The Apple Watch's highly regarded health tracking feature is absent from the Series 10 lineup.
The latest Apple Watch Series 10 smartwatch is getting a lot of attention for its improved design and sleep apnea detection feature. However, users in the US will not be able to use the blood oxygen level (SpO2) monitoring feature on the device due to an ongoing patent dispute.
Apple Watch Series 10 in the US lacks the blood oxygen level measurement feature.
Apple is currently embroiled in a long-running legal battle with health technology company Masimo over its blood oxygen sensor technology. Masimo has accused Apple of infringing on its patents and won a ruling from the US International Trade Commission (ITC), which led to a temporary ban on Apple Watch models with this feature in the US since late last year.
As a result, the Apple Watch Series 10 sold in the US will not have the Blood Oxygen app. Users will not be able to measure their blood oxygen levels on the device, a feature that has been available on previous Apple Watch models.
It's unclear when blood oxygen monitoring will be restored to the Apple Watch Series 10 in the US. Apple is appealing the ITC ruling, but the outcome remains pending.
The lack of blood oxygen monitoring may be a disappointment for some users, especially those who rely on it to monitor their health. However, the Apple Watch Series 10 still offers many other useful features, most notably the new sleep apnea detection system.
That could change if Apple wins the next court case, at which point the blood oxygen monitoring feature could be brought back to the Apple Watch Series 10 in the US via a software update.
So the Apple Watch Series 10, the 10th anniversary Apple Watch, has arrived with a new design. This is the first time since 2021 that Apple has updated the design of its smartwatch. The body is now thinner and the screen has been made larger on both device sizes.
The Apple Watch Series 10 has a new built-in speaker that lets users play music directly from the device. The new Apple Watch also features fast charging, allowing users to charge up to 80% in just 30 minutes. Apple has also created a new watch face that reflects ambient light to take advantage of the new, larger display.
Speaking of health features, the Apple Watch Series 10 has the ability to detect sleep apnea – a disorder that causes breathing to repeatedly stop and start while you sleep. The Apple Watch Series 10 can determine when a user has sleep apnea based on its sleep tracking feature.
Similar to the new Vitals app in watchOS 11, users must wear their Apple Watch while sleeping for a few days before being diagnosed with sleep apnea.