Apple’s very public dispute with well being system maker Masimo has acquired tongues wagging over the potential for the Apple Watch – among the best smartwatches on this planet – being banned within the US. Consequently, Apple has needed to disable blood oxygen monitoring options on its units – and that might have severe implications for different deliberate options.

As Bloomberg journalist Mark Gurman notes in his newest Energy On publication, sleep apnea monitoring – a key function that’s rumored to be coming to the subsequent Apple Watch later this yr – is likely to be in danger.

Why? Effectively, Apple’s battle with Masimo all comes right down to patents Masimo holds concerning blood oxygen monitoring. Apple has not too long ago been dominated to be in violation of these patents, and the corporate was compelled to implement a software program repair that disabled the function in any new Watches it offered.

Gurman believes that with the ability to maintain monitor of blood oxygen is significant for sleep apnea monitoring, and that if Apple is barred from implementing any sort of blood oxygen function in its wearables, that will have a knock-on impact on its sleep apnea plans, and probably different upcoming new options as nicely if in addition they depend on checking blood oxygen ranges.

The Apple Watch X is within the crosshairs

This wouldn’t be an issue if Apple is ready to shortly resolve its patent dispute with Masimo. However in the mean time, that doesn’t appear possible.

That’s as a result of Apple has appealed the ruling. Appeals may be prolonged processes, and Apple’s is anticipated to take at the very least a yr. Which means the subsequent Apple Watch (due out this yr) may need to go with out Apple’s flagship sleep apnea function.

It’s horrible timing for Apple, because the 2024 Apple Watch would be the firm’s tenth anniversary mannequin. In response to the rumor mill, it’ll be branded the Apple Watch X and will include a slate of particular options to mark the event. Due to this patent quarrel, it appears like at the very least one main addition might be lacking.

It’s doable that Apple will have the ability to embody this function by another means. However the firm doesn’t have plenty of time to provide you with an answer, contemplating how lengthy the testing, design and manufacturing processes all take. In case you’ve been hoping for sleep apnea monitoring within the subsequent Apple Watch, you’ll should maintain your fingers crossed for higher information over the approaching months.

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