Latest news with #MasimoCorp
Yahoo
a day ago
- Health
- Yahoo
Apple Watch Just Brought Back This Health Feature
Apple's long-lost blood oxygen tracking feature for its smartwatch is finally coming back to the United States after a long legal battle. The Apple Watch sensors will now collect the data and then send it to a paired iPhone to be measured and calculated. You'll be able to see the results in the Respiratory section of the Health app on your phone. The feature, which was removed at the end of 2023 due to a patent infringement lawsuit from Masimo Corp. and a US Customs injunction, is returning for Apple Watch owners who purchased models with the feature disabled. The workaround is rolling out in iOS 18.6.1 and watchOS 11.6.1. The feature was first introduced in the Series 6 Apple Watches back in 2020, but in 2023, Masimo, a company that makes its wearables with pulse oximeters, convinced the US International Trade Commission (ITC) that Apple's technology for reading blood oxygen levels infringed on its patents. This led to a ban on importing the Series 9 and Ultra 2 smartwatches. Apple tried to fight it, even temporarily resuming sales before the ban was reinstated, which ultimately forced the company to remove the blood oxygen capabilities from its watches in the United States. The blood oxygen app is a big deal because it's such an advanced feature to lose. Older Apple Watches still had the feature, but any new models purchased in the United States since early 2024 were missing it entirely. So, if you were thinking of upgrading, you would lose a key feature that your current watch had. It's a redesigned Blood Oxygen feature for some Apple Watch Series 9, Series 10, and Apple Watch Ultra 2 users. If you have one of these models, and it didn't come with the feature, you'll now be able to access it by updating your paired iPhone to iOS 18.6.1 and your Apple Watch to watchOS 11.6.1. The update won't affect older Apple Watch models that already have the original feature, or any watches purchased outside the United States. This update is a clever way to get around the legal issues, since the watch itself is just collecting the sensor data, and the iPhone is doing the calculating and displaying. Apple Watches seem to be advertised as a must-have for health and wellness, and the blood oxygen sensor is one of the big features. It is used to identify things like breathing problems, lung disease, and circulation issues, so having this back is also a big win for Apple. Source: Apple
Bloomberg
2 days ago
- Health
- Bloomberg
Apple Watch Blood Oxygen Tracker Back in US
Apple Inc. is restoring the blood oxygen tracking feature on its smartwatch in the US following a years-long legal fight. The feature — which was removed at the end of 2023 due to a patent infringement lawsuit filed by Masimo Corp. and a US Customs injunction — will return for Apple Watch owners who bought models with the feature disabled, the company said Thursday, citing a ruling by US Customs. The restoration comes as part of iOS 18.6.1 and watchOS 11.6.1 software updates — and includes a workaround that shows the data on an iPhone rather than the Apple Watch blood oxygen app itself. The development is hitting at a key time for Apple. The company is expected to unveil new Apple Watch models next month, alongside its iPhone 17 line. Now it will once again be able to market that health feature alongside other tools like heart rate monitoring. (Source: Bloomberg)
Phone Arena
2 days ago
- Health
- Phone Arena
Blood oxygen monitoring returns to Apple Watch in the US — but with a twist
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 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.
Bloomberg
2 days ago
- Health
- Bloomberg
Apple Watch Blood Oxygen Tracker Returns to US After Legal Win
Apple Inc.'s blood oxygen tracking feature for its smartwatch is returning to the US after a yearslong legal fight. The feature — which was removed at the end of 2023 due to a patent infringement lawsuit by Masimo Corp. and a US Customs injunction — will return for Apple Watch owners who bought models with the feature disabled, Apple said in a statement on Thursday.
Reuters
07-07-2025
- Business
- Reuters
Apple, Masimo spar over Apple Watch import ban at US appeals court
July 7 (Reuters) - Apple (AAPL.O), opens new tab asked a U.S. appeals court on Monday to overturn a trade tribunal's decision which forced it to remove blood-oxygen reading technology from its Apple Watches, in order to avoid a ban on its U.S. smartwatch imports. A three-judge panel of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit heard arguments from the tech giant, medical monitoring technology company Masimo (MASI.O), opens new tab, and the U.S. International Trade Commission over the ITC's 2023 ruling that Apple Watches violated Masimo's patent rights in pulse oximetry technology. Apple attorney Joseph Mueller of WilmerHale told the court on Monday that the decision had wrongly "deprived millions of Apple Watch users" of Apple's blood-oxygen feature. A lawyer for Masimo, Joseph Re of Knobbe Martens Olson & Bear, countered that Apple was trying to "rewrite the law" with its arguments. The judges questioned whether Masimo's development of a competing smartwatch justified the ITC's ruling. Apple has told the appeals court that the ban was improper because a Masimo wearable device covered by the patents was "purely hypothetical" when Masimo filed its ITC complaint in 2021. Irvine, California-based Masimo has accused Apple of hiring its employees and stealing its pulse oximetry technology after discussing a potential collaboration. Apple first introduced pulse oximetry in its Series 6 Apple Watches in 2020. Masimo released its blood-oxygen tracking W1 watch in 2022. Masimo convinced the ITC to block imports of Apple's Series 9 and Ultra 2 smartwatches in 2023, based on the commission's determination that Apple's technology for reading blood-oxygen levels infringed upon Masimo's patents. Apple temporarily resumed sales of the watches the next day after persuading the Federal Circuit to pause the ban. The Federal Circuit reinstated the ban the next month, leading Apple to remove pulse oximetry capabilities from its watches in the United States. Mueller told the court on Monday that the ban was unjustified because Masimo only had prototypes of a smartwatch with pulse oximetry features when it had filed its ITC complaint. Re responded that Apple was wrong to argue that a "finished product" was necessary to justify the ITC's decision. The case is Apple Inc v. ITC, U.S. Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit, No. 24-1285. For Apple: Joseph Mueller of Wilmer Cutler Pickering Hale & Dorr For Masimo: Joseph Re of Knobbe Martens Olson & Bear For the ITC: Ronald Traud Read more: Apple files appeal after Biden administration allows US ban on watch imports Apple to sell some watches without blood oxygen feature after US court ruling Apple asks US appeals court to reverse Apple Watch import ban
