Apple Reintroduces Redesigned Blood Oxygen Feature for Apple Watch After Legal Dispute

More than a year after an import ban forced Apple to strip blood oxygen monitoring from select U.S. Apple Watch models, the company is rolling out a redesigned version of the feature. The update, launching today, will be available for Apple Watch Series 9, Series 10, and Watch Ultra 2 users via a combined Apple Watch and iPhone software upgrade. To access the revamped functionality, users will need to update to iOS 18.6.1 and watchOS 11.6.1, after which blood oxygen readings will be processed on the iPhone and displayed in the Health app’s respiratory section. Apple emphasized that previous devices and models sold outside the U.S. remain unaffected.

The reintroduction comes amid a prolonged legal battle with medical device company Masimo. In 2021, Masimo sued Apple, claiming infringement on patents related to pulse oximeter technology. Following years of litigation, the U.S. International Trade Commission upheld a ruling that Apple had violated Masimo’s intellectual property. After former President Biden opted not to veto the decision, Apple temporarily halted sales of the Apple Watch Series 9 and Ultra 2, later resuming them with the controversial blood oxygen feature removed.

Now, a recent ruling by U.S. Customs allows Apple to restore the functionality with slight modifications, marking a new chapter in the saga. The update not only resolves a longstanding patent dispute but also restores a key health-monitoring capability to Apple’s wearables, reaffirming the company’s commitment to blending innovation with regulatory compliance in the competitive smartwatch market.