Last NovemberWinning lawsuit against medical technology company MasimoLater, AppleAnnounceApple Watch Series 9, Series 10, and Apple Watch Ultra 2 in the United States will now support blood oxygen monitoring via a software update. However, this time, it will be a "redesigned" version that complies with a recent ruling by the U.S. Customs Service and avoids further patent disputes with Masimo.
Data processing moved to iPhone
According to Apple, the new blood oxygen monitoring feature requires both iOS 18.6.1 and watchOS 11.6.1 to be enabled. Unlike the previous method of performing calculations directly on the Apple Watch, the redesigned version will move the processing of blood oxygen data to the paired iPhone, and the final results can be viewed on the Respiratory function page of the Health app.
Apple emphasized that this change only affects designated models sold in the US market, and older models in other regions or with original functions will not be affected.
The three-year patent war has come to a temporary end
The return of the blood oxygen monitoring feature stems from a three-year legal dispute between Apple and Masimo. In 2021, Masimo sued Apple, alleging that its blood oxygen monitoring technology infringed its patents. Following a ruling by the U.S. International Trade Commission (ITC), and after former President Biden's veto, Apple was forced to suspend sales of the Apple Watch Series 9 and Apple Watch Ultra 2 in the United States.
To comply with the court ruling, Apple initially removed the relevant feature and re-listed the affected products in the U.S. However, after recently winning the court ruling, Apple has legally restored the blood oxygen monitoring feature through technical adjustments.
The market significance of functional regression
Blood oxygen monitoring has always been an important part of Apple Watch's health functions, especially providing real-time data during exercise, sleep, and high-altitude activities, thereby attracting users to continue wearing it.
The feature's removal not only impacted Apple Watch sales in the US market but also gave competitors like Garmin and Samsung a more differentiated entry point. The feature's return is expected to help solidify Apple's healthy position in the high-end smartwatch market.
The legal battle isn't over yet
While the functionality has temporarily returned to the US market, the patent litigation between Apple and Masimo is not yet over, and the two sides may engage in a new round of attacks and defenses over technical details and patent scope. Apple's restructuring of its computing architecture is clearly intended to avoid further patent disputes.
For American consumers, this update means regaining a complete health monitoring experience. For Apple, it demonstrates a technological adjustment to maintain product competitiveness within legal constraints, while also reflecting the delicate balance between patents and innovation in the smart wearable market.
