Yes—but a patent dispute does not automatically switch off features on watches people already own. In the U.S. blood-oxygen dispute, Apple said watches bought with the original Blood Oxygen feature were unaffected. Some U.S. Series 9, Series 10, and Ultra 2 units sold without it later gained a redesigned version through software updates; that version sends sensor data to the paired iPhone for calculation.
What happens to the Blood Oxygen feature on a watch you already own?
It depends on the watch’s region and whether it was sold with the original feature. Apple said its redesigned U.S. version did not affect Apple Watch units previously purchased with the original Blood Oxygen feature, or units purchased outside the United States. That is Apple’s statement about the redesign; it does not establish what every future software-support decision will be.
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| Your situation | What Apple said or announced | What to check |
|---|---|---|
| You bought a watch with the original Blood Oxygen feature | Apple said the redesign did not affect these units. | Use the feature as available on your model and software; the announcement does not guarantee every future support scenario. |
| You bought an affected U.S. Series 9, Series 10, or Ultra 2 without Blood Oxygen | Apple announced a redesigned feature for some users, available with iOS 18.6.1 and watchOS 11.6.1. | Check the paired iPhone and watch software versions and whether your model is eligible. |
| You bought your watch outside the U.S. | Apple said those purchases were unaffected by the U.S. redesign. | Confirm regional model and current software details with Apple’s support information. |
Why does the redesigned U.S. feature calculate blood oxygen on an iPhone?
For the redesigned version announced by Apple on August 14, 2025, the watch collects the sensor data and the paired iPhone measures and calculates it. Results appear in the Respiratory section of the Health app. This differs from the original feature’s processing arrangement and reflects the design Apple introduced for some affected U.S. units.
Apple’s announcement specifies iOS 18.6.1 and watchOS 11.6.1. Availability is limited to eligible U.S. Series 9, Series 10, and Ultra 2 units that had been sold without Blood Oxygen; having those software versions alone does not establish that every Apple Watch qualifies.
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- A FULL-FEATURED HEALTH TRACKER—Apple Watch Series 11 gives you invaluable insights about your body, right from your wrist. Take an ECG anytime* and get alerts for a high and low heart rate or an irregular rhythm*—so you can stay closer to your heart. You can also view your overnight health tracking metrics with the Vitals app* and be notified of possible sleep apnea.*
- KNOW YOUR SLEEP SCORE—With advanced sleep tracking, Series 11 gives you a daily sleep score. It’s an easy way to help measure and understand the quality of your sleep, so you can make it more restorative.
- GET HYPERTENSION NOTIFICATIONS—Did you know that Series 11 can spot signs of chronic high blood pressure? By analyzing how your blood vessels respond to beats of the heart, it can notify you of possible hypertension.*
- SAFETY FEATURES—A smartwatch that puts your safety first. Series 11 can detect a hard fall or severe car crash, automatically help connect you with emergency services, and notify your emergency contacts.* Check In can automatically notify a loved one when you’ve arrived at your destination.
- A POWERFUL FITNESS TRACKER—With advanced metrics and motivating features like Pacer, Heart Rate Zones, training load, and Workout Buddy powered by Apple Intelligence from your nearby iPhone*—Series 11 is made to help everyone stay active, from runners and hikers to strength-training enthusiasts.
How are the patent cases different?
There are three relevant legal developments, and they do not all address the same product design or remedy.
The original blood-oxygen import dispute
Masimo pursued an International Trade Commission (ITC) complaint alleging infringement of patents covering wearable blood-oxygen measurement. The ITC found a violation and issued a U.S. exclusion order affecting certain Apple watches with light-based pulse oximetry functionality. On March 19, 2026, the Federal Circuit affirmed the original ITC decision. This ruling concerned the original design and exclusion-order dispute; it was not a global order to disable features on watches already in use. Federal Circuit opinion
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- A FULL-FEATURED HEALTH TRACKER—Apple Watch Series 11 gives you invaluable insights about your body, right from your wrist. Take an ECG anytime* and get alerts for a high and low heart rate or an irregular rhythm*—so you can stay closer to your heart. You can also view your overnight health tracking metrics with the Vitals app* and be notified of possible sleep apnea.*
- KNOW YOUR SLEEP SCORE—With advanced sleep tracking, Series 11 gives you a daily sleep score. It’s an easy way to help measure and understand the quality of your sleep, so you can make it more restorative.
- GET HYPERTENSION NOTIFICATIONS—Did you know that Series 11 can spot signs of chronic high blood pressure? By analyzing how your blood vessels respond to beats of the heart, it can notify you of possible hypertension.*
- SAFETY FEATURES—A smartwatch that puts your safety first. Series 11 can detect a hard fall or severe car crash, automatically help connect you with emergency services, and notify your emergency contacts.* Check In can automatically notify a loved one when you’ve arrived at your destination.
- A POWERFUL FITNESS TRACKER—With advanced metrics and motivating features like Pacer, Heart Rate Zones, training load, and Workout Buddy powered by Apple Intelligence from your nearby iPhone*—Series 11 is made to help everyone stay active, from runners and hikers to strength-training enthusiasts.
The proceeding over redesigned watches
In a later enforcement proceeding, the ITC declined review of a determination that the accused redesigned products did not infringe the asserted patents and should not be excluded under the existing order. That outcome did not reverse the Federal Circuit’s ruling about the original design. Apple, as quoted by 9to5Mac, said: “We thank the ITC for its decision, which ensures we can continue to offer this important health feature to our users.” 9to5Mac report on the ITC decision
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1Clear out junk files and repair common Windows errors2Fix the driver behind crashes, sound loss and screen glitches3Repair Windows errors before they cause bigger problemsA separate heart-rate patent damages case
A different Masimo case resulted in a $634 million jury verdict in November 2025 concerning historical Apple Watch sales and heart-rate monitoring and notification features. In July 2026, a judge denied Apple’s request to overturn the verdict or obtain a new trial; Apple said it planned to appeal. This is a separate legal track from the blood-oxygen import dispute, not an order removing current heart-rate features. Report on the verdict Report on the judge’s ruling
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- GET SMARTER HEALTH INSIGHTS—Apple Watch SE 3 is an advanced health tracker that helps you better understand your body. The smartwatch sends alerts for an irregular heart rhythm, or an unusually high or low heart rate.* You can view your overnight health tracking metrics with the Vitals app,* track your sleep score, and get sleep apnea notifications.*
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- KEEP HELP CLOSE AT HAND—SE 3 is a smartwatch that can detect a hard fall or severe car crash and automatically help connect you to emergency services and notify your emergency contacts.* Check In can automatically notify a loved one when you’ve arrived at your destination.
- WOMEN’S HEALTH INSIGHTS—SE 3 has advanced sensors that track your wrist temperature while you sleep. With this smartwatch, you can log your periods and symptoms, get period predictions, and get notified of cycle deviations.*
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On October 6, 2026, MacRumors reported that prejudgment interest increased the separate award. The precise final total and subsequent appellate status are not established here, so the $634 million figure refers to the jury verdict rather than a verified final amount. MacRumors report on prejudgment interest
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.Could an Apple Watch patent dispute affect other features or new buyers?
A dispute can affect which features ship on new watches, what software updates offer, and whether certain products can be imported or sold in a particular market. The ITC exclusion order is U.S.-specific, however, and the blood-oxygen dispute should not be treated as a blanket shutdown of Apple Watch functions worldwide.
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- GET SMARTER HEALTH INSIGHTS—Apple Watch SE 3 is an advanced health tracker that helps you better understand your body. The smartwatch sends alerts for an irregular heart rhythm, or an unusually high or low heart rate.* You can view your overnight health tracking metrics with the Vitals app,* track your sleep score, and get sleep apnea notifications.*
- A GREAT FITNESS TRACKER—SE 3 can track your workouts in a healthy number of ways—from running and strength training to simply achieving your 10K steps a day. With real-time metrics and Workout Buddy powered by Apple Intelligence from your nearby iPhone,* you’ll hit your goals like never before.
- KEEP HELP CLOSE AT HAND—SE 3 is a smartwatch that can detect a hard fall or severe car crash and automatically help connect you to emergency services and notify your emergency contacts.* Check In can automatically notify a loved one when you’ve arrived at your destination.
- WOMEN’S HEALTH INSIGHTS—SE 3 has advanced sensors that track your wrist temperature while you sleep. With this smartwatch, you can log your periods and symptoms, get period predictions, and get notified of cycle deviations.*
- GREAT BATTERY LIFE AND FASTER CHARGING—Enjoy a smartwatch with all-day, 18-hour battery life* from sunup to sundown. Then charge up to twice as fast as SE 2* and get up to 8 hours of battery in just 15 minutes.*
Do not infer from the separate heart-rate damages verdict that heart-rate monitoring or notifications on current watches are being removed. The verdict concerned historical sales and is legally distinct from the blood-oxygen import order.
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Outbyte PC Repair FREEClear out junk files and repair common Windows errorsFree Scan →Outbyte Driver Updater FREEScan for outdated or missing drivers - takes under a minuteDriver Scan →For a prospective purchase, verify the exact model’s feature availability in your region rather than assuming that every generation or market has the same configuration. Apple announced Apple Watch Series 12 in September 2026; check Apple’s current regional specifications before buying. Apple Watch Series 12
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![Apple Watch Series 11 [GPS 42mm] Smartwatch with Jet Black Aluminum Case with Black Sport Band - S/M. Sleep Score, Fitness Tracker, Health Monitoring, Always-On Display, Water Resistant](https://m.media-amazon.com/images/I/41s72HIk5TL._SL160_.jpg)
- A FULL-FEATURED HEALTH TRACKER—Apple Watch Series 11 gives you invaluable insights about your body, right from your wrist. Take an ECG anytime* and get alerts for a high and low heart rate or an irregular rhythm*—so you can stay closer to your heart. You can also view your overnight health tracking metrics with the Vitals app* and be notified of possible sleep apnea.*
- KNOW YOUR SLEEP SCORE—With advanced sleep tracking, Series 11 gives you a daily sleep score. It’s an easy way to help measure and understand the quality of your sleep, so you can make it more restorative.
- GET HYPERTENSION NOTIFICATIONS—Did you know that Series 11 can spot signs of chronic high blood pressure? By analyzing how your blood vessels respond to beats of the heart, it can notify you of possible hypertension.*
- SAFETY FEATURES—A smartwatch that puts your safety first. Series 11 can detect a hard fall or severe car crash, automatically help connect you with emergency services, and notify your emergency contacts.* Check In can automatically notify a loved one when you’ve arrived at your destination.
- A POWERFUL FITNESS TRACKER—With advanced metrics and motivating features like Pacer, Heart Rate Zones, training load, and Workout Buddy powered by Apple Intelligence from your nearby iPhone*—Series 11 is made to help everyone stay active, from runners and hikers to strength-training enthusiasts.
Blood Oxygen is a wellness feature, not a diagnosis. For health questions, rely on appropriate medical guidance and Apple’s current support information.
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