Apple Watch gets revamped blood oxygen feature

APPLE on Thursday said some of its top smartwatch models are getting a redesigned blood oxygen sensing feature, sidelined for several years by a patent dispute.

Software updates will add the capability to an array of Series 9, Series 10, and Ultra 2 Apple Watch models, according to the iPhone maker.

“This update was enabled by a recent US Customs ruling,” Apple said in a blog post.

Apple temporarily halted US sales of its latest smartwatch models last January as part of a patent feud with health company Masimo.

Masimo, based in southern California, filed a complaint to the US International Trade Commission (ITC) which decided to halt imports of the Apple Watch models over a patented technology for detecting blood-oxygen levels.

Apple manufactures the vast majority of its products overseas, giving the ITC jurisdiction over the patent feud.

According to reports, Apple removed the technology from the smartwatches in question at the time and resumed selling them.

Masimo argued that it invented the technology and that Apple poached key employees to win access to the know-how.

But Apple contended that the ITC finding was in error and appealed the decision in US federal court.

Apple strongly promotes its smartwatch’s fitness and health features, which include detection of heartbeat irregularities, falls, sleep apnea and harmful noise levels. AFP