The saga of the Apple Watch and blood oxygen monitoring continues, and two new reports indicate that the now-missing feature will return, and there’s even a workaround to get it back now, it seems. Here’s all you need to know.
The Background
You’ll remember, but just in case, Apple was accused of patent infringement by health device maker Masimo for the way pulse oximetry (measurement of blood oxygen) worked on the Apple Watch. The monitoring feature was then removed from all Apple Watch Series 9 and Apple Watch Ultra 2 devices sold in the U.S. by Apple. Models sold overseas still have the feature working.
Apple disabled the feature by turning off pulse oximetry when the Watch is paired to an iPhone. As explained by MacRumors, the original order from U.S. Customs and Border Protection revealed that when users open the blood oxygen app, it simply warns that the feature is not available. Apple said it hardcoded every Apple Watch at the factory with new software.
So, What’s The Beef?
Glad you asked. Masimo had consistently said that a software fix wasn’t enough, so it paired one of the Watches with the new software with an iPhone. The trick was it used a jailbroken iPhone with an old version of iOS, the iPhone operating software. With this arrangement, Masimo was able to get the blood oxygen feature working again and the company argued that since jailbreaking is “permissible, common, and readily known,” that this proved Apple’s actions weren’t enough. However, the CBP decided that Apple’s actions were sufficient to avoid infringing Masimo’s patents.
There’s nothing to stop any Apple Watch user from jailbreaking an iPhone and using old software—though, let’s be clear, I really don’t advise it. Jailbroken hardware is potentially open to hacking and other security issues, for a start.
What Happens Next?
Apple has filed an appeal and if successful, it would mean that the feature could be restored, presumably by a software update for the affected Watches.
And there’s another wrinkle—though you need to practice patience. The Masimo patent will expire in August 2028, so Apple could re-introduce the feature then. But that’s more than four years off, of course.
Apple could settle with Masimo to license the capability, though apparently the two sides have not yet spoken, so this is likely some way off.
Could It Be Back Sooner?
Yes, it may be just months away. Mark Gurman, in a live question-and-answer session on Bloomberg on March 11, said of Apple, “They want the feature back — without paying Masimo a penny. I’d have to imagine that will take until sometime later this year.”
This Q&A was all about the Apple Car, so the answer to the Watch question is one of few items that wasn’t car-related.
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