Home / Technology / Apple Wins Legal Battle, Brings Blood Oxygen Tracking to Watches
Apple Wins Legal Battle, Brings Blood Oxygen Tracking to Watches
14 Aug
Summary
- Apple receives U.S. approval for blood oxygen feature on new watches
- Resolves long-running legal dispute with Masimo over pulse oximetry tech
- Feature now available on Apple Watch Series 9, 10, and Ultra 2 in the U.S.
In a significant development, Apple has announced that it will be bringing a blood oxygen measurement feature to some of its Apple Watch models in the United States. This comes after the company received approval from the U.S. government, resolving a protracted legal dispute with Masimo, a California-based medical technology company.
The new feature will be available on the Apple Watch Series 9, Series 10, and Apple Watch Ultra 2 models. Users in the U.S. will now be able to view their blood oxygen levels on a paired iPhone, thanks to the software update approved by U.S. Customs.
The legal battle between Apple and Masimo has been ongoing for years, with Masimo accusing Apple of hiring its employees and stealing its pulse oximetry technology. Masimo had previously won a ruling at the U.S. International Trade Commission to block imports of watches with the blood oxygen feature, prompting Apple to remove the feature and set off a lengthy appeals process.
However, Apple has now managed to overcome this regulatory hurdle, allowing it to reintroduce the blood oxygen tracking capability on its latest smartwatch models. This feature, which was first introduced in the Apple Watch Series 6 in 2020, is expected to be a valuable tool for users to monitor their health and wellness.
As the legal dispute has been resolved, Apple can now offer its customers in the United States the ability to track their blood oxygen levels directly from their Apple Watches, providing them with a more comprehensive suite of health-related features.
