Apple to remove pulse oximeter from Apple Watches to avoid ban on sales in US (2024)

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Apple to remove pulse oximeter from Apple Watches to avoid ban on sales in US? ›

Apple to remove pulse oximeter from Apple Watches to avoid ban on sales in US. Apple has agreed to remove a blood oxygen measurement tool from two of its Apple Watch models so it can avoid a sales ban on the devices in the U.S., Bloomberg reported.

While the newly sold devices still have the pulse oximeter hardware, the feature will be disabled. This change comes after courts ruled in favor of Masimo, the tech company who sued Apple for patent violations relating to the blood oxygen tracking technology.

The sensor previously monitored the levels of oxygen in the blood. The reason Apple disabled the blood oxygen sensor is a legal one. Apple has been in an ongoing patent dispute with medical device maker Masimo, which alleges that Apple has infringed on its blood oxygen technology patents.

Apple plans to remove blood-oxygen sensors from some of its smartwatches to avoid a U.S. ban, several outlets reported. The move from Apple, which would allow the company to keep its watches on the market, is an apparent way around a patent dispute related to the technology.

Apple will disable the blood-oxygen feature on premium watches sold in the US as part of a patent dispute. Apple says it will disable a blood-oxygen monitoring feature on its two most popular watches in the U.S. beginning Thursday to comply with a court-ordered revival of a sales ban stemming from a patent dispute.

Those who have already purchased the Series 9 and Ultra 2 models in the U.S. will still be able to use the blood-oxygen sensor as they have been. The sensor will continue to work on those watches purchased outside the U.S.

Apple to remove pulse oximeter from Apple Watches to avoid ban on sales in US. Apple has agreed to remove a blood oxygen measurement tool from two of its Apple Watch models so it can avoid a sales ban on the devices in the U.S., Bloomberg reported.

In patients and conditions where the conventional pulse oximeter measured >90% spO₂, the Apple Watch measured on average 1% higher than the conventional device. The authors concluded that the spO₂ measuring was sufficiently advanced for indicative measurement outside of the clinic.

Apple says the ability to measure blood oxygen levels will no longer be available on the Apple Watch Series 9 and Watch Ultra 2 models, after the tech giant's loss in a patent case.

Note: Blood Oxygen app measurements are not intended for medical use. The ability to measure blood oxygen is no longer available on Apple Watch units sold by Apple in the United States on or after January 18, 2024. These units are indicated with part numbers ending in LW/A. Learn how to identify your Apple Watch.

Why is Apple blood oxygen banned? ›

In October, the International Trade Commission found that Apple's blood oxygen sensors had infringed on Masimo's intellectual property. Apple shares fell slightly in Wednesday afternoon trading. The ban prevents Apple from importing the devices in question -- both the Apple Watch Series 9 and Ultra 2.

What models did the Apple Watch ban affect? The ITC's ruling specifically targeted the sales of the Apple Watch Series 9 and Ultra 2 because both of those models feature blood oxygen monitoring capabilities.

In 2021, AliveCor filed an antitrust lawsuit against Apple over the heart-monitoring technology used in the Apple Watch, claiming that Apple had abused its monopolistic power with the electrocardiogram (ECG) technology.

Apple pulled the watches from store shelves after the International Trade Commission (ITC) ruled that the watches' blood oxygen sensors violated Masimo's patents. The devices were banned on December 26. Apple appealed the decision and the ban was paused, allowing the tech giant to resume watch sales in the U.S.

Apple Watch — Series 6 or later, excluding Apple Watch SE1 — is capable of measuring oxygen saturation of arterial hemoglobin (SpO2) for fitness and wellness applications.

Apple Watch Pulse Oximetry Can Be Reactivated Through Software in 2028 or With Successful Appeal - MacRumors.

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. These are indicated with part numbers ending in LW/A.

You'll remember, but just in case, Apple was accused of patent infringement by health device maker Masimo for the way pulse oximetry (measurement of blood oxygen) worked on the Apple Watch. The monitoring feature was then removed from all Apple Watch Series 9 and Apple Watch Ultra 2 devices sold in the U.S. by Apple.

The International Trade Commission (ITC) ruled that the blood oxygen sensors in both devices infringed on patents from Masimo. Apple pulled the Watch Series 9 and Watch Ultra 2 from its physical and online stores in the days before the ban went into effect on December 26th, 2023.