Does the Apple Watch Series 10 and Apple Watch Ultra 2 include an Oxygen Sensor?

jrp11 wrote:

I disagree as well. I have the Watch 7, which still has the oxygen sensor, and have found it to be quite accurate

How do you know how accurate it is? What other device are you using at the same time to generate comparison data?

jrp11 wrote:

Good question. I have compared readings to a finger sensor, as well as what I get from my doctor and the readings are always near identical.

So your doctor is taking readings while you're exercising? And/or you're wearing a finger sensor while working out? ;-)

Accurate under one set of conditions doesn't necessarily mean accurate under all conditions. But if your current watch works for you, there's no reason to upgrade.

For me, years ago when I was doing serious distance running and there were not Apple Watches, my pulmonologist recommended the Perceived Exertion Scale. I found it to be very helpful and it requires no gadgets. It does take a bit of learning, though.

The oximeter is extremely important for me who has a lung disease if I’m away from home and cannot readily check my blood oxygen I rely on my Apple Watch and my Apple Watch is always 100% accurate to the hospitals equipment. I would upgrade my watch if the watch 10 activate that sensor.

ShaylynnH wrote:

The oximeter is extremely important for me who has a lung disease if I’m away from home and cannot readily check my blood oxygen I rely on my Apple Watch and my Apple Watch is always 100% accurate to the hospitals equipment. I would upgrade my watch if the watch 10 activate that sensor.

You can get standalone oximeters that even sync to Health.

Cervidil17 wrote:

I purchased an Apple watch 10 and the Blood Oxygen sensor was working as recently as August 2024 when I had Covid, now it does not work.🤷‍♀️

If you are in the U.S. the Series 10 does not support the O2 sensor as per Court Order.

I am emailing you to tell you my story, one night I was out and was celebrating my one year sobriety and was shot 11 times. I was saved by my Apple Watch by calling the cops and I was rescued. I’m sending this to say thank you and if there’s anything I can do to help others like me would be an amazing thing with apple. Thanks for reading this!

zzmd wrote:

my thoughts on the Apple Watch O2 sensor it’s good for trending and on the spot measurements for oxygen saturation is very accurate compared to hospital grade oximeters . For apple to introduce a sleep apnea app after they are required to disable their O2 sensor on the watch is ridiculous.

Your thoughts are meaningless, because Apple cannot LEGALLY have an O2 sensor. Which has been explained many times in the 3 pages of the thread that you apparently didn’t read before you posted.

Not my thoughts are not meaningless. I stated sleep apnea app by Apple is ineffective if oxygen saturation cannot used . I also stated that they were required to disable it i.e. the lawsuit, so it is a parent. I understand there was a lawsuit. I just was befuddled by the fact that Apple would introduce a sleep apnea application after they were required to turn off oxygen saturation measurement.

zzmd wrote:

Not my thoughts are not meaningless. I stated sleep apnea app by Apple is ineffective if oxygen saturation cannot used . I also stated that they were required to disable it i.e. the lawsuit, so it is a parent. I understand there was a lawsuit. I just was befuddled by the fact that Apple would introduce a sleep apnea application after they were required to turn off oxygen saturation measurement.

I agree. Your thoughts are not meaningless. But keep in mind that O2 and sleep apnea are two different things. I went to a sleep clinic twice to be tested for sleep apnea (which I definitely have). Both times I was hooked up to a lot of sensors but they measured how many times I was awake and stopped breathing (respiration, not oxygen). Neither time, when I was given the results, was oxygen measured. It was not until quite a few years later that my lungs developed problems and they ordered different tests that measured my nightly O2 readings - while using my cpap. Those reading showed low O2 levels and the docs added O2 to my cpap. Currently, my Apple Watch 9 - which was purchased before the lawsuit and still offers oxygen readings - offers good info to me and to my docs. I use the Auto Sleep watch app. It works in conjunction with the watch's O2 readings. Together, they take O2 readings periodically throughout the night. The morning report shows a lot of detail, including respiration rates and average Sleep SpO2 for the night. It shows not only the range, but also the O2 high and low measurements. I bring my iPhone when I go to see my pulmonologist. He reviews the reports and makes any necessary adjustments to my oxygen accordingly. He says that in his experience, Apple has really stepped up with the accuracy of their oxygen reports.

As the others have said, it's a tool. But in my opinion and in the opinion of my doctor, the readings are accurate enough to use as good tools. Use the tool, but do not make it your only tool. That's what works for me. Your doctor would be the best person to go to with any additional questions.

Carol B. wrote:

But keep in mind that O2 and sleep apnea are two different things. I went to a sleep clinic twice to be tested for sleep apnea (which I definitely have). Both times I was hooked up to a lot of sensors but they measured how many times I was awake and stopped breathing (respiration, not oxygen). Neither time, when I was given the results, was oxygen measured.

Very interesting and helpful information.

zzmd wrote:

Not my thoughts are not meaningless. I stated sleep apnea app by Apple is ineffective if oxygen saturation cannot used . I also stated that they were required to disable it i.e. the lawsuit, so it is a parent. I understand there was a lawsuit. I just was befuddled by the fact that Apple would introduce a sleep apnea application after they were required to turn off oxygen saturation measurement.

I believe what as meant is that, as far as Apple is concerned, it doesn't matter what any of us think about the matter. As they always do, Apple did what they did for their own reasons. No one here can answer why they decided to add Sleep Apnea when they don't have an O2 sensor. I suspect that Carol B.'s excellent response may shed some light on it, however,

The add you saw could have been a mistake by a third party that manages the T-Mobile website or even an internal web team. Companies hire interns all the time and try to rectify the errors as quickly as possible.

I’m sorry the disappoint, but the disabling of the sensors is in direct response to a federal court order. Again, not the experience that was hoped for. I hope you have a great rest of your weekend.

If the sensor is there, then why doesn't Masimo just charge for an application on the Apple Store which enables the sensor? I would probably pay another $50 (and maybe $50 a year) just to have the feature to get my VO2 number. People are correct that the pulse oxygen is probably unreliable, but the pulse oxygen over time and VO2 are valuable. Masimo is losing out on a huge opportunity here.

gdaustin wrote:

If the sensor is there, then why doesn't Masimo just charge for an application on the Apple Store which enables the sensor? I would probably pay another $50 (and maybe $50 a year) just to have the feature to get my VO2 number. People are correct that the pulse oxygen is probably unreliable, but the pulse oxygen over time and VO2 are valuable. Masimo is losing out on a huge opportunity here.

I suspect they were hoping Apple would pay them truckloads of money for the rights to use it.

they’re very accurate. It is just because of the lawsuits. I’m with you. I’m not gonna upgrade until the new watch has the oxygen sensor that is activated as well. Apparently they all have them. They’re just not activated because of the lawsuit.