Apple to sell Series 9, Ultra 2 watches without THIS feature in US

In an attempt to keep selling its newest smartwatches in the midst of a patent fight with Masimo, Apple has decided to stop measuring blood oxygen levels in the United States on its Series 9 and Ultra 2 models.

On the US buying page for its Series 9 and Ultra 2 watches, Apple now states, "The ability to measure blood oxygen is no longer available on Apple Watch units sold by Apple in the United States beginning January 18, 2024." 

The Blood Oxygen feature icon is apparently still visible to users of these smartwatches, but when opening it, the devices will notify users that the Blood Oxygen app is no longer accessible. 

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You may still utilise the blood oxygen measuring feature if you purchased your Apple Watch before the current stock. Furthermore, while the patent issue is not relevant in overseas markets, devices sold abroad will continue to include this function. As a result, current users may relax knowing that they won't lose this capability in a later software update.

This abrupt shift is the outcome of a federal court ruling that says Apple can't continue to impose a ban on its smartwatches while it and Masimo are still at odds over blood oxygen sensor technology.

In case you were unaware, Apple was found to be violating a patent held by Masimo, a manufacturer of medical equipment. The blood oxygen sensor is the subject of the patent. Furthermore, Masimo charged Apple with stealing its workers to develop comparable technology for the Apple Watch.

As a result, Apple was forbidden from importing any Apple Watches with blood oxygen sensors by the International Trade Commission (ITC). 

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• Apple
• Apple Watch
• Apple Watch Series 9
• Apple Watch Ultra 2
• United States