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The Apple Watch has long been a benchmark in wearable technology, not just for style and design but also for its advanced health-tracking features. One of the most notable among these has been blood oxygen (SpO2) monitoring, a feature that became especially valuable during the pandemic era and has remained popular with fitness-focused users and those managing respiratory conditions. However, it now seems that this health feature is set to disappear—at least temporarily.
Recent reports suggest that Apple’s next flagship wearable, the Apple Watch Series 11, will launch without the blood oxygen monitoring capability. The reason isn’t technological limitation but rather a legal one: a patent battle that Apple lost, resulting in forced removal of this once-promoted feature. While competitors are racing ahead in the health space, Apple finds itself in an unexpected bind. Here’s what you need to know and what it means for the future of wearables.
What’s Happening
- Feature Removed: Blood oxygen monitoring, introduced in Apple Watch Series 6 and found in later models including Series 9 and the Ultra line, has been removed following a legal dispute.
- Patent Lawsuit: Apple lost a patent case to medical tech firm Masimo, which claims ownership over the blood oxygen sensor technology Apple used.
- No Return in Series 11: According to Bloomberg’s Mark Gurman, Apple has no plans to resolve the legal conflict ahead of the Apple Watch Series 11’s launch.
- User Impact: Apple Watch users—especially those with respiratory conditions or fitness goals—have relied on this feature for real-time SpO2 data.
- Workarounds Unlikely: Apple would need to either win an appeal, license the tech, or invent a new SpO2 detection method to restore the feature.
- Patent Expiry: Masimo’s patent doesn’t expire until 2028, meaning Apple could be locked out of using this technology for the next few years unless a deal is struck.
- Competitor Advantage: Brands like Samsung, Garmin, and Polar continue to offer this feature, potentially drawing health-conscious consumers away from Apple.
- Other Features Rumored: Despite this setback, the Series 11 is expected to introduce new capabilities, such as blood pressure monitoring, AI-driven health insights, and an “Apple Intelligence” upgrade.
What Undercode Say:
Apple’s struggle with the blood oxygen monitoring feature reveals the delicate balance between innovation and intellectual property law in tech. Losing the Masimo lawsuit isn’t just a legal loss—it disrupts Apple’s entire strategy in the health space. For years, Apple has pushed the narrative of the Apple Watch being a critical tool for health and fitness. The removal of a widely-used health metric casts a shadow over this positioning.
Let’s analyze this from a few key angles:
1. Legal Risk in Health Tech Innovation
Apple’s legal entanglement with Masimo isn’t the first time Big Tech has faced IP hurdles, but it is one of the most impactful. When health features overlap with regulated medical devices, companies must navigate a minefield of patents and FDA guidelines. Apple’s removal of the feature rather than settling suggests the dispute is far from trivial.
2. Consumer Expectations vs. Reality
Apple’s user base has grown accustomed to continuous upgrades—not downgrades. For users of Series 6 through 9, the feature remains technically available, though disabled in some units. But prospective Series 11 buyers may feel short-changed, especially with competitors offering the same feature out of the box.
3. Competitive Pressure
While Apple is stalled by legal red tape, competitors like Garmin and Samsung are moving forward. Garmin’s wearables cater heavily to athletes and include reliable SpO2 monitoring, while Samsung has taken strides in making health metrics more accurate and accessible. Losing this feature gives rivals a temporary upper hand in the premium health-focused market.
4. Innovation Path Forward
Apple could develop a new blood oxygen sensing technology that circumvents Masimo’s patents—though that might take years. Another path is to emphasize upcoming features like blood pressure monitoring, which could become the next big health benchmark. AI-driven insights and coaching, if well-implemented, might help Apple maintain user trust despite this feature loss.
5. Strategic Patience?
Apple may be playing the long game. Letting the patent expire in 2028 could allow them to reintroduce the feature without licensing fees or legal risks. Until then, they might double down on new features and software improvements to keep users engaged.
6. Developer Ecosystem and Third-Party Apps
Third-party app developers who built features around SpO2 data may find themselves limited in functionality. This could cause ripple effects across the Apple Watch ecosystem and discourage developers from investing in tightly coupled health apps in the near term.
7. Market Forecast and Brand Trust
Apple is seen as a reliable brand with high customer loyalty, but repeated removals of promised features can erode trust. Analysts will be watching closely to see whether this impacts Series 11 sales or drives users toward more feature-complete alternatives.
8. Future-Proofing Through Innovation
Apple’s best move might be to leapfrog blood oxygen monitoring entirely—focusing on newer, more sophisticated health metrics. If they deliver groundbreaking blood pressure tracking or AI coaching, they can reset the market narrative in their favor.
9. Health Data Ownership and Accuracy
As wearables move into more medical-grade territory, users are becoming more concerned with accuracy and data reliability. Apple may take this opportunity to refine its health offerings to achieve better precision, even if fewer metrics are available in the short term.
10. Risk Management Lessons for Big Tech
This situation is a textbook example of why IP due diligence and proactive patent licensing matter, especially when entering regulated verticals like healthcare. Apple’s misstep is a cautionary tale for other tech giants entering the wearables space.
Fact Checker Results:
- Apple has officially disabled blood oxygen monitoring in recent Apple Watch models due to a legal injunction related to Masimo’s patent.
- There is no official timeline or plan announced by Apple for resolving the dispute or restoring the feature.
- Competing smartwatches from brands like Samsung and Garmin continue to offer blood oxygen monitoring without restriction.
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References:
Reported By: www.zdnet.com
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