Apple’s 2024 smartwatch lineup could lack a sleep apnea detection feature due to a patent dispute with medical technology company Masimo. The development was reported in your new newsletter, Power On, with insights from Bloomberg’s senior tech journalist Mark Gurman.
Recently, a federal appeals court declined Apple’s request to lift the U.S. International Trade Commission’s ban on selling its Watch Series 9 and Ultra 2 smartwatches. The ban followed Apple’s loss in a patent case with Masimo over oxygen-sensing measurement technology. Because of the ruling, Apple cannot include a pulse oximeter on new watches sold in the United States, effectively disabling the sleep apnea detection capability.
Gurman noted that disabling this option will not necessarily alienate all Apple enthusiasts who already own or eagerly await the 2023 watch. Nevertheless, he emphasizes that losing the Masimo patent—on top of the immediate accessory limitation—poses significant challenges for the company moving forward.
“First, this is a major disappointment. Second, and more crucially, losing the patent dispute raises questions about Apple’s ability to deploy other features in future smartwatches,” Gurman commented in his analysis.
Specifically, he suggested Apple might avoid sleep apnea detection in watches by 2024. The practical reality is that apnea is defined by the level of oxygen in the blood. To measure this accurately, a pulse oximeter is required, which Apple is prohibited from including in U.S. devices under the current ruling.
In earlier communications about the product, Apple presented the watch as a device that blends comfort with capability, making a strong case for a next-generation gadget. The newest legal development, however, casts a long shadow over those claims and leaves questions about which health monitoring features may be retained or altered in future releases.
The dispute with Masimo centers on the technology that interprets blood oxygen levels to identify potential sleep-related breathing issues. The decision to block the pulse oximeter in the U.S. stems from Masimo’s assertions that Apple infringed on its patented methods for measuring oxygen saturation. This continues to shape Apple’s product roadmap and its approach to integrating medical-grade sensors into consumer devices.
Industry observers note that the outcome has broader implications beyond a single feature. The restriction could influence how Apple negotiates licensing and partnerships for health sensors, as well as how it prioritizes regulatory compliance across different markets. If patent constraints persist, the company may need to reimagine certain health-tracking capabilities or pursue alternative sensor technologies that do not conflict with Masimo’s protected methods.
Analysts emphasize that users in Canada and the United States may see an adjusted feature set on future watches, with possible delays or substitutions for health monitoring functions. While the current situation limits one particular capability, it may stimulate innovation in other areas of wellness tracking and device interoperability. The outcome also highlights the ongoing tension between consumer electronics and medical technology in the wearable space.
With the ITC ban in place, Apple faces a strategic crossroads. The company could seek new licensing arrangements, explore non-infringing sensor designs, or pivot toward software-based improvements that do not rely on restricted hardware. For now, Apple’s watch lineup remains under constraint, and the industry watches closely how the company will respond to Masimo’s patent protections and the legal landscape surrounding wearable health sensors.
In summary, the Masimo dispute has left Apple’s 2024 smartwatch strategy in flux. A future that includes sleep apnea detection hinges on regulatory and patent decisions rather than merely product development. The evolving narrative underlines how legal rulings can directly shape the practical features available to everyday users while testing the balance between medical accuracy and consumer-friendly design.