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Comment by laweijfmvo | Hacker News Reader

So did they just give up on Blood-Oxygen sensing on the Watch? Thought it might be a good time to update my Watch 6 (black titanium) to a 10, since they brought back the black titanium, but they just have no answer for the blood-oxygen lawsuit?

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Patent issue, it is blocked in the USA, IIRC.

Here's one thing I saw about it:

https://www.patentlyapple.com/2024/07/while-apple-has-update...

Maybe they are just not reporting it. Sleep apnea detection is probably using blood oxygen levels.

I checked the "Compare" page and it confirms no blood oxygen on Series 10 and Ultra 2. It's basically the one thing the 6 does better.

It’s pretty unsexy for Apple to say they’re using their sound recognition tech to listen for snoring.

As the other commenter said it does seem like Apple might have either straight up removed it or is disabling it in software entirely for now.

Comparison page lists the "Blood Oxygen app" for the S6 through S8, but S9 and S10 both just have "-" for that comparison section like the S5 has.

https://www.apple.com/watch/compare/?modelList=watch-series-...

EDIT: Another difference between them is the Vitals App description removing the blood oxygen reference.

S10: "Vitals app featuring heart rate, respiratory rate, wrist temperature, and sleep duration"

S08: "Vitals app featuring heart rate, respiratory rate, wrist temperature, blood oxygen, and sleep duration"

it is likely that they are disabling it in software as it is only missing on the product page for the usa

Good call-out!

Here's a non-US comparison link, for anyone interested:

https://www.apple.com/sg/watch/compare/?modelList=watch-seri...

Patent issue, right?

https://www.patentlyapple.com/2024/07/while-apple-has-update...

It was using the accelerometer to detect breaths, or absence, and uses a month's worth of data, so not using O2 at all.

They didn't "give up", they were sued and had to remove it (at least in the US). This is the most recent update I could find: https://www.theverge.com/2024/4/5/24122407/apple-watch-masim...

Probably a result of the patent dispute over the feature: https://apnews.com/article/apple-watch-patent-dispute-sales-...

It’s been really crappy the entire time it existed, so it’s not a big loss. I have my watch on quite snugly (but not too tight), and fairly high on my wrist, and the stupid thing only takes maybe 3-5 measurements per DAY. Also, it cannot take measurements while exercising, or even moving.

It takes more frequent measurements in "sleep" focus mode (Settings > Focus.)

Wow, if they removed the blood oxygen measurement, I will keep my S7 Apple watch. I had planned an upgrade.

Removed for US purchasers. Fine elsewhere.

The German website doesn't list it either, but lets hope that is just an issue with the web site.

Edit: if you go to the comparison page, it lists the blood oxygene app for the 10 and the Ultra 2, so great :)

I’m on the 9 and have blood oxygen sensor, are they removing it in the 10?

The Samsung Galaxy Watch series still supports it, as well as blood pressure and sleep apnea (though you may have to hack it slightly to unlock those features in the US).

Anecdotally I found it worthless anyway. I tried a variety of straps, tightness, positions, but I think the freckles on my white skin just confused it. Finger monitors consistently have it at 98%+. Apple Watch: “Your Blood Oxygen content is 85-100%”. Thank you Apple, very cool.

No real pattern to the large outliers, they’d happen at all times of the day, even with my girlfriend’s watch that I asked for a lend of.

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