We need an Oximeter installed in the iPhone

[DuncF]

There are thousands of us with damaged lungs. This can happen from chemicals at your job, illnesses, and infections or like me, there is no known cause as to why fibers are growing in my lungs.
It appears that Apple has all of the parts in their watch, except for the software, needed to also make a calculation as to what the percentage of Oxygen is being carried by your bloodstream. This is critical information for those of us with compromised lungs. It tells us if we have been overexerting or need a higher oxygen flow.
If this concerns either you or a friend or family member, please send Apple a note in their suggestion box. Hre is a link to their Watch suggestion box: https://www.apple.com/feedback/watch.html

Thanks
Dunc

 

[axantas]

As there is (in certain countries) a special Oximeter, measuring SpO2 available at Apple itself, I highly doubt, they will integrale an app, that guesses SpO2 in the watch itself. You would probably not like the inacurate results.

 

[maflynn]

I see no need for such an addition, if you're worried about your health see a doctor, not your phone

 

[DuncF]

I see no need for such an addition, if you're worried about your health see a doctor, not your phone

It is clear Mayflynn, that you don't have the need for such a device. But it is also clear that you certainly don't understand the need for the thousands of folk who do. Breathing is such a natural thing for most, they (and you apparently) never think about it. But for those of us with compromised lungs do. And as time goes on it gets harder and harder for us to breathe in and harvest the oxygen in our lungs so it can be moved by the bloodstream to feed our organs. It is estimated about 50,000 folks die from an impaired lung each year. To us measuring our oxygen saturation is a thing we do several times a day. Be thankful you don't have this issue currently. And I hope you never get it. I want it on my Apple phone.
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As there is (in certain countries) a special Oximeter, measuring SpO2 available at Apple itself, I highly doubt, they will integrale an app, that guesses SpO2 in the watch itself. You would probably not like the inacurate results.

For them to include the SpO2 measurement they would need FDA approval. If they got that it should be reasonably accurate

 

[worker73]

I see no need for such an addition, if you're worried about your health see a doctor, not your phone

Seems to me the Apple Watch is in the business of health....SMH.

 

[TiggrToo]

It is clear Mayflynn, that you don't have the need for such a device. But it is also clear that you certainly don't understand the need for the thousands of folk who do. Breathing is such a natural thing for most, they (and you apparently) never think about it. But for those of us with compromised lungs do. And as time goes on it gets harder and harder for us to breathe in and harvest the oxygen in our lungs so it can be moved by the bloodstream to feed our organs. It is estimated about 50,000 folks die from an impaired lung each year. To us measuring our oxygen saturation is a thing we do several times a day. Be thankful you don't have this issue currently. And I hope you never get it. I want it on my Apple phone.
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For them to include the SpO2 measurement they would need FDA approval. If they got that it should be reasonably accurate

And just how do you expect Apple to implement such a device. The iPhone is a smart phone. Like the watch, it can measure the metrics it does based upon the sensors implemented within the chassis of the device.

Just how do you expect to implement an Oximeter? We get you have a condition, but there's a gazillion serious medical conditions folk suffer from, and Apple address almost none of them.

There are third party solutions out there, e.g. https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00D7MDXCU/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_tai_t7udEbGPTMMRR
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Seems to me the Apple Watch is in the business of health....SMH.

I'd argue it's in the business of welfare and fitness. It's not a medical grade device.

 

[worker73]

I would agree its not a medical grade device, but it is in the business of health and fitness and it was only a suggestion by the OP. Do several of the Garmin watches not implement a similar system to help detect some things related to health?

Top FAQs for the Pulse Ox Feature on Garmin Watches | Garmin Customer Support

Garmin Singapore Support Center is where you will find answers to frequently asked questions and resources to help with all of your Garmin products.

support.garmin.com

 

[DuncF]

And just how do you expect Apple to implement such a device. The iPhone is a smart phone. Like the watch, it can measure the metrics it does based upon the sensors implemented within the chassis of the device.

Just how do you expect to implement an Oximeter? We get you have a condition, but there's a gazillion serious medical conditions folk suffer from, and Apple address almost none of them.

There are third party solutions out there, e.g. https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00D7MDXCU/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_tai_t7udEbGPTMMRR
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I'd argue it's in the business of welfare and fitness. It's not a medical-grade device.

Apple currently lets you take a medical-grade ECG, pulse, and have been used in several medical studies. They are working on blood pressure measurements, sleep information, among other medically approved measurements. The infrared sensors on the back of the watch are exactly what the need to measure SpO2. That is exactly what makes an Oximeter work. All they need is to refine their infrared sensors and create the necessary software. It is do-able.

 

[TiggrToo]

Apple currently lets you take a medical-grade ECG, pulse, and have been used in several medical studies. They are working on blood pressure measurements, sleep information, among other medically approved measurements. The infrared sensors on the back of the watch are exactly what the need to measure SpO2. That is exactly what makes an Oximeter work. All they need is to refine their infrared sensors and create the necessary software. It is do-able.

No, it is NOT a medical grade device. Getting FDA approval for fall detection and EKG doesn't make it a medical grade device. It's a consumer device that the FDA have cleared for consumer usage for the purpose of getting some good approximation of medical information.

 

[matrix07]

I’m not sure what the argument here is about but I’m sure all the added health feature will be beneficial to Apple Watch and Apple itself so the more the merrier, and the more we ask for it the better for everyone.

 

[Strangedream]

I see no need for such an addition, if you're worried about your health see a doctor, not your phone

I second this. The heart rate monitor sort of makes sense on an Apple Watch because of the fitness-purpose of the device. On the other hand, an oximeter is too niche for Apple to seriously consider. A lot more people have been asking for a built-in sleep tracker and even this feature is not available right out of the box.

 

[Shanghaichica]

It is clear Mayflynn, that you don't have the need for such a device. But it is also clear that you certainly don't understand the need for the thousands of folk who do. Breathing is such a natural thing for most, they (and you apparently) never think about it. But for those of us with compromised lungs do. And as time goes on it gets harder and harder for us to breathe in and harvest the oxygen in our lungs so it can be moved by the bloodstream to feed our organs. It is estimated about 50,000 folks die from an impaired lung each year. To us measuring our oxygen saturation is a thing we do several times a day. Be thankful you don't have this issue currently. And I hope you never get it. I want it on my Apple phone.
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For them to include the SpO2 measurement they would need FDA approval. If they got that it should be reasonably accurate

Samsung have had one on their phones for years.

 

[PugMaster]

Pulse Ox is available in quite a few sport watches, I‘m actually surprised the Apple watch doesn’t have it. I don’t need this for myself but I know quite a few runners who monitor it while running. It’s not a big problem to implement, no idea how close it is to a real medical device but I guess it won’t be too far off. It would be a good addition to the Apple watch in my opinion.

 

[digitalexplr]

Apple already has a system developed for the watch that will measure respiration rate. I suspect Pulse Ox will be included somewhere with that.

We just don't know how soon these will show up on the watch.

 

[neutrino23]

An oximiter would be great in the Apple Watch. There are many applications for this.
My guess is they are trying to refine it so that it performs really well. Until then you can get a dedicated device that can transfer information to the iPhone via BT.

 

[DuncF]

Samsung have had one on their phones for years.

I would like to learn more about the Samsung Oximeter. What device is it on?

 

[Wando64]

I see no need for such an addition, if you're worried about your health see a doctor, not your phone

One could take this position on just about anything.

I wish the AW could detect and monitor everything, but this is obviously an unrealistic hope.
However, an Oximeter function is seemingly possible, so why not If it could help alert people of a previously undetected condition, or help managing a pre-existing one?
The first thing they test in AE is your blood oxygen levels.
If your doctor suspects a chest infection, she will check your oxygen levels.
Why not your AW?

Apple has decided to go down this route the moment they implemented AF detection And successively the ECG function.
Why stop there?

 

[amgff84]

There are thousands of us with damaged lungs. This can happen from chemicals at your job, illnesses, and infections or like me, there is no known cause as to why fibers are growing in my lungs.
It appears that Apple has all of the parts in their watch, except for the software, needed to also make a calculation as to what the percentage of Oxygen is being carried by your bloodstream. This is critical information for those of us with compromised lungs. It tells us if we have been overexerting or need a higher oxygen flow.
If this concerns either you or a friend or family member, please send Apple a note in their suggestion box. Hre is a link to their Watch suggestion box: https://www.apple.com/feedback/watch.html

Thanks
Dunc

I would like to see this, but I think they may be worried of the fallout from inaccurate results that the watch will give depending on many variables. You would think this would be something they would have jumped on right away.

 

[Plett]

It is clear Mayflynn, that you don't have the need for such a device. But it is also clear that you certainly don't understand the need for the thousands of folk who do. Breathing is such a natural thing for most, they (and you apparently) never think about it. But for those of us with compromised lungs do. And as time goes on it gets harder and harder for us to breathe in and harvest the oxygen in our lungs so it can be moved by the bloodstream to feed our organs. It is estimated about 50,000 folks die from an impaired lung each year. To us measuring our oxygen saturation is a thing we do several times a day. Be thankful you don't have this issue currently. And I hope you never get it. I want it on my Apple phone.
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For them to include the SpO2 measurement they would need FDA approval. If they got that it should be reasonably accurate

DuncF while I find the answer from that "moderator" petulant at best, I would agree that unless there is another use case for this thing beside the subset of populations with damaged lungs, which by your measure is thousands, so let's say it is a million in the US out of the ~330mm .003% of the population. still a good number of people and potential sales, albeit not all of the million with lung issues would buy such a device since you can purchase one at the drug store for a few bucks the will meet ones needs sufficiently.
So is there some other reason for them to add this thing? Maybe the hardcore exercise crowd would use it? Lord knows there are plenty of them out there

 

[staggerlee41]

I'm another that doesn't much see what the arguments are but welcome any and all health monitoring capabilities in Apple Watch.

As someone who travels to Colorado on occasion for hiking at high altitudes, I'd welcome the ability to monitor my oxygen levels.

 

[amgff84]

One could take this position on just about anything.

I wish the AW could detect and monitor everything, but this is obviously an unrealistic hope.
However, an Oximeter function is seemingly possible, so why not If it could help alert people of a previously undetected condition, or help managing a pre-existing one?
The first thing they test in AE is your blood oxygen levels.
If your doctor suspects a chest infection, she will check your oxygen levels.
Why not your AW?

Apple has decided to go down this route the moment they implemented AF detection And successively the ECG function.
Why stop there?

Would you see a mechanic when your check engine light goes on, or would you plug in your $20 scan tool to your OBD@ port and run an app on your phone to check the code, just to make sure it's not a loose gas cap... and save yourself $100. Come to think about it, that would be a cool addition to the Apple Watch.

 

[Shanghaichica]

I would like to learn more about the Samsung Oximeter. What device is it on?

It’s been in most of the flagships from the Note 4 onwards. However Samsung removed it from their 2019 phones. It’s part of the heart rate sensor which is on the back of the phones.

 

[44267547]

I would like to see this, but I think they may be worried of the fallout from inaccurate results that the watch will give depending on many variables. You would think this would be something they would have jumped on right away.

No health sensor on any smart watch would be completely accurate compared to an actual ‘certified medical device’. It’s a general measurement to monitor basic health levels. Anyone owning a smart watch Probably realizes this.

 

[amgff84]

No health sensor on any smart watch would be completely accurate compared to an actual ‘certified medical device’. It’s a general measurement to monitor basic health levels. Anyone owning a smart watch Probably realizes this.

I would like to think so... But I don't think so.

 

[Wando64]

No health sensor on any smart watch would be completely accurate compared to an actual ‘certified medical device’. It’s a general measurement to monitor basic health levels. Anyone owning a smart watch Probably realizes this.

The idea is precisely to put an actual ‘certified medical device’ in the watch.
Anything short of that would be pointless.
Thats why the ECG function had to go though certification country by country.

In any case, as I see it, the difficulty in implementing an oxymeter function is not much in the technology (it is a light and a photodetector), but in the placement of the detector itself.
There are not many places in the body where a light can be passed through, and typically this is done on a fingertip or on an earlobe.