Apple Updates Website to Highlight Removal of Apple Watch Blood Oxygen Feature

BruiserB said:
Are we sure the hardware is actually removed? Seems more like the distinction that was there for Nike Apple Watches before. Now that there are no longer separate Nike Watches sold, they enabled the watch faces, etc on the non-Nike watches. There's probably just a line of software that checks something that identifies the model and disallows the sensor on these watches....I would bet there's no actual hardware change. And therefore it could be enabled in the future if things get settled and it becomes legal to do so.
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Ive read nothing on hardware removal. Seems to me that Apple has stopped signing on the new model designation. The App is on the new model number.
 
MacAttack2024 said:
Itā€™s not the fallout.

Itā€™s the fact that Apple will play games with consumer health products. Ie they donā€™t mind deactivating a health feature while they fight patent disputes. What if this was the EKG sensor?

It just tells the customer Apple is only interested in Apple keeping as much money as possible. To me this just shows the management shift at the company has intensified. Clearly consumer is not first (and it never truly is, with any company), but now itā€™s more and more obvious.
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Very true that, they want you to rely more and more on their health sensors, but as you say are happy to disable them at anytime if itā€™s valuable for them to do so in monetary terms. So if you have a condition and you use an Apple Watch as a guide to keep an eye on it then your SOL.
 
Good thing we live in an age where one can order motorcycle parts from Italy at the click of a button and it arrives in a couple of days to your front door in Manitoba, etc. If someone really wants the full model, just hop online and buy it from outside of the US, or ask a foreign friend abroad to help you out also. Thereā€™s many ways around Apple cheaping out if you really want to get the true S9 or AWU2
 
Congrats to everyone with an AWU2/S9, you now have a newer S4. * Checks blood oxygen from AWU *

Edit: i was wrong, only for watches sold going forward.
 
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Pezimak said:
Very true that, they want you to rely more and more on their health sensors, but as you say are happy to disable them at anytime if itā€™s valuable for them to do so in monetary terms. So if you have a condition and you use an Apple Watch as a guide to keep an eye on it then your SOL.
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How so? This only impacts NEW sales at Apple or Apple retail, and they clearly state that the watch does NOT have that feature.
Every watch out there remains ā€œas isā€.
And, if you buy a new one from another retailer like AMazon, you will get SpO2 at least for the time being.
So your ā€œSOLā€ is just plain FUD
 
MacRumors said:


As expected, Apple has updated its U.S. website to notify customers that the Blood Oxygen feature on the Apple Watch Series 9 and Apple Watch Ultra 2 is no longer included.

apple-watch-series-6-blood-oxygen-monitoring-1.jpg

Apple has added a banner to the store webpages related for both devices, and removed all mention of the feature in its product comparison tool. The change was spotted by developer Dylan McDonald.

The modified Series 9 and Ultra 2 models without a functional Blood Oxygen app have part numbers ending in LW/A, according to Apple.

"The ability to measure blood oxygen is no longer available on Apple Watch units sold by Apple in the United States after January 18, 2024," says Apple's website. "These are indicated with part numbers ending in LW/A."

Apple has removed access to the Blood Oxygen feature in the U.S. to allow it to avoid a sales ban on the associated models. The ban was ordered by the U.S. International Trade Commission (ITC) after ruling that Apple violated Masimo's pulse oximetry patents with the feature, which first appeared on the Series 6 model in 2020.

Apple Watch models sold by Apple will still include the Blood Oxygen app, but when a user opens it, they will be presented with an alert saying that the app is no longer available, and directed to the Health app on the iPhone.


The Blood Oxygen app still works on previously-sold Series 9 and Ultra 2 models. The feature also remains available on Apple Watch models sold outside the U.S., as the sales ban does not apply internationally. Apple strongly disagrees with the ITC's decision, and its appeal is ongoing.

Article Link: Apple Updates Website to Highlight Removal of Apple Watch Blood Oxygen Feature
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When I had Covid, I was in hospital for 3 week. My wife got me the watch just for the blood oxygen sensor. It was a big help when I got home. Instead of bringing that figure clip everywhere I just used the watch. And I tested it. It match the finger sensor all the time. Be a shame to lose that feature.
 
I7guy said:
So you took all of this at face value from the tv interview?
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Exactly. I should continue to side with Apple who poached more than 20 employees to continue working on the same product at Apple, As they did at Masimo and former massimo engineers being named on the patents (at Apple)arenā€™t sus at all.

apple is completely capable of making basic statements to counter what the ceo is saying andā€¦arenā€™t. Maybe because it wouldnā€™t make them look good? If I have two parties arguing and one of them gives me their side of the story and some facts seem to line up with what theyā€™re saying, I can lean towards them being truthful when everything is put into context
 
Pro_the_legend said:
MrENGLISH said:
I donā€™t know how much of this is out of their control or not but Apple looks really stupid in all of this.
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Why? For disabling the sensor to be able to continue to sell the product?
It's smart - they aren't removing the physical sensor - using software to disable the feature and can re-enable if they win at appeal. Models already owned aren't impacted and new models can be disabled by serial number.
Pro_the_legend said:
Pro_the_legend said:
They should reduce the prices as well, considering how blood oxygen sensor was the main differentiation between S5 & S6. Itā€™s an inferior product now when compared to what it was supposed to be.
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I don't think many - if any - bought the Apple Watch for a blood oxygen sensor that is listed as a "novelty feature" and not cleared by the FDA as a medical feature or for medical use - same with the temperature sensor.

But this is America - let's wait for the class action lawsuits to start :)
 
CoconutMan said:
This is really bad. This was one of the main features I was looking for in the latest Apple Watch. I guess I need it less now.
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A "novelty" feature that is not very accurate and not approved for medical use? That was the main selling point?
You can buy a pulse ox that does work for $10 that goes on your finger tip.
 
gank41 said:
I've seen a small number of others say things like this, too. But when you DO know someone that uses this, you'll know how important it is. Thanks for your expertise, though. Go try working in a hospital.
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I don't disagree with you but i would bet on the side that it's less that 10% of all apple watch owners..
 
How good was that blood oxygen monitor compared to the conventional ones that you clamp at the top of your finger?
61tEkh79lKL.__AC_SY300_SX300_QL70_ML2_.jpg

Those are very cheap, but I suspect that the fingertip gives you a much better measurement then your arm wrist.
And a step counter should be attached to your leg and not to your arm.
 
daniesy said:
If they remove the feature on existing watches, I hope somebody sues Apple for a whole lot of money. A class action lawsuit sounds about right.
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ā€œIf theyā€ ok you can stop there and just read this thread that says over and over again that theyā€™re not
 
MacAttack2024 said:
Itā€™s not the fallout.

Itā€™s the fact that Apple will play games with consumer health products. Ie they donā€™t mind deactivating a health feature while they fight patent disputes. What if this was the EKG sensor?

It just tells the customer Apple is only interested in Apple keeping as much money as possible. To me this just shows the management shift at the company has intensified. Clearly consumer is not first (and it never truly is, with any company), but now itā€™s more and more obvious.
Click to expand...

What about it?

Itā€™s not as though they are deactivating it on products you already own. So consumers are still able to make an informed choice on whether to get an Apple Watch or another health tracker with blood oxygen monitoring built in if they so desire said feature.
 
Skyscraperfan said:
How good was that blood oxygen monitor compared to the conventional ones that you clamp at the top of your finger?
View attachment 2338196
Those are very cheap, but I suspect that the fingertip gives you a much better measurement then your arm wrist.
And a step counter should be attached to your leg and not to your arm.
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The Apple Watch tries to be a jack of all trades and an expert at none. Except maybe telling time? I just make sure to swing my arms while I walk to get the steps in. That also forces me to put my phone in my pocket, which is a good thing.
 
onenorth said:
The Apple Watch tries to be a jack of all trades and an expert at none. Except maybe telling time? I just make sure to swing my arms while I walk to get the steps in. That also forces me to put my phone in my pocket, which is a good thing.
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You donā€™t need to swing your arms.. the accelerometer and data analysis in the AW is much smarter than that. PPl have tested traditional pedometer devices vs. AW, and they are essentially identical - assuming one has put in data points like height, weight, and allowed some amount of stride data to be captured.
 
tivoboy said:
You donā€™t need to swing your arms.. the accelerometer and data analysis in the AW is much smarter than that. PPl have tested traditional pedometer devices vs. AW, and they are essentially identical - assuming one has put in data points like height, weight, and allowed some amount of stride data to be captured.
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Yeah I have no idea if it is accurate. The iPhone can count steps too when it is in your pocket. I do know that the flights climbed is usually too low. There are 18 steps between floors in my house so it's quite a hike up the stairs. Today it says 4 flights climbed but I've been up the stairs at least 10 times so far.
 
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