Apple completely ignored the functionality in the keynote just now, so not looking good for US availability of it. Seriously disappointing if so.
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Series 10 Blood Oxygen Sensor
- Thread starter manhattanmania
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I'm actually hesitant to get the 10 because of this...Apple, you're one of the biggest companies - you can pay for licensing to get the sensor back.
Agree. I will not buy a new Apple Watch until this sensor is replaced. Right now my 2023 Ultra 2 has more functionality than any of these new watches. I get the Sleep Apnea via software, and I get the Blood Ox.
I will just buy a new Titanium Milanese Band.
I will just buy a new Titanium Milanese Band.
I have an Ultra 1 and for me there's no reason to upgrade. I'd get the blood oxygen anyway since I'm not in the US, but my battery is still 100% and I'm happy to wait for Ultra 3 whenever it comes out. Then it will be the Ultra 2 + 3 features that are new.
It’s absolutely absurd.
The international versions still have it. I’m seriously considering getting one from outside the US. As far as I can tell, it’ll work.
The international versions still have it. I’m seriously considering getting one from outside the US. As far as I can tell, it’ll work.
And when you sign in with your US based Apple ID, it will disable the feature on your "international" watch.
No, I don't know this for certain, but Apple thinks of everything.
No, I’ve researched. It’s apparently tied to the watch model number, not the Apple ID.
Sticking with my U2 With the working O2 sensor!
Just curious, what do you use the sensor for? I have an Ultra 1 that I’m replacing with a S10. I’ve never used the O2 sensor that I know of, but now I’m wondering if I’m losing something I use without noticing?
Tech specs on the Canadian page lists the blood oxygen sensor.
“Display
Digital Crown
Microphone with Voice Isolation
Side button
Band release button
Electrical heart sensor
Speaker/air vent
Blood oxygen sensor and optical heart sensor
Band Release”
So the hardware is still there.
Also lists the blood oxygen app, as Canada wasn’t affected in the case.
I’m sure when the legalities are resolved they’ll unlock it in the US.
“Display
Digital Crown
Microphone with Voice Isolation
Side button
Band release button
Electrical heart sensor
Speaker/air vent
Blood oxygen sensor and optical heart sensor
Band Release”
So the hardware is still there.
Also lists the blood oxygen app, as Canada wasn’t affected in the case.
I’m sure when the legalities are resolved they’ll unlock it in the US.
Are you sure? My blood ox feature still works for my AW9. I'm grandfathered since I purchased before the lawsuit. I'm in the US.
I found the following on an earlier MR Front Page article.
"The Apple Watch Series 9 and Ultra 2 only have disabled blood oxygen sensing capabilities in the United States, as the ban is not applicable in other countries. The Apple Watches remain fully functional outside of the U.S."
Apple Watch Pulse Oximetry Can Be Reactivated Through Software in 2028 or With Successful Appeal
Apple has been selling the Apple Watch Series 9 and Apple Watch Ultra 2 without the blood oxygen monitoring feature in the U.S. since mid-January,...
www.macrumors.com
Not sure if the AW9 outside of the U.S. is still functional though re: blood ox.
Are you sure? My blood ox feature still works for my AW9. I'm grandfathered since I purchased before the lawsuit. I'm in the US.
I found the following on an earlier MR Front Page article.
"The Apple Watch Series 9 and Ultra 2 only have disabled blood oxygen sensing capabilities in the United States, as the ban is not applicable in other countries. The Apple Watches remain fully functional outside of the U.S."
Apple Watch Pulse Oximetry Can Be Reactivated Through Software in 2028 or With Successful Appeal
Apple has been selling the Apple Watch Series 9 and Apple Watch Ultra 2 without the blood oxygen monitoring feature in the U.S. since mid-January,...
Not sure if the AW9 outside of the U.S. is still functional though re: blood ox.
I was being sarcastic, sorry. No, of course Apple didn't claw back this feature from existing users.
It's listed as a feature of the S10 on the Apple.co.uk website. Are you looking at the US website?
Here, from Macrumors. Masimo took a new "updated" watch (with the new model number) and paired it to a jailbroken iPhone....and the oxygen sensor worked.
Now, I'm rambling, as we all are. But I strongly suspect that even if you can get a watch sold in the UK market (for instance), if you try to pair it with your phone, it won't work. But if you took a US model number watch, and paired it with a foreign Apple phone and ID, it would work.
I really don't believe there are two different models; only two different SKU's (one bound for the US, the other elsewhere). And in 2028, the US SKU watches o2 sensors will start working, after an appropriate watch and iOS update at that time:
Apple Watch Pulse Oximetry Can Be Reactivated Through Software in 2028 or With Successful Appeal
Apple has been selling the Apple Watch Series 9 and Apple Watch Ultra 2 without the blood oxygen monitoring feature in the U.S. since mid-January,...
www.macrumors.com
And:
That’s interesting! I found tons of posts tho that claim a non-US apple watch will retain blood oxygen in the US. It’s the cellular service that apparently is the issue. Idk!Here, from Macrumors. Masimo took a new "updated" watch (with the new model number) and paired it to a jailbroken iPhone....and the oxygen sensor worked.
Now, I'm rambling, as we all are. But I strongly suspect that even if you can get a watch sold in the UK market (for instance), if you try to pair it with your phone, it won't work. But if you took a US model number watch, and paired it with a foreign Apple phone and ID, it would work.
I really don't believe there are two different models; only two different SKU's (one bound for the US, the other elsewhere). And in 2028, the US SKU watches o2 sensors will start working, after an appropriate watch and iOS update at that time:
Apple Watch Pulse Oximetry Can Be Reactivated Through Software in 2028 or With Successful Appeal
Apple has been selling the Apple Watch Series 9 and Apple Watch Ultra 2 without the blood oxygen monitoring feature in the U.S. since mid-January,...
And:
Wish we didn’t have to even think about this…
So, I have a series 8 that is still running watchOS 9.X.X. Will I lose the BO sensor functionality if I upgrade the watch to watchOS 11, which I will have to do if I want it to pair with my phone after I update that to iOS 18?
Even if purchasing an Apple Watch outside the US works for the oxygen sensor, if you rely on the cellular, that will not be a good move since it won't have the same radios as the US models.
You shouldn't, for it was a watch sold before the US import ban. All of my 7 Apple watches still have the o2 sensor, including the S9 I bought in mid-December 2023, and all 7 have been updated to whatever the most recent watchOS version there is.
I'm wearing a S8 at the moment, and it still has the o2 sensor (running watchOS 10.6.1 with an iPhone Pro Max running 17.6.1)
Still works on my 2023 Ultra 2. Only doesn't work on watches sold since the court ruling in January 2024.Are you sure? My blood ox feature still works for my AW9. I'm grandfathered since I purchased before the lawsuit. I'm in the US.
I found the following on an earlier MR Front Page article.
"The Apple Watch Series 9 and Ultra 2 only have disabled blood oxygen sensing capabilities in the United States, as the ban is not applicable in other countries. The Apple Watches remain fully functional outside of the U.S."
Apple Watch Pulse Oximetry Can Be Reactivated Through Software in 2028 or With Successful Appeal
Apple has been selling the Apple Watch Series 9 and Apple Watch Ultra 2 without the blood oxygen monitoring feature in the U.S. since mid-January,...
Not sure if the AW9 outside of the U.S. is still functional though re: blood ox.
