Apple said it will add blood oxygen measurement to some watch models through the software update after the US government is approved, while the legal dispute over the technology is prolonged.
This measures will allow users to see the Apple Watch Series 9, Series 10 and Apple Watch Ultra 2 users in the paired iPhone.
This was after several years of legal dispute with Mashimo, headquartered in Irvine, California, and Mashimo criticized Apple for hiring his employees and stealing pulse oxygen.
Mashimo was ruled by the US International Trade Commission to block the import of watches with its functions, and accordingly, Apple has deleted the function and began the long appeal procedure.
The watch model, which was affected on Thursday, had no blood oxygen at the time of delivery, but US customs approved the software update, Apple said.
This update allows users to start sessions on Apple Watch’s blood oxygen apps, and Apple will collect data to be used to calculate and display numbers in iPhone, Apple said.
Apple first introduced a pulse oxygen measurement function in Series 6 Apple Watch in 2020. Mashimo launched bloody oxygen tracking W1 in 2022.
Mashimo persuaded the ITC to block Apple’s Series 9 and Ultra 2 smart watch imports in 2023, at the committee’s judgment that Apple’s blood oxygen numerical reader violated Mashimo’s patent.
Apple persuaded the Federal Tritting Committee to temporarily resume sales after temporarily suspended to ban sales.
The Federal Court restored the ban on sales next month, and Apple eliminated the pulse oxygen measurement function from the US watch.
Mashimo did not immediately respond to the request for comment.
