by Apple’s latest smartwatch has attracted a lot of attention for its slick design overhaul and addition of a sleep apnea detection system. But as the company inches closer to the launch of the Apple Watch Series 10, the smartwatch will be missing a crucial feature: blood oxygen tracking.
Also known as SpO2 level analysis, the feature was first introduced about five years ago and has been a fixture on Apple smartwatches ever since. Earlier this year, however, Apple was ordered to halt sales of the Apple Watch Series 9 and Apple Watch Ultra 2 smartwatches in the US. You can still buy the watches, but they don’t come with the blood oxygen tracking app. The ban has now affected the Apple Watch Series 10, too.
If you live in the US, you can’t open the Blood Oxygen app with Apple Watch Series 10 units. “The ability to measure blood oxygen will no longer be available on Apple Watch units sold by Apple in the US as of January 18, 2024, identified by part numbers ending in LW/A,” according to a footnote on the official Apple Store webpage.
Apple is in hot water over a patent dispute with a medical technology company called Masimo. The two companies have been locked in a lengthy legal battle over its blood oxygen sensor stack, with Masimo claiming that Apple has infringed on its patented wearable technology.
Masimo reportedly had discussions with Apple before the release of the first Apple Watch, but the two companies failed to reach an agreement. The technology was reportedly in development at the time, but it didn’t come to market until the Apple Watch Series 6.
A ruling by the US International Trade Commission (ITC) that Apple’s blood oxygen sensors infringed on Masimo’s patents led to a temporary block on sales of Apple Watches in the US late last year. Apple, in turn, has sought to overturn the ruling after it was found to be at least partially infringing on patents held by Masimo.
It’s not yet clear if and when the Apple Watch Series 10’s blood oxygen monitoring system will be available in the US. However, the most likely solution is a new court ruling that will be in Apple’s favor.
