Apple Watch Series 9, Ultra 2 Drop Blood Oxygen Feature Amid Patent Dispute (2024)

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Apple Watch Series 9, Ultra 2 Drop Blood Oxygen Feature Amid Patent Dispute? ›

The Apple Watch Series 9 and Ultra 2 are part of an ongoing patent dispute. The Apple Watch Series 9 and Ultra 2 will now be sold without their blood oxygen feature. Apple says the move will allow it to sell its high-end watches while staying in compliance amid an ongoing patent dispute with health tech company Masimo.

The Apple Watch Series 9 and Watch Ultra 2 were both banned in the US late last year as the result of a patent dispute with medical device maker Masimo. The International Trade Commission (ITC) ruled that the blood oxygen sensors in both devices infringed on patents from Masimo.

Apple is embroiled in a patent dispute with medical technology company Masimo over blood oxygen sensors used in its Ultra 2 and Series 9 smartwatches. The company temporarily stopped selling the two top-of-the-line models, but that was just one permutation in an ongoing set of rulings and appeals.

A significant legal battle has unfolded between Apple and Massimo Corporation regarding patented pulse oximetry technology used in certain Apple Watch models to measure blood oxygen levels. The contentious dispute spans multiple case venues as the parties pursue their respective positions.

In December, the ITC imposed a ban on the Series 9 and Ultra 2 models of the Apple Watch after finalizing its decision that the blood oxygen sensors in the devices did indeed infringe on patents owned by Masimo and its subsidiary Cercacor Laboratories.

"The blood oxygen feature is fairly accurate, from the research I've seen, but it's not medical grade, so I would say overall, no, it's not very useful," Graham Bower, developer of iOS health app Reps and Sets and Apple Watch expert, told Lifewire via email.

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.

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. The Apple Watch SE, while similar, does not have this feature and will continue to be sold regardless of future court rulings.

The company alleged that Apple had infringed on its patents for a smartwatch sensor that uses lights to measure the concentration of oxygen in the wearer's blood. This sensor tech was added to the Apple Watch Series 6, and it has remained in the device's design through the current Watch Series 9 and Ultra 2 models.

When Apple was forced by a court to disable the blood oxygen sensor on all Apple Watch Series 9 and Apple Watch Ultra 2 models following a patent dispute, the media made a pretty big deal out of it. In reality, however, it doesn't seem like end users think it's a big deal at all.

Is Apple Watch blood oxygen patent issue? ›

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 can potentially reactivate the feature through a software update or settle with Masimo for a licensing deal. Apple Watch Series 9 and Watch Ultra 2 users in the United States may have to wait until 2028 to regain access to the blood oxygen monitoring feature.

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.

Apple announced Monday that it will stop selling its Apple Watch Series 9 and Ultra 2 models in the United States. Neither watch will be available to order from the U.S. Apple website as of 3 p.m. ET Thursday. Inventory will be pulled from Apple retailers after December 24, the company said in a statement.

Bad battery life

The Apple Watch Ultra and Ultra 2 have exceptional battery life, with a single charge lasting around 36 hours. However, the regular Apple Watch Series 9 does not have such long-lasting battery life, as it still only gets about a full day of use before you should juice it up again.

Apple decided to drop the health feature after losing a patent case brought by the medical technology company Masimo, which alleged that Apple infringed on its patent for a blood oxygen sensor that can read someone's pulse.

When Apple was forced by a court to disable the blood oxygen sensor on all Apple Watch Series 9 and Apple Watch Ultra 2 models following a patent dispute, the media made a pretty big deal out of it. In reality, however, it doesn't seem like end users think it's a big deal at all.

As noted by ip fray, the patents that Apple was found to have infringed on expire in August of 2028, which means that Apple will be able to re-enable pulse oximetry in affected models at that time.

The smartwatch isn't equipped to measure your blood pressure alone, but there are tools and devices you can pair it with that can; usually wireless monitors that connect to your iPhone or Apple Watch and come with an arm cuff and their own app.