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Apple to Sell Series 9 and Ultra 2 Watches Without Blood Oxygen Feature in U.S. Starting Tomorrow
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So the article is unclear about this. Will they be disabling the feature on Apple Watches already owned that have it? If so, the simple solution is to just not apply new watchOS updates.
Seems like this "feature" depends on where the device was purchased, not where it lives.
Soooo, what PRICE BREAK do the buyers of broken watches get?
„Apple confirmed that the Blood Oxygen app will remain functional on previously-sold Series 9 and Ultra 2 models.“
Believe it or not, the blood oxygen sensor measures blood oxygen. Wait til you hear what the heart rate sensor is for.
Isn't this article and the myriad of other similar articles today by definition calling them out?
So what about the Series 8 watches and Ultra 1? This could be a real boon to the sales of the other watch devices that claim to monitor O2 sats and glucose levels. I do think that it would change my mind as it stands now, about updating my Series 8 as planned next year.
Why are you blaming the victim? It appears their patent was infringed on. You can be an Apple customer without defending them to the death and vilifying all others. I somehow manage to do that.
It is being disabled for NEW purchases, not yours. So you can hold off on the frivolous lawsuit.
By the way, even if it was being disabled for all, I am 99.9% sure the TOS we all agreed to states they can disable or change features at any time. Though I'm sure some lawyer would be happy to take the case anyway and try and get a few million bucks for themselves and $1.20 for you.
Makes perfect sense. The number of people who rely on SpO2 are incredibly make up a likely very small number of overall Apple Watch sales.
Great. And how will it know to restore functionality if I have to wipe and re-pair my watch? A check-in with Apple servers? Is that function already built-in? Do they already “phone home” to see purchase dates? That would have been some interesting foresight on Apple’s part for the watch’s software to ask for permission to activate certain features (checking location for the ECG sensor not withstanding since that was known from the beginning). Did Apple already anticipate having to disable features and built in a mechanism to do so?
How about if I damage it and get it replaced under my AppleCare+? Will my replacement have an active O2 sensor?
Like I said, once I’m satisfied that I won’t get screwed out of a feature I paid for, I’ll rest easier.
I’m very surprised Apple hasn’t made any public apologies in regards to this whole fiasco (beyond the “this feature is temporarily unavailable in the U.S.” caveat on the Watch product spec page).
It’s already been stated that new models coming into the US will end with a new model number format which Apple will use to disable the feature on only those watches with those specific model numbers.
Exactly. This is standard Apple playbook. They are going to make sure Masimo is tried in the court of public opinion as well.
A lot of people here seem to think Apple lost that trial too. People keep saying “just pay them!” Yeah I’m sure Apple’s $70 million lawyers didn’t think of that. Masimo clearly demands a price Apple is not willing to pay.
If Apple thinks disabling the feature is the best option right now, it has got to be bad. Masimo feels like they have Apple over a barrel right now and Apple does not like it.
At this point it seems the most likely outcome is that the S9 and Ultra 2 just won’t have it anymore and the next gen watch will have different hardware that brings it back.
The most hard nosed way for Apple to handle this seems to be to just take the ban, pay the penalty, and take the L on this one and move on to find another way to punish them. And you can bet they are working on how to do that too.
That's one way to keep the value of the 6, 7, 8 and AWU1 values high on the secondary market.
No, don't jump to that conclusion just yet
I'm sure they'll have this mess figured out well before then
Time to toss my AWU2 up on Ebay for $2,000 BUY IT NOW. 
Nice down payment on an Apple Vision.
Nice down payment on an Apple Vision.
Given inaccuracies in the device, and warning that it isn't meant as a medical diagnostic tool, is it that advantageous of a feature anyway? If I was short on breath, rapid heart rate, headache, bit of confusion, wheezing... yeah, probably a good sign I have low blood oxygen, no?
The courts can be slow.
And Apple shouldn't give up on this one. It's an utterly ridiculous patent that needs to be invalidated. The technology was invented in the 1970s, all legitimate patents on it are long expired.
At this point, Masimo should be on the hook for some serious damages once it's invalidated.
Of course, there is one thing Apple could and really should do to fix the import ban. They won't, but they could. Pack up a few of the production lines, toss them in a 747, and ship them to the US. Foxconn has a factory already built in Wisconsin. Can't ban the imports if they're not imported.
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