Apple eliminated blood oxygen monitoring from the Apple Watch in early 2024. Anyone has to blink for it to return, and it seems to be like neither Masimo nor Apple are going to budge.
Blood oxygen monitoring, generally seen as pulse oximetry, is a non-invasive approach of measuring the oxygen saturation stage (SpO2) in your blood. Apple added it to Apple Watch with the Apple Watch Sequence 6.
That is what we all know thus far.
There has not been plenty of progress in 2025 on a return of the function. A return date for it is without doubt one of the mostly requested questions that we get.
There was some hope in February of 2025. Masimo then introduced that Katie Szyman was taking on from its interim CEO.
A couple of analysts predicted she’d be much less vengeful than the earlier CEO, and extra keen to settle with Apple. Months have handed and it would not appear to be that is the case.
Most just lately, on July 7, Apple argued to a U.S. appeals court docket that the ban ought to by no means have been put in place and that it needs it overturned solely.
In the course of the listening to in entrance of a three-judge panel, the judges appeared doubtlessly sympathetic to Apple’s argument. Apple lawyer, Joseph Mueller, pleaded that, on the time of the submitting, Masimo’s machine that the patent was based mostly on was hypothetical.
Masimo, after all, argued in opposition, saying Apple was attempting to “rewrite the foundations.” Masimo additionally asserted that Apple had employed away key expertise that gave it added benefit as they knew insider secrets and techniques of its blood oxygen monitor.
Ultimately, Masimo did launch its personal pulse oximetry wearable, the W1, in 2022. Apple sued over design similarities.
That launch was two years after the Apple Watch launched with it with the Apple Watch Sequence 6.
The go well with towards Masimo did not go effectively. In October 2024, Apple was awarded $250. To be completely clear, Apple obtained 2 hundred fifty {dollars} from the go well with.
A five-year saga, ongoing
This all stems from a patent dispute, first levied by Masimo towards Apple. It was a complicated time as Apple fought the patent, and a ban waffled forwards and backwards for weeks.
After the ITC in the end dominated in favor of Massimo, Apple’s solely choices have been to cease promoting Apple Watches within the U.S. or to take away the function. It opted for the latter in January of 2024.
At the moment, any newly bought Apple Watch Sequence 9 or Extremely 2 wouldn’t have the function enabled. Watches bought previous to that change nonetheless have the function enabled.
In September of 2024, Apple introduced new variations of the Apple Watch, not mentioning the SpO2 sensor. They have been the Apple Watch Sequence 10 and a brand new black Apple Watch Extremely 2.
Whereas the monitoring {hardware} remains to be there, each of those watches nonetheless lack the capability to take SpO2 readings.
An unclear future
In the end, how the judges will rule stays to be seen. As of August 1, 2025, no judgement has been made on Apple’s attraction.
Masimo says its patents are based mostly on {hardware}. That is why Apple has not been in a position to replace the software program to keep away from Masimo’s mental property, exterior of disabling it solely.
Apple may nonetheless, theoretically, be engaged on new {hardware} adjustments for upcoming fashions. The continued authorized challenges suggest its dedication to enabling it through software program.
Sadly, the prognosis for return remains to be not nice. As of preliminary publication, we’re creeping up on a second era of Apple Watch that can ship with the function disabled.
There are two avenues for Apple. It is going to both settle with Masimo, or discover a new {hardware} workaround that does not depend on Masimo’s patents. Neither appear imminent.
Customers of {hardware} as much as and together with the Apple Watch Sequence 9 or Apple Watch Extremely 2 who purchased earlier than the ban went into place, nonetheless have a useful blood oxygenation system.
The ban being in place for brand spanking new fashions has most likely stalled some {hardware} improve buys. The Apple Watch has an extended alternative cycle nearer to that of a Mac, than an iPhone, so the total influence of the function being disabled stays to be seen.
For now, it is a recreation of know-how hen. Both Masimo or Apple has to alter course, and neither appear to be keen to take action. The crash ending the battle within the courts is coming — it is simply not clear when.
