THE Apple Watch‘s blood oxygen sensor has been at the center of what looks like an endless legal back-and-forth tennis match.
In 2020, the Apple Watch Series 6 launched with the sensor that measures your blood oxygen saturation (SpO2), which is the amount of oxygen that red blood cells pick up from your lungs and carry to the rest of your body. That same year, global medical technology company Masimo filed a lawsuit, claiming that Apple’s sensor infringed on 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, the ITC rejected Masimo’s request for a new import ban on the Apple Watch and said it would not review a preliminary ruling that the redesigned Apple Watch does not infringe Masimo’s patents. This is a major victory for Apple.
Unless Masimo decides to appeal the decision, Apple may reinstate blood oxygen monitoring on its devices.
But based on the history of this case, this game may not be over.
The story of Apple’s blood oxygen ban
The ITC became involved in the legal battle between Masimo and Apple in 2021, and in January 2023 confirmed that Apple had infringed Masimo’s patents. Then, in December 2023, the ITC banned Apple from importing its watches, including the Series 9 and Ultra 2, in the United States.
To avoid the ban, Apple has disabled blood oxygen detection on their devices.
Ahead of the launch of Apple Watch Series 11, Apple reintroduced blood oxygen detection in August 2025, which was approved by U.S. Customs and Border Protection. He circumvented the ban by using a iPhone to display blood oxygen levels instead of the Apple Watch. Masimo sued U.S. Customs over the decision.
If you are restarted, you will be able to see your blood oxygen level in the Health app on iPhone.
AppleIn November 2025, a jury in the U.S. District Court for the Central District of California found that Apple had infringed one of Masimo’s patents and awarded the company $634 million in damages. Apple told AppleInsider it plans to appeal, saying the patent expires in 2022.
Although the ITC rejected a new ban on Apple’s blood oxygen feature and rejected Masimo’s request to review the ruling in Apple’s favor, Masimo may continue the battle, especially given its victory in November, after which the company issued a statement saying, “We remain committed to defending our intellectual property.” [intellectual property] rights are progressing. »
An Apple representative did not immediately respond to a request for comment. Masimo declined to comment.
In the meantime, if your curiosity gets the better of you, you can always buy a pulse oximeter. It’s a device that estimates your blood oxygen level by measuring the light passing through your finger. No complicated legal battles are involved.
