Blood oxygen drama

Apple is working to remove the blood-oxygen sensors from its latest watches, including the Series 9 and Ultra 2, because of an ongoing patent dispute with medical technology company Masimo.

Masimo had accused Apple of stealing technology related to the sensor, leading to a ruling by the International Trade Commission in October 2023 that the newest Apple Watches violated Masimo's patents.

Apple temporarily paused the sale of the watches to avoid an import ban and has since appealed the decision. The redesigned watches without the sensor have started appearing in retail locations, but Apple may release them only if its appeal is unsuccessful.