Does my Apple Watch update remove the oxygen sensor?

so you’re saying if I have a new ultra 2 that was purchased from apple after January 18 and apple reverses its stance on using the oxygen sensor Apple can turn the function back on later via an update? It’s not lose completely?

All current owners who purchased their series 9 BEFORE 1/18/2024 will NOT have the O2 feature disabled, period, end of story. As of 1/18/2024 Apple neither promotes, advertises or makes any reference to O2 for the series 9 and Ultra models.

So no, there will be no refunds to registered owners because nothing has changed for them. If you buy the watch today you will know going in that it does not have the feature. And the update doesn’t disable the feature. That is accomplished by a firmware update applied to watches sold on or after 1/18/2024.

mbb3977 wrote:

So if I buy a series 9 from Best Buy or Amazon today run Apples update it can disable the O2 Functionality?

If anything Apple should be refunding money to all the Series 9 registered users. Misleading and being irresponsible is not the way the company should be run. Tim collects his bonus's for WHAT?

[Edited by Moderator]

Simple answer is NO, your watch will not have its O2 sensor disabled. Only watches sold January 18 or later will experience this. Fact

So if I buy a series 9 from Best Buy or Amazon today run Apples update it can disable the O2 Functionality?

[Edited by Moderator]

Yes, Apple will have to release a the software update for those affected Apple Watch models, to bring this function back.

I believe that the apple store only bit is only until other sides run out of stock, and have to get new apple watches from apple, in which case those would have had it removed like the models apple sell in their store.

CJonse wrote:

so you’re saying if I have a new ultra 2 that was purchased from apple after January 18 and apple reverses its stance on using the oxygen sensor Apple can turn the function back on later via an update? It’s not lose completely?

That is the theory.

Resrick2 wrote:

While an OS update will not remove the feature... apparently getting a purchased watch repaired will.

My parents bought the watch specifically for the O2 feature, AND purchased AppleCare+.

Well after only a few months, the watch stopped charging. Took it to the geniuses and they couldn't figure it out and had to send it in for repair. But my parents were informed that when they got the watch back, the O2 feature would be disabled. Even though that's why they bought the watch at all. When explaining this, the genius said "well then don't get it repaired". How can you use a watch that doesn't charge? What a rip.

I suspect if they replace the Apple Watch, with a new Series 9, then they might be required to provide one that has the O2 sensor disabled.

If they actually repair the same Apple Watch, then it might be able to still have the O2 sensor.

HOWEVER, you are also saying this about Series 8 and old Apple Watches, which are NOT banned by the FTC, and for those I would like to know if you have personal 1st hand experience with a Series 8 or older being sent in for repair that has had the O2 sensor removed.

The blood oxygen sensor can not be physically removed, it can only be disabled for existing Apple Watch models if the watch has the modified watchOS software installed. But, this will only be the case for models sold after January 18th 2024.

...

• The ability to measure blood oxygen is no longer available on Apple Watch units sold by Apple in the United States beginning January 18, 2024. These are indicated with part numbers ending in LW/A. Learn how to identify your Apple Watch.

...

copied from: Watch - Apple

Your report goes against all information published by Apple about the issue. I seriously question whether the genius they spoke with gave them the correct information. Have your parents actually received the replacement watch yet? Have they checked to see if the feature is actually disabled? And what model did they originally buy and when?

If their watch is a series 9 or Ultra 2 and it has to be replaced (not just fixed but actually swapped out with another watch) then yes, since due to the current legal restraint it would have to be replaced with a 9/Ultra 2 that has the feature disabled. There is no way around that. This isn’t a choice that Apple made because they wanted to. They legally can not provide a series 9 or Ultra 2 with the feature active. This would include replacements. So knowing that legal limitation your parents would have to decide if not having that one feature for at least the duration of this legal battle is enough to not have the watch replaced and apparently having an uncharged. The question is if their watch was truly repaired versus replaced is the feature truly suddenly disabled. I suspect if it’s disabled they received a replacement.

It’s possible they could try their hand at trying to get a refund for the watch since they can’t be provided a watch with the exact same features they are trying to have repaired under warranty but it’s an uphill battle that doesn’t go in their favor thanks to the terms and conditions stating that “Features are subject to change”….which this would unfortunately fall under. Isn’t necessarily impossible but probably won’t be easy or worth the frustration.

My Apple Watch Series 9's (purchased Sept 2023) O2 feature stopped working last Wednesday the 28th of February. I called Apple Care on Wednesday and Thursday of last week concerning this problem and after several hours on the phone I was told the feature will no longer work. I was asked if I wish to speak to a sales department representative to work with me on receiving some type of credit. My response was I would like a full refund and the Apple Watch that I traded-in back to be made whole. That did not seem to be an option so I decided to ask this forum if anyone is experiencing the same issue.

IPadClub wrote:

Do you think apple going to bring it back on the Apple Watch Series 10

Apple does not tell the volunteers in this user-to-user technical support forum any future plans, and my "Magic 8 Ball" is in the shop for repairs 🎱

At the moment this is in the hands of lawyers. Anything involving lawyers can take time.

Ummmm….get busted for what exactly? The terms and conditions exist…many of us don’t bother to read them but that doesn’t mean we can’t be expected to know the info exists (choosing to accept the terms and conditions without reading them is completely on us. I am guilty of this too BUT I don’t try to pretend like me not reading them means it’s not my fault that I don’t know something that is within them).

Also, let’s be clear. I stated (and it is still there so not sure what your claim of me not wanting to be busted….like I have a stake in Apple other than being a customer and user of their products just like you) “Terms and conditions states that changes can occur at any time so the risk of losing a feature you like has always existed”. This is true. You didn’t say you upgraded to a new device. You stated that you on your watch 7 which is why I clearly stated I assume you were referring to the watchOS. Leaving out other details makes it very difficult to know you are saying something else. To falsely claim something I posted was unposted is ridiculous. Now if you’re trying to imply I didn’t post the terms and conditions for you….you would be correct. I did not. I didn’t need to. Everyone can access them on the Apple website and read through them to verify what verbiage they use in regards to everything including the disclaimer that changes to features can occur. Does everyone know? No, but it’s not because the info isn’t available. It’s simply because most people don’t take the time to read through the often long term and conditions presented by Apple or most other things we deal with.

GrandpaBobB wrote:

Guess KaeBFly didn't want to get busted.

Good grief. The legal issues affect ONLY the series 9 and Ultra watches sold on or after 1/18/2024. When did you order the series 9? This has been plastered all over the internet for months and you didn't know the O2 sensor had been disabled? Really.

Your series 7 did NOT have the O2 sensor disabled when you re-paired and updated. There are only two things that could have happened. Either the update was corrupted or you simply don’t know how to find it. watchOS 10 changed the UI somewhat.

There are NO reports of the feature being disabled after an update on the series 7, NONE. No articles from established tech blogs. Something like that would be HUGE news for the media to chew on.

You are the ONLY one reporting this. You are uniformed, period.