Apple’s ‘redesigned’ blood oxygen monitoring characteristic hits Apple Watches within the US at present

Greater than a yr after an import ban compelled the corporate to take away blood oxygen monitoring from some US Apple Watch fashions, Apple says it’s going to introduce a redesigned model of the characteristic later at present. In a publish on its newsroom website, the corporate says the characteristic will roll out to Apple Watch Collection 9, Collection 10, and Watch Extremely 2 customers by way of a joint Apple Watch and iPhone replace. As soon as Apple begins rolling out the software program, you will have to replace your units to iOS 18.6.1 and watchOS 11.6.1 to entry the reworked characteristic. Following the replace, any blood oxygen information captured by your Apple Watch will likely be calculated in your iPhone, with the ensuing information viewable within the respiratory part of the Well being app.

“There will likely be no influence to Apple Watch models beforehand bought that embody the unique Blood Oxygen characteristic, nor to Apple Watch models bought exterior of the US,” Apple mentioned.

As we speak’s replace marks one other surprising growth in Apple’s lengthy, drawn out authorized feud with Masimo. In 2021, the medical system maker sued Apple, alleging the tech big had infringed on its mental properties associated to pulse oximeter blood-oxygen monitoring know-how. Following a few years of authorized forwards and backwards, the problem got here to a head when the US International Trade Commission (ITC) upheld a previous ruling that discovered Apple had violated Masimo’s patents. After former President Biden selected to not veto the choice, Apple was compelled to temporarily pause gross sales of the Apple Watch Collection 9 and Extremely 2. The corporate later began promoting the wearables once more following an update the eliminated the infringing blood oxygen monitoring characteristic. Now Apple says it is capable of supply the performance once more, with a slight modification, on account of a current US Customs ruling.