Apple to Remove Blood Oxygen Feature from Some Watches after US Ban

January 19, 2024

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Apple will remove the blood oxygen measuring feature from some of its most recent Apple Watches in the United States, allowing the company to continue selling the devices in the country while fighting a lawsuit against California-based health technology company Masimo.

The Apple Watch Series 9 and Ultra 2 smartwatches will go on sale on Thursday, according to Reuters. The company has been embroiled in a legal dispute with Masimo, a medical device manufacturer, since the International Trade Commission (ITC) determined in October that its smartwatches contained sensors that infringed on Masimo’s patents.

The watches with sensors were banned on December 26 of last year, before Apple won a victory in a US appeals court on December 27 to halt the import ban on smartwatches. However, the court did not overturn the ITC decision, which is currently under appeal. It is unusual for technology companies such as Apple to remove features from released products, and the lack of a blood oxygen sensor may deter some customers.

While the appeal is pending, Apple is taking steps to comply with the ruling while ensuring that customers can use the Apple Watch with minimal disruption. These steps include releasing a version of the Apple Watch Series 9 and Apple Watch Ultra 2 in the United States without the Blood Oxygen feature. “There is no impact on previously purchased Apple Watch units with the Blood Oxygen feature,” an Apple spokesperson told CNBC.

The Apple Watch represents a significant product category for the company. In 2023, wearables sales totaled nearly $40 billion. This category also includes headphones, but watches take up a significant portion.

Masimo accused Apple of hiring its employees and stealing its technology to create the pulse oximetry devices found in smartwatches. After Apple was granted a temporary reprieve by a US court, the watches remained on sale in the United States through various channels.

According to the BBC, Masimo’s founder and CEO Joe Kiani stated that the ruling demonstrated that even the largest and most powerful companies must respect the intellectual rights of American inventors and must deal with the consequences when they are caught infringing on others’ patents.