Apple Watch blood oxygen tracker returns to U.S. after legal win

Apple Inc.’s blood oxygen tracking feature for its smartwatch is returning to the U.S. after a yearslong legal fight.

The feature – which was removed at the end of 2023 due to a patent infringement lawsuit by Masimo Corp. and a U.S. Customs injunction – will return for Apple Watch owners who bought models with the feature disabled, Apple said in a statement on Thursday.

The feature’s restoration comes as part of an iOS 18.6.1 and watchOS 11.6.1 software update – and includes a workaround that shows the data on an iPhone rather than the Apple Watch blood oxygen app itself.

“Following this update, sensor data from the Blood Oxygen app on Apple Watch will be measured and calculated on the paired iPhone, and results can be viewed in the Respiratory section of the Health app,” Apple said in the statement.

The company said the change is a result of a U.S. customs ruling.

Shares of Apple were little changed in premarket trading in New York.