Apple Updates Website to Highlight Removal of Apple Watch Blood Oxygen Feature

As expected, Apple has updated its U.S. website to notify customers that the Blood Oxygen feature on the Apple Watch Series 9 and Apple Watch Ultra 2 is no longer included.

apple watch series 6 blood oxygen monitoring 1
Apple has added a banner to the store webpages related for both devices, and removed all mention of the feature in its product comparison tool. The change was spotted by developer Dylan McDonald.

The modified Series 9 and Ultra 2 models without a functional Blood Oxygen app have part numbers ending in LW/A, according to Apple.

"The ability to measure blood oxygen is no longer available on Apple Watch units sold by Apple in the United States after January 18, 2024," says Apple's website. "These are indicated with part numbers ending in LW/A."

Apple has removed access to the Blood Oxygen feature in the U.S. to allow it to avoid a sales ban on the associated models. The ban was ordered by the U.S. International Trade Commission (ITC) after ruling that Apple violated Masimo's pulse oximetry patents with the feature, which first appeared on the Series 6 model in 2020.

Apple Watch models sold by Apple 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.


The Blood Oxygen app still works on previously-sold Series 9 and Ultra 2 models. The feature also remains available on Apple Watch models sold outside the U.S., as the sales ban does not apply internationally. Apple strongly disagrees with the ITC's decision, and its appeal is ongoing.

Tag: Masimo
Related Forum: Apple Watch

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Top Rated Comments

MrENGLISH Avatar
18 months ago
I don’t know how much of this is out of their control or not but Apple looks really stupid in all of this.
Score: 51 Votes (Like | Disagree)
Pro_the_legend Avatar
18 months ago
They should reduce the prices as well, considering how blood oxygen sensor was the main differentiation between S5 & S6. It’s an inferior product now when compared to what it was supposed to be.
Score: 47 Votes (Like | Disagree)
btrach144 Avatar
18 months ago
How did Apple let it get this bad? Wild
Score: 31 Votes (Like | Disagree)
Boeingfan Avatar
18 months ago
Crazy. Just pay the licensing fee for chrissakes.
Score: 27 Votes (Like | Disagree)
ohthehorror Avatar
18 months ago
How utterly stupid is this. Foot, meet bullet.
Score: 25 Votes (Like | Disagree)
DMG35 Avatar
18 months ago
Seems like the price should be less now. What am I missing here?
Score: 23 Votes (Like | Disagree)