Apple Updates Blood Oxygen Feature on New Apple Watches to Circumvent Import Ban

Apple has introduced a redesigned Blood Oxygen monitoring feature for its latest Apple Watch models, including Series 8, Series 10, and Apple Watch Ultra, following a legal dispute with medical device company Masimo. The redesign allows Apple to bypass an import ban imposed by the U.S. International Trade Commission (ITC) due to patent infringement allegations made by Masimo. Instead of measuring blood oxygen levels directly on the watch, the data will now be processed and calculated on the paired iPhone, with results accessible through the Health app. This adjustment applies only to watches sold after the import ban in early 2024 and will not affect earlier models or those purchased outside the United States. This move follows a prolonged legal battle in which Masimo accused Apple of stealing pulse oximetry technology patents after initial collaboration talks. Apple is allowed to import and sell the modified devices thanks to a recent U.S. Customs ruling. Users can expect the updated feature via a software update for iPhone and Apple Watch. This strategy enables Apple to comply with legal orders while maintaining the availability of blood oxygen monitoring as a health tool on its devices.