The Apple Watch Is Finally Getting Blood Oxygen Sensing Back

The feature was removed on select smartwatches due to a patent infringement lawsuit, but Apple has “redesigned” it.

If you have an Apple Watch Series 9, 10, or Ultra Watch 2 that you bought in the US in the past year, you'll finally get the blood oxygen sensing feature back via a software update later today, according to Apple.

To make sure you get the feature, update your paired iPhone to iOS 18.6.1 and the Apple Watch to watchOS 11.6.1. Sensor data will be calculated in the app, and you will be able to see your blood oxygen in the Respiratory section of the Health app. If you bought your watch before 2024 or outside of the US, you won’t see any changes.

A recent US Customs ruling resolved a years-long dispute with health tech company Masimo. In 2021, Masimo sued Apple, claiming the ...