Patent Wars: How Legal Battles Shape Your Smartwatch Experience
We dive deep into the Apple Watch blood oxygen feature controversy, examining how a patent dispute with Massimo led to significant changes in how this health tracking technology works for users.
• Blood oxygen monitoring has been a key feature on Apple Watch since Series 6 in 2020
• Massimo sued Apple for patent infringement on pulse oximetry technology
• The ITC banned Apple Watch imports, forcing Apple to temporarily remove the feature
• Apple created a workaround where the watch collects data but the iPhone calculates results
• This split-device solution undermines the original "glance at your wrist" convenience
• The situation raises questions about patents helping or hindering health tech innovation
• Users must now adapt to checking blood oxygen levels on their phones instead of watches
• This case illustrates how legal disputes directly impact consumer technology experiences
• The fragmentation of features across devices may become more common due to patent issues
• Health tracking remains a key differentiator for premium smartwatches despite these challenges
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