Apple announces Blood Oxygen feature is returning to Apple Watch

After a years-long patent dispute with the medical device maker Masimo, Apple announced today that the popular Blood Oxygen reporting feature will be returning to the Apple Watch. In a blog post, Apple said the feature will be available later today for U.S. customers with the Apple Watch Series 9, Series 10, and Apple Watch Ultra 2 after users update their iPhones to iOS 18.6.1 and their smartwatch to watchOS 11.6.1.

The blog post reads, "Following this update, sensor data from the Blood Oxygen app on Apple Watch will be measured and calculated on the paired iPhone, and results can be viewed in the Respiratory section of the Health app. This update was enabled by a recent U.S. Customs ruling."

Back in 2023, just before the holiday shopping season, the newly released Apple Watch Series 9 and Ultra 2 were pulled from shelves in the U.S. due to the dispute with Masimo. The company was also prohibited from importing new Apple Watches with the feature, as Mashable reported at the time. The medical device maker claimed Apple had violated its patent in designing the blood oxygen feature, and the International Trade Commission ruled in Masimo's favor.

The disputed pulse oximetry feature could be used to measure the level of oxygen in the blood, which can be helpful data for athletes and people with respiratory health problems.

Now, the feature will be returning to Apple Watches.

As Apple said in its blog post, the update is possible thanks to a new ruling in Apple's favor. Apple had filed a tit-for-tat suit against Masimo, claiming the company had actually violated Apple's patents. According to Bloomberg Law, Apple won a grand total of $250 in the appeals court ruling, with an Apple attorney saying "We're not here for the money" in the company's closing arguments.

In addition, Apple says the latest news will not impact "Apple Watch units previously purchased that include the original Blood Oxygen feature, nor to Apple Watch units purchased outside of the U.S."

The Apple Watch Series 10 is already a popular fitness tracker, and the return of Blood Oxygen reporting will be welcome news for many customers.