled health features.
The breakthrough came via a recent U.S. Customs ruling that Apple says validates its redesigned approach to pulse oximetry. While Apple hasn't disclosed technical details of the workaround, the company's ability to restore functionality suggests significant behind-the-scenes engineering to circumvent Masimo's patents without licensing the medical device maker's intellectual property.
"Apple's teams work tirelessly to create products and services that empower users with industry-leading health, wellness, and safety features," the company said in today's announcement. The carefully worded statement notably avoids any mention of Masimo or the dispute that triggered this entire redesign effort.
The 2023 International Trade Commission ruling found that Apple's original blood oxygen sensors infringed on Masimo's light-based pulse oximetry patents. The decision forced to during the crucial December shopping period and later ship .
