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Blood Oxygen Sensor on Used Apple Watch

Q

qCzar

macrumors regular
Original poster
Feb 27, 2011
225
57
SFBA, CA
My mom is interested in buying my Apple Watch 6 because of the blood oxygen sensor. However, I'm not entirely convinced it'll work for her. Can anyone confirm whether the blood oxygen sensor on an enabled Apple Watch will continue to work when it's reset and set up for a new user?

I'd answer this myself by resetting and repairing the watch to my account but due to the rather "destructive" nature of this I don't want to lose a feature out of curiosity. I'm sure by now someone has bought a used Series 6-9 and can share if the blood oxygen readings are there.

Thanks!

I did find this thread and bumped it, but my mom wants it before a trip in a week or two so I'm also trying a more pointed topic for hopefully a faster response.
 
J

jz0309

Contributor
Sep 25, 2018
10,189
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SoCal
qCzar said:
My mom is interested in buying my Apple Watch 6 because of the blood oxygen sensor. However, I'm not entirely convinced it'll work for her. Can anyone confirm whether the blood oxygen sensor on an enabled Apple Watch will continue to work when it's reset and set up for a new user?

I'd answer this myself by resetting and repairing the watch to my account but due to the rather "destructive" nature of this I don't want to lose a feature out of curiosity. I'm sure by now someone has bought a used Series 6-9 and can share if the blood oxygen readings are there.

Thanks!

I did find this thread and bumped it, but my mom wants it before a trip in a week or two so I'm also trying a more pointed topic for hopefully a faster response.
Click to expand...
it is an IMPORT BAN on new S9/Ultra2 and as pointed out in the response in the other thread you link, there are specific model numbers that do not have SpO2. Any AW model (6,7,8,9, Ultra 1/2) prior to Jan'24 does have SpO2.
 
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Q

qCzar

macrumors regular
Original poster
Feb 27, 2011
225
57
SFBA, CA
jz0309 said:
it is an IMPORT BAN on new S9/Ultra2 and as pointed out in the response in the other thread you link, there are specific model numbers that do not have SpO2. Any AW model (6,7,8,9, Ultra 1/2) prior to Jan'24 does have SpO2.
Click to expand...
It's actually not removed, just disabled through software.

As part of the process to get approval to sell ‌Apple Watch Series 9‌ and Ultra 2 models without pulse oximetry enabled, -- https://www.macrumors.com/2024/03/12/apple-watch-blood-oxygen-sensor-software/
Click to expand...
My understanding is that they can't take the feature away from already active apple watches, but new activations (whether the watch is new or old) would have the sensor automatically disabled.
 
Howard2k

Howard2k

macrumors 603
Mar 10, 2016
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What? :D

No, Apple isn't taking this feature away from those who have it. As jz0309 points out, it's some newer watches being sold without the feature activated. Those watches could technically have the feature activated at a later date, it seems.

It will continue to work, unless it breaks for other reasons. It won't be anything to do with the import ban.
 
Q

qCzar

macrumors regular
Original poster
Feb 27, 2011
225
57
SFBA, CA
Howard2k said:
What? :D

No, Apple isn't taking this feature away from those who have it. As jz0309 points out, it's some newer watches being sold without the feature activated. Those watches could technically have the feature activated at a later date, it seems.

It will continue to work, unless it breaks for other reasons. It won't be anything to do with the import ban.
Click to expand...
I'm going to come across as a stickler but I just really want actual confirmation from someone who has purchased a used apple watch and set it up. I know Apple can't remove the blood oxygen sensor from my currently active watch but would they disable the blood oxygen sensor for a new activation of the same watch.

That's what I'm trying to get an answer for before I give my watch to my mom only to have her be without a (convenient) blood oxygen sensor.
 
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Bichon

Bichon

macrumors regular
Oct 17, 2019
208
335
qCzar said:
I know Apple can't remove the blood oxygen sensor from my currently active watch but would they disable the blood oxygen sensor for a new activation of the same watch.
Click to expand...
No they wouldn't. As I said in the other thread, there is no need for speculation as Apple has clearly stated that the only watches that have the feature disabled are ones with the model number ending in LW/A.
 
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Howard2k

Howard2k

macrumors 603
Mar 10, 2016
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There are around 120M iPhone users in the US, and approx 30% of them use an Apple Watch. That's approx 40M Apple Watches in use.

Let's pretend that this is a statistic that is grossly over inflated by 10x and there are only 4 million Apple Watches active in the US.

If Apple was disabling SpO2 on existing watches upon re-pair, we'd have heard plenty about it by now.
 
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Howard2k

Howard2k

macrumors 603
Mar 10, 2016
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qCzar said:
That's a fair point. I do feel more confident letting her use my watch realizing this. Thanks!
Click to expand...

Good luck to both of you. I encouraged my mum to get an AW too. I think it's a great option for most, but particularly the elderly. I wasn't sure how she would do with it but she seems to have gotten to grips with it pretty well.
 
A

AlastorKatriona

Suspended
Nov 3, 2023
559
1,024
qCzar said:
My mom is interested in buying my Apple Watch 6 because of the blood oxygen sensor.
Click to expand...
Let me just stop you right there. The Blood O2 sensor is not a medical device. This isn't a reason to buy an Apple Watch. It was an extra, slightly gimmicky feature, added to Series 6 and beyond. It isn't accurate enough to be certified as a medical device, which is why Apple never pursued FDA approval like they did for the heart rate monitor and EKG.
 
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C

callison

macrumors member
May 12, 2011
45
78
Bichon said:
No they wouldn't. As I said in the other thread, there is no need for speculation as Apple has clearly stated that the only watches that have the feature disabled are ones with the model number ending in LW/A.
Click to expand...

This tracks. Costco is still selling the LL/A and also the LW/A at the same time. They advertise the LL/A as "with oxygen sensor" so there are even some new ones out there with the feature. This isn't limited to buying used ones.
 
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jz0309

Contributor
Sep 25, 2018
10,189
26,664
SoCal
AlastorKatriona said:
Let me just stop you right there. The Blood O2 sensor is not a medical device. This isn't a reason to buy an Apple Watch. It was an extra, slightly gimmicky feature, added to Series 6 and beyond. It isn't accurate enough to be certified as a medical device, which is why Apple never pursued FDA approval like they did for the heart rate monitor and EKG.
Click to expand...
And to be clear, SpO2 is not advertised/marketed as a “medical” feature.
And while you can call it “gimmicky” there are plenty posts here where actual AW users have reported that it matches measurements from “medical” devices.
 
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TheWraith

TheWraith

macrumors member
Feb 20, 2024
52
126
qCzar said:
I'm going to come across as a stickler but I just really want actual confirmation from someone who has purchased a used apple watch and set it up. I know Apple can't remove the blood oxygen sensor from my currently active watch but would they disable the blood oxygen sensor for a new activation of the same watch.

That's what I'm trying to get an answer for before I give my watch to my mom only to have her be without a (convenient) blood oxygen sensor.
Click to expand...

I hear you, but also you can just read about Apple's statements that this is how it works, it has been amply covered.
 
dasjati

dasjati

macrumors regular
Sep 24, 2020
181
384
Bought a refurbished AW Series 9 from BestBuy a few weeks ago and the blood oxygen sensor works as advertised.
 
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