Apple Restores Blood Oxygen Tracking on Apple Watch After Masimo Settlement

Apple Inc. has announced that it has reached a settlement with Masimo Corp., ending a prolonged legal dispute. As a result, the tech giant will reinstate the blood oxygen tracking feature on its Apple Watch devices in the United States market. This feature had been suspended since late 2023 due to patent litigation and a directive from the U.S. Customs and Border Protection.

The resumption of the blood oxygen tracking feature will be facilitated through the release of iOS 18.6.1 and watchOS 11.6.1 system updates. Notably, Apple has adjusted the operation of the blood oxygen function. Data will no longer be displayed directly on the Apple Watch but will instead be transmitted to the paired iPhone for processing. Users can view the detection results in the "Health" app under the "Breath" section.

Apple stated that this update is based on a recent ruling by the U.S. Customs and Border Protection. The update will apply to Apple Watch Series 9, Series 10, and Apple Watch Ultra 2 users in the United States who had the blood oxygen function disabled. Devices that already have the feature enabled or were purchased outside the United States will not be affected by this update.

This development marks a significant turnaround for Apple, as the blood oxygen tracking feature has been a key selling point for the Apple Watch, particularly during the COVID-19 pandemic when health monitoring became a priority for many consumers. The settlement with Masimo Corp. not only allows Apple to restore a crucial health feature but also avoids further legal entanglements that could have impacted the company's product offerings and market position. The resolution of this dispute is expected to bolster consumer confidence in the Apple Watch, potentially driving sales and reinforcing the device's reputation as a leading wearable technology.