Apple to bring back blood oxygen feature to some smartwatches amid lawsuit | Latest Tech News
Apple will bring a blood oxygen measurement feature to some of its watch fashions via a software program update after receiving approval from the US authorities amid a protracted legal dispute over the technology, it said on Thursday.
The transfer will permit customers of Apple Watch Series 9, Series 10, and Apple Watch Ultra 2 in the United States to view their blood oxygen ranges on a paired iPhone.
It comes after years of legal wrangling with Irvine, Calif.-based Masimo, which has accused Apple of hiring its staff and stealing its pulse oximetry technology after discussing a potential collaboration.
It comes after years of legal wrangling with Irvine, Calif.-based Masimo, which has accused Apple of hiring its staff and stealing its pulse oximetry technology after discussing a potential collaboration. Ultra 2 watches, above. AFP via Getty Images
Masimo gained a ruling at the US International Trade Commission to block imports of watches with the feature, which prompted Apple to take away the feature and set off a prolonged appeals course of. Its shares had been down 4.5%.
The watch fashions affected Thursday didn’t have the blood oxygen feature when shipped, but Apple said US Customs had authorized the software program update.
With the update, a person can start a session in the blood oxygen app on Apple Watch, and the Apple Watch sensors will acquire data that will likely be used by the iPhone to calculate and show the degrees, Apple said.
Apple first launched pulse oximetry in its Series 6 Apple Watches in 2020. Masimo launched its blood oxygen monitoring W1 watch in 2022.
The watch fashions affected Thursday didn’t have the blood oxygen feature when shipped, but Apple said US Customs had authorized the software program update. Jimin Kim/SOPA Images/Shutterstock
Masimo satisfied the ITC to block imports of Apple’s Series 9 and Ultra 2 smartwatches in 2023, based on the commission’s willpower that Apple’s technology for studying blood oxygen ranges infringed upon Masimo’s patents.
Apple briefly resumed gross sales of the watches the next day after persuading the Federal Circuit to pause the ban.
The Federal Circuit reinstated the ban the next month, main Apple to take away pulse oximetry capabilities from its watches in the United States.
Masimo didn’t immediately reply to a request for remark.
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