iOS 18.6.1 and watchOS 11.6.1 Released: Blood Oxygen Monitoring Returns to U.S. Apple Watches

[turbineseaplane]

Here would be a good place for them to elaborate on that:

About Blood Oxygen availability - Apple Support

The removal of the Blood Oxygen feature is the result of an intellectual property ruling from the United States International Trade Commission, which Apple is appealing.

support.apple.com

Interesting what gets pulled via web preview vs what is there right now.

 

[germanbeer007]

You're really stretching here.

Ask any normal person what a feature "coming back to the Watch" means and you won't get anyone saying "that means I view the data on my iPhone"

🙋‍♂️

I assumed it's just viewing data on my iPhone.

 

[ELman]

how about Europe ? did we still have blood oxygen ?

I think the EU is going to sue Apple for not removing it from EU devices, and then sue them again for bringing it back.

 

[anshuvorty]

So, does it work on the S6?

 

[germanbeer007]

This is so depressing to see said out loud.

Apple used IP they had no right to and you're happy about Apple "out maneuvering" the IP rights holder?

I'm happy they developed a workaround so that licensing Masimo technology isn't the only way we can get blood oxygen capabilities from a watch. It should be celebrated.

Why so against it? That's like Apple buying and owning the single multi-touch patent and then saying all touch phone, watch, tablet and computer devices must license multi-touch tech from Apple. Very depressing.

 

[jz0309]

Here would be a good place for them to elaborate on that:

About Blood Oxygen availability - Apple Support

The removal of the Blood Oxygen feature is the result of an intellectual property ruling from the United States International Trade Commission, which Apple is appealing.

support.apple.com

Interesting what gets pulled via web preview vs what is there right now.

View attachment 2537561

So you've just answered your previous post, for those of us who got an AW before the ban took effect, nothing changes, results still in watch.
For those who purchased after the ban - need the phone to read results...

 

[bhall110]

I am happy about this I am looking to upgrade to the ultra 3 and was bummed about losing my O2 readout. Masimo should have taken apples offers. Now they are 200m in the hole and will get nothing.

 

[cpchow]

It looks like only automatic background recording. I cannot initiate a measurement manually.

 

[I7guy]

This is so depressing to see said out loud.

Apple used IP they had no right to and you're happy about Apple "out maneuvering" the IP rights holder?

Apple has no infringement at this point. It may be distressing because a trillion dollar company figured out how to get around anoetnent so there is no patent infringement.

 

[turbineseaplane]

I am happy about this I am looking to upgrade to the ultra 3 and was bummed about losing my O2 readout. Masimo should have taken apples offers. Now they are 200m in the hole and will get nothing.

Because they're being bullied around by a behemoth (Apple).

Is that good?

 

[Jay916]

Apple today released iOS 18.6.1 for the iPhone and watchOS 11.6.1 for the Apple Watch Series 9, Apple Watch Series 10, and Apple Watch Ultra 2. The updates re-enable blood oxygen monitoring in the United States.

iOS 18.6.1 can be downloaded on eligible iPhones over-the-air by going to Settings > General > Software Update. watchOS 11.6.1 is available for newer Apple Watch models that have blood oxygen monitoring disabled, and it can be downloaded through the Apple Watch app on the iPhone.

Apple said that blood oxygen monitoring is coming back to U.S. Apple Watch models due to a "recent U.S. Customs ruling."

Back in early 2024, the United States International Trade Commission (ITC) found that Apple violated blood oxygen sensing patents owned by Masimo. The ITC implemented a trade ban, and Apple had to stop selling the Apple Watch Series 9 and Apple Watch Ultra 2. Sales resumed after Apple disabled the blood oxygen monitoring feature in Apple Watch devices sold in the U.S.

Since January 2024, no Apple Watch models purchased in the U.S. have had a functioning blood oxygen sensor, including the Apple Watch Series 9, the Apple Watch Series 10, and the Apple Watch Ultra 2.

With iOS 18.6.1 and watchOS 11.6.1, Apple is implementing a workaround. Data collected by the blood oxygen sensor on the Apple Watch will be processed on a paired iPhone, with the results available in the Respiratory section of the Health app.

The feature typically allows users to see a readout of their blood oxygen level right on the Apple Watch, but this isn't how it will work in the U.S.

The update is designed for Apple Watch Series 9, Apple Watch Series 10, and Apple Watch Ultra 2 models sold in the U.S. that do not already have blood oxygen sensing available. Blood oxygen monitoring remained available on older watch models, and there has also been no change to Apple Watch models sold outside of the United States.

Article Link: iOS 18.6.1 and watchOS 11.6.1 Released: Blood Oxygen Monitoring Returns to U.S. Apple Watches

Downloaded & installed the updates on my iPhone 16 and Watch 10… Still no functionality of the blood oxygen feature.

 

[I7guy]

Because they're being bullied around by a behemoth (Apple).

Is that good?

It’s business.

 

[jz0309]

Because they're being bullied around by a behemoth (Apple).

Is that good?

How are they bullied? Massimo sued Apple and did not convince a jury that Apple infringed on their patents - how is that bullying?

Your statement doesn't make any sense at all, but you are entitled to your opinion and that is all that it is.

 

[Lounge vibes 05]

Because they're being bullied around by a behemoth (Apple).

Is that good?

Let’s not pretend like they were a tiny tiny company, they were still worth billions.
You make it sound like they were some tiny startup being ran by a grandma out of her living room.

 

[vroom2]

Although this is not the original implementation, I think it should be great. Most Apple Watch readings are done in the background, should a trend be identified it is brought to our attention when found. This will work fine for that, also the vitals tile will now be complete. Outside of first gaining a feature like this and trying it out, I personally did not do too many on demand readings on the watch, I just keep an eye on the vitals tile for outliers/trends. I'm glad it is back.

 

[I7guy]

How are they bullied? Marino sued Apple and did not convince a jury that Apple infringed on their patents - how is that bullying?

Your statement doesn't make any sense at all, but you are entitled to your opinion and that is all that it is.

Not to mention pot kettle thing. Apple sued masimo over its w1 smartwatch and found willful infringement on two design patents. Even though the w1 was discontinued.

 

[macMD]

iOS 26 beta re-released as well!

No update on the watch os 26 beta, hopefully it rolls out later.

 

[dominiongamma]

Because they're being bullied around by a behemoth (Apple).

Is that good?

They should have settled , shut up and take the money. They will be irrelevant now since their 15 mins is finally over

 

[WarmWinterHat]

Let’s not pretend like they were a tiny tiny company, they were still worth billions.
You make it sound like they were some tiny startup being ran by a grandma out of her living room.

Compared to Apple, they are. Apple makes more profit in a quarter than Massimo's yearly revenue.

They should have settled , shut up and take the money. They will be irrelevant now since their 15 mins is finally over

They are still hugely relevant in healthcare. Just because they aren't a popular public-facing company, doesn't mean don't matter. My company spends half a million with them per year.

 

[GMShadow]

Masimo spent $200 million on lawyers and was just out maneuvered by Apple.

Glad to have o2 back!

They need to fire their CEO. ROI on that exercise was $0 now.

He was removed in a shareholder proxy battle either last year or early this year, but they're still in litigation.

 

[jz0309]

Compared to Apple, they are. Apple makes more profit in a quarter than Massimo's yearly revenue.



They are still hugely relevant in healthcare. Just because they aren't a popular public-facing company, doesn't mean don't matter. My company spends half a million with them per year.

That doesn't make them tiny, smaller than Apple, yes, and still way larger than tens of thousands of other companies

 

[turbineseaplane]

They should have settled , shut up and take the money. They will be irrelevant now since their 15 mins is finally over

Wow, I don't even what to say to this.

I'm afraid to ask what sort of society you'd like to live in overall with that view point here.

 

[WarmWinterHat]

That doesn't make them tiny, smaller than Apple, yes, and still way larger than tens of thousands of other companies

If they were smaller, Apple would have just rolled over them altogether and then laughed about it. Only difference is they had enough money to fight back.

 

[jz0309]

They should have settled , shut up and take the money. They will be irrelevant now since their 15 mins is finally over

No, not irrelevant, their business is medical devices and they are good at what they do

 

[vertsix]

It looks like only automatic background recording. I cannot initiate a measurement manually.

Can you share a picture of what it looks like?