The return of Apple Watch's oxygen sensing feature: what's changed
Apple has confirmed that the blood oxygen level sensing feature is returning to some Apple Watch models in the US - Series 9, Series 10 and Ultra 2. The update will start rolling out today, but with a slight change to how the sensor works.
Here's What We Know
To activate the feature, watch owners will have to install iOS 18.6.1 on iPhone and watchOS 11.6.1 on Apple Watch. After that, the data from the sensor will be transferred to the iPhone and processed there, and the result can be seen in the "Breathing" section of the Health app. Previously, the calculations were performed directly on the watch.
The change will only affect users in the US who had the feature disabled due to a patent dispute. Apple emphasises that models originally released with the original version of the feature, as well as devices purchased outside the US, will remain unchanged.
The reason why the feature was disabled for a portion of users deserves separate attention. In early 2024, the company faced a patent dispute with medical manufacturer Masimo, which accused Apple of infringing on technology related to measuring blood oxygen saturation. This led to a temporary ban on the import and sale of certain Apple Watch models in the US. To circumvent the restrictions, Apple redesigned the way the feature works, moving the data processing to the iPhone.
The return became possible after the decision of the US customs authorities, who approved the updated implementation of the function.
Source: Apple
