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the Apple watchThe blood oxygen sensor has been at the heart of what seems like a never-ending, legally back-and-forth tennis match.
In 2020, Apple Watch Series 6 has been launched Using a sensor that measures blood oxygen saturation (SpO2), which is how much oxygen your red blood cells pick up from your lungs and transport to the rest of your body. In the same year, global medical technology company Masimo filed a lawsuit claiming that Apple’s sensor infringed its patents. In 2023, the US International Trade Commission sided with Masimo and imposed an import ban on the Apple Watch Series 9 and Ultra 2 models.
However, on Friday, ITC Massimo’s request was rejected to ban another import on the Apple Watch and said it would not review its initial ruling on the Apple Watch redesign Does not infringe Masimo patents. This is a big win for Apple.
Unless Masimo decides to appeal the decision, Apple could return blood oxygen monitoring to its devices.
But based on the history of this case, this may not be the end of this match.
History of Apple’s ban on oxygen in the blood
The ITC became involved in the legal battle between Masimo and Apple in 2021, and in January 2023, it asserted that Apple had infringed Masimo’s patents. Then, in December 2023, the ITC Apple was banned from importing Its watches, including the Series 9 and Ultra 2, are available in the United States.
To avoid ban, Apple disables the blood oxygen sensor on their devices.
Before the launch of Apple Watch Series 11, Apple has reintroduced the blood oxygen sensor in August 2025, which was approved by US Customs and Border Protection. He bypassed the ban using pairing iPhone To display blood oxygen levels instead of the Apple Watch. Masimo filed a lawsuit against US Customs over this decision.
If it turns back on, you’ll be able to view your blood oxygen levels in your iPhone’s Health app.
In November 2025, a jury in the US District Court for the Central District of California found that Apple infringed one of Masimo’s patents and awarded the company $634 million in damages. Apple told AppleInsider about this Plan to appealClaiming that the patent expired in 2022.
Although the ITC has rejected another ban on Apple’s blood oxygen feature and denied Masimo’s request to review the ruling in Apple’s favor, Masimo may continue the fight, especially in light of its November win, after which the company won Issue a statement “We are committed to defending our intellectual property rights moving forward,” he said.
An Apple representative did not immediately respond to a request for comment. Massimo declined to comment.
In the meantime, if your curiosity gets the best of you, you can always purchase a pulse oximeter. It is a device that estimates the level of oxygen in the blood by measuring the light that passes through your finger. There are no messy legal battles involved.