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?

If my new Apple Watch still has an oxygen sensor, just disabled, can Apple reactivate it through an iOS update if the lawsuit is resolved?

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.

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]

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]

Just wanted to give a current update on this based on my personal experience of just having a Series 7 watch replaced for battery capacity issues under Apple Care warranty. At no time was anything mentioned to me about the oxygen sensor possibly being disabled. I just received the watch back and the oxygen measurement functionality is still operating as expected.

I had read on other forums that it could be that if the watch is not under warranty and has to be replaced, that under that circumstance the functionality could be removed. Could be based on it being considered a "new" sale.

Thought I would pass along my experience to maybe help others as I had come across this thread while mine was being replaced and I had some concern on what I would get back. I received the same model and color (blue) that I had before. Battery is now at 100% capacity.

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.

This is a user-to-user technical support forum. Telling Apple what you think they should do in a very complicated dispute is rather pointless. 1) Apple doesn't read here. 2) Don't you think the smart people at Apple are already working on a way forward?

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

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

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.

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• 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

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.

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?

No, it does not matter where you activate your watch. If bought in the US, the Blood Oxygen app is disabled for now.

...

• 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: watchOS - Feature Availability - Apple