August 21, 2025

Get ready, Apple Watch fans in the US! The much-loved blood oxygen monitoring feature is making a grand return on Apple Watch Series 9, Series 10, and Apple Watch Ultra 2. After a long wait, Apple has released a new software update that brings back this smart health tool. Users can now run oxygen level checks through the Blood Oxygen app, which gathers data from watch sensors and displays it on their paired iPhones. Why was it gone? Well, the feature had been turned off earlier in the US because of some legal hassles and rules. Here's the juicy backstory – Apple had to disable this feature due to a patent dispute with a medical tech company called Masimo, based in Irvine, California. Masimo claimed Apple misused its pulse oximetry technology and even hired some of its key staff after talks about teaming up fell apart. In 2023, the US International Trade Commission (ITC) sided with Masimo and temporarily blocked imports of Apple Watches with this feature. But no worries, if you owned an older Apple Watch or lived outside the US, your device was safe and sound. Now, the good news is that Apple got official approval from US authorities to bring the feature back! According to Game Revolution, US Customs has cleared the path, allowing Apple to return the blood oxygen tracking through the updated software. Apple first wowed the world with blood oxygen tracking on the Series 6 back in 2020, right as the COVID-19 pandemic started. Meanwhile, Masimo had launched its own blood oxygen wearable named the W1 watch in 2022. Until the dispute settled, Apple had to pull the plug on this feature for new US models while they fought the ruling. But Apple is not stopping here. The tech giant is gearing up for bigger health moves, including exciting plans for noninvasive glucose monitoring – a big bonus for people with diabetes. To sum it up: Q1. Which Apple Watch models get the blood oxygen feature back in the US? A1. Apple Watch Series 9, Series 10, and Apple Watch Ultra 2 now have it. Q2. Why was it removed before? A2. Due to a patent dispute with Masimo and related regulations, but now it’s back for good! So, ready to check your oxygen levels right on your wrist? With Apple bringing back this thrilling feature, health tracking just got a colorful upgrade for American users!

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Tags: Apple watch, Blood oxygen, Masimo, Us market, Health tracking, Software update,