Does my Apple Watch update remove the oxygen sensor?

No Apple is being sued and while it is in the courts, O2 sensor is disabled!

No it’s not I have the series 7, and updated it all the time and still use my oxygen sensor all the time also. Actually I just used it before posting this comment.

If those watches were imported before 1/18/2024 the Oximeter function will still work and updates of watchOS will not disable it. If those watches were imported after 1/18/2024 then Amazon is guilty of false advertising. Personally I wouldn’t trust Amazon’s advertising at all. It may be a third party reseller playing games. Pre 1/18/2024 series 9 watches should be all but sold out by now.

iamthewheel wrote:

So if I have a Hermes 6 I have nothing to worry about with future updates. Correct. Pls advise. Thx.

Assuming no new legal changes, your Series 6 will keep it O2 monitor.

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.

Apple just replaced my series 6 watch with a new one and after getting it I updated it to watchOS 10.4; I still have use of the o2 sensor. Nothing was removed or disabled.

I have a Hermes 6 with the latest update and still have the oxygen sensor.

So, I am a little bothered by the fact that as of 1/18/24, apple does not promote or advertise or makes reference to the oxygen sensor of Apple Watch series 9, but was a feature that they did promote, support, advertise and referenced prior to release, but pulls a cold stop after release and expects us who rely on this feature daily to just sit with it after ordering the watch after upgrading from a prior series? I have the steel version with Safire glass and cellular service, that’s pretty much an $800 watch, I wanted and paid for ALL features and now I have to find out that one of the features I use the most i use the most is DISABLED by software but the hardware still exist in the device… so how about this going forward:

1) apple comes to agreement with the copyright holder for series 9 and ultra 2, subsequent series will not have the feature at all built into the device nor support the O2 sat feature in software and therefore charge less for the for the device for less feature.

2) Apple comes to agreement with the copyright holder until 2028 for license to use the feature and their subsequent device release such as series 10, ultra 3 and on.

3) Apple reengineers the device to include the O2 sat feature to work around the specifications of the copyright holders patent, thus creating a registering a patent of their own.

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.

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.

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.

That is an entirely different lawsuit and has no bearing on the oxygen sensor patent suit Apple lost. The 4 patents Apple infringed on expire in 2028. Nothing will happen until then, so don’t hold your breath. 😁

Jeff Donald wrote:

Something went unexpectedly wrong with your pairing and/or iOS update. I’ve two watches with the feature and they paired fine with two new iPhones. The blood oxygen sensor was not deleted nor app were deleted.

Same here with my Apple Watch 9 which was purchased before the lawsuit. I've been keeping it updated. My oxygen sensor is still working.

Wearing my Hermes 6 now with the latest software and still have the blood oxygenator.

No they won’t. And honestly it’s odd that you updated (I assume you mean the watchOS) on a 7 and lost the feature. But if that’s the case then no….unless you are in the return/exchange period for a watch you recently purchased you will not be given a refund. Terms and conditions states that changes can occur at any time so the risk of losing a feature you like has always existed.