We knew it was coming, but now it's official: Apple Watch Series 9 and Ultra 2 no longer include the blood oxygen monitoring feature.
The change came as a result of a patent dispute between Apple and medical tech company Masimo, which briefly caused Apple to be banned from selling and importing its latest Apple Watch variants in the U.S. Now, to comply with the court's decision, Apple redesigned the new Watch variants without the pulse oximeter, which is used to measure the oxygen saturation level of the user's blood.
Apple now has a notice on top of its Apple Watch website, warning users that the Apple Watch Series 9 and Ultra 2 now come without the feature. All mentions of the feature were removed from Apple's comparison tool for the Apple Watch as well.
Mashable Top StoriesStay connected with the hottest stories of the day and the latest entertainment news.Sign up for Mashable's Top Stories newsletterBy signing up you agree to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy.Thanks for signing up!Sorry. Credit: Apple
According to Macrumors, new Apple Watch devices sold by Apple will still include the Blood Oxygen app, but it won't be functional. The site says that the app still works for people who already own these Apple Watch models, though it's unclear how long that will last.
There's a silver lining, however, but only for folks outside the U.S. Since the court's verdict only applies to the U.S., the Blood Oxygen app should continue working on Apple Watch models sold outside of the U.S.
Related Stories
Apple Watch redesign will remove blood oxygen monitoring amidst patent dispute
The newest Apple Watch is back down to its Cyber Weekend price
Apple Watch Series 9 vs. Google Pixel Watch 2: How are they different?
The Apple Watch ban is impacting repairs, too
Apple Watch Series 9 vs. Apple Watch Ultra 2: What are the differences?
SEE ALSO:More Apple Vision Pro hands-on impressions: Heavy, but impressive
I've tested it out on my Apple Watch Series 9, and it worked as expected.
My blood oxygen levels are fine, according to my Series 9 Watch. Credit: Stan Schroeder/Mashable
Apple has appealed the court's decision, and it's possible that the feature gets re-introduced if the appeal is successful. For now, however, Blood Oxygen monitoring, once touted by Apple as a "breathtaking innovation," remains off limits in the U.S.