Smartwatches from Apple's latest collection now include a resurrected blood oxygen monitoring feature, but with a proviso.
The US International Trade Commission (ITC) imposed a ban on Apple Watch imports that included the blood oxygen feature in early 2024, following a legal dispute with medical technology company Masimo. The ban was a result of Masimo's ITC case win in 2023 [1][2][4].
Apple was forced to remove or disable the feature on watches sold in the US due to the import ban. However, as of August 2025, the technology giant has reintroduced the blood oxygen monitoring feature in the US via a software update [1][3][4].
The updated feature measures sensor data on the Apple Watch but performs the SpO2 calculation on the paired iPhone, with results visible in the Respiratory section of the Health app. This redesign is part of Apple's effort to comply with the import ban while restoring the feature for users [1][3][4].
The ban did not affect Apple Watch units previously purchased or units purchased outside of the US. For Apple Watch Series 8 and Ultra models originally sold with SpO2 in the US before the ban, the feature remains available [3][4]. However, for newer models like Series 10 and Ultra 2 sold after the ban, the workaround version with the new calculation method is in place [3][4].
| Model | Blood Oxygen Feature Status | |-------------------------|--------------------------------------| | Series 8 | Available (original feature intact) | | Series 9 | Available (workaround version) | | Series 10 | Available (workaround version) | | Apple Watch Ultra | Available (original feature intact) | | Apple Watch Ultra 2 | Available (workaround version) |
The redesign of the blood oxygen monitoring feature is a consequence of the legal dispute between Apple and Masimo, which started due to accusations of Apple copying Masimo's pulse oximetry technology [1][3][4]. The update is enabled by a recent US Customs ruling, allowing Apple to import Apple Watches with the revised blood oxygen feature [1][3].
To check blood oxygen levels, users need to open the Health app on their iPhone and look under the Respiratory section [1][3]. The blood oxygen monitoring feature is not directly visible on the Apple Watch, but on the paired iPhone.
[1] Apple Reintroduces Blood Oxygen Monitoring on Apple Watch in the US: What You Need to Know, TechCrunch, 15 August 2025.
[2] Apple's blood oxygen feature banned by US trade commission over patent dispute, The Verge, 15 January 2024.
[3] Apple Watch Series 9, Series 10, and Ultra 2 Get Blood Oxygen Monitoring in the US, MacRumors, 15 August 2025.
[4] Apple's Blood Oxygen Monitoring Feature Returns to the US, 9to5Mac, 15 August 2025.
- The legal dispute between Apple and Masimo led to a redesign in the blood oxygen monitoring feature on Apple Watches, which now performs the SpO2 calculation on paired iPhones.
- The blood oxygen monitoring feature on Apple Watches was initially banned due to a patent dispute with Masimo, but has since been reintroduced via a software update, in compliance with a US Customs ruling.
- The blood oxygen monitoring feature on newer Apple Watch models like Series 10 and Ultra 2 sold after the ban, uses a workaround version with a new calculation method, while Series 8 models maintain the original feature intact.
