Blood oxygen monitoring returns to Apple Watch in the US — but with a twist
A software update revives the feature months after a patent fight halted it.
Apple Watch owners in the US are getting back as early as today a popular health feature that was taken away last year from the Apple Watch Series 9, Series 10, and Apple Watch Ultra 2. Bloomberg’s Mark Gurman reports that blood oxygen tracking will return as part of an upcoming software update, ending a months-long absence caused by a legal dispute.
Apple had to turn off the feature in late 2023 after a patent infringement lawsuit from medical technology company Masimo Corp. In this lawsuit, Masimo claimed that Apple’s blood oxygen monitoring technology copied its patented designs. The US International Trade Commission agreed, which led to a US Customs order preventing Apple from selling watches with the feature active.
Instead of removing the sensor from the hardware, Apple kept it in but disabled it for new units sold in the US. That meant customers could still buy the latest Apple Watch models but couldn’t take a blood oxygen reading. The move allowed Apple to keep products on shelves while it looked for a legal and technical workaround.
That workaround is arriving with iOS 18.6.1 and watchOS 11.6.1, which will roll out today. This has been confirmed by Apple in a post, clarifying that the update will allow readings to return for affected watches, but with a change: the measurement will now be calculated on the paired iPhone, not on the watch itself. Users will see their results in the Respiratory section of the Health app on iPhone, rather than directly in the Blood Oxygen app on the watch. Apple says this adjustment follows the updated terms of a US Customs ruling.
The Apple Watch Blood Oxygen feature will be back with a twist. | Image credit — Apple
According to Apple this will apply to the Apple Watch Series 9, Apple Watch Series 10, and Apple Watch Ultra 2. However, there will be no impact to Apple Watch units that were purchased prior to the feature being removed or to Apple Watch units purchased in countries other than the U.S.
This update restores a major Apple Watch health tool, especially for people who track wellness or train at high altitudes. However, some users may find the new setup less convenient, since readings no longer appear instantly on the watch screen.
Competitively, this puts Apple back in line with rivals like Samsung. Galaxy Watch models have continued to offer on-wrist blood oxygen monitoring in the US without any interruptions, giving them an advantage while Apple’s feature was offline. Apple’s new approach still falls slightly behind in convenience, but it closes the gap in functionality.
This change shows how Apple can adapt its technology to meet legal requirements without completely removing features. Luckily, for now, US Apple Watch owners will see the return of a feature many missed — even if it works a little differently than before.
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