Apple to Sell Series 9 and Ultra 2 Watches Without Blood Oxygen Feature in U.S. Starting Tomorrow
Apple Watch Series 9 and Apple Watch Ultra 2 models will be sold without the Blood Oxygen feature in the U.S. starting on January 18, according to 9to5Mac's Chance Miller, allowing Apple to avoid a sales ban on these models. On its online store in the U.S., this change will occur starting at 6 a.m. Pacific Time tomorrow.
The report says these Apple Watch models will still include the Blood Oxygen app, but when a user opens it, they will be presented with an alert saying that the app is no longer available, and directed to the Health app on the iPhone. Apple plans to share more details in a support document that will be published on its website.
Apple confirmed that the Blood Oxygen app will remain functional on previously-sold Series 9 and Ultra 2 models. The feature will also remain available on Apple Watch models sold outside the U.S., as the sales ban does not apply internationally.
The U.S. International Trade Commission (ITC) last year ordered an import and sales ban on Apple Watch models with blood oxygen sensing after ruling that Apple violated Masimo's pulse oximetry patents with the feature, first introduced on the Series 6 model in 2020. Masimo has accused Apple of stealing trade secrets and poaching employees.
The sales ban first began last month, but it was quickly paused, as Apple received an interim stay. Apple was denied a longer-term stay, however, and the ban is set to be reinstated tomorrow starting at 2 p.m. Pacific Time. In a statement, Apple said it disabled the blood oxygen sensing feature on new U.S. models to comply with the ruling and ensure that customers have access to the Apple Watch with limited disruption.
Apple's appeal is ongoing. The company said it strongly disagrees with the ITC's decision, and it feels the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit should reverse it. As a longer-term solution, Apple is reportedly working on changes to the Blood Oxygen app's algorithm in an attempt to avoid Masimo's patented technology. It's unclear when those changes will be ready, or if they will be enough for Apple to avoid patent infringement.
Popular Stories
Apple released the first iOS 26.2 beta last week. The upcoming update includes a handful of new features and changes on the iPhone, including a new Liquid Glass slider for the Lock Screen's clock, offline lyrics in Apple Music, and more.
In a recent press release, Apple confirmed that iOS 26.2 will be released to all users in December, but it did not provide a specific release date....
Today marks the fifth anniversary of the Apple silicon chip that replaced Intel chips in Apple's Mac lineup. The first Apple silicon chip, the M1, was unveiled on November 10, 2020. The M1 debuted in the MacBook Air, Mac mini, and 13-inch MacBook Pro.
The M1 chip was impressive when it launched, featuring the "world's fastest CPU core" and industry-leading performance per watt, and it's only ...
Apple today released new firmware designed for the AirPods Pro 3, the AirPods 4, and the prior-generation AirPods Pro 2. The AirPods Pro 3 firmware is 8B25, while the AirPods Pro 2 and AirPods 4 firmware is 8B21, all up from the prior 8A358 firmware released in October.
There's no word on what's include in the updated firmware, but the AirPods Pro 2, AirPods 4 with ANC, and AirPods Pro 3...
Apple has teamed up with Japanese fashion house ISSEY MIYAKE to launch iPhone Pocket, a 3D-knitted limited edition accessory designed to carry an iPhone, AirPods, and other everyday items.
The accessory is like a stretchy pocket, not unlike an iPod Sock, but elongated to form a strap made of a ribbed, elastic textile that fully encloses an iPhone yet allows you to glimpse the display...
Apple is expected to announce a new HomePod mini imminently, headlining with new chips. Here are all of the new features we're expecting.
The second-generation HomePod mini is highly likely to contain a more up-to-date chip for more advanced computational audio and improved responsiveness. The current HomePod mini is equipped with the Apple Watch Series 5's S5 chip from 2019. Apple is likely ...
Apple today announced that iPhone users can now create a Digital ID in the Apple Wallet app based on information from their U.S. passport.
To create and present a Digital ID based on a U.S. passport, you need:
An iPhone 11 or later running iOS 26.1 or later, or an Apple Watch Series 6 or later running watchOS 26.1 or later
Face ID or Touch ID and Bluetooth turned on
An Apple Account ...
While it was rumored that Apple planned to release new versions of the HomePod mini, Apple TV, and AirTag this year, it is no longer clear if that will still happen.
Back in January, Bloomberg's Mark Gurman said Apple planned to release new HomePod mini and Apple TV models "toward the end of the year," while he at one point expected a new AirTag to launch "around the middle of 2025." Yet,...
Tesla is working to add support for Apple CarPlay in its vehicles, Bloomberg's Mark Gurman reports.
Tesla vehicles rely on its own infotainment software system, which integrates vehicle functions, navigation, music, web browsing, and more. The automaker has been an outlier in foregoing support for Apple CarPlay, which has otherwise become an industry standard feature, allowing users to...
The thin, light iPhone Air sold so poorly that Apple has decided to delay the launch of the next-generation iPhone Air that was scheduled to come out alongside the iPhone 18 Pro, reports The Information.
Apple initially planned to release a new iPhone Air in fall 2026, but now that's not going to happen.
Since the iPhone Air launched in September, there have been reports of poor sales...
iOS 26 extended pinned conversations in the Messages app to CarPlay, for quick access to your most frequent chats. However, some drivers may prefer the classic view with a list of individual conversations only, and Apple now lets users choose.
Apple released the second beta of iOS 26.2 this week, and it introduces a new CarPlay setting for turning off pinned conversations in the Messages...
('https://www.macrumors.com/2024/01/17/apple-watch-series-9-ultra-2-without-blood-oxygen/')
