I am surprised to see no comments on blood oxygen being received. I get readings on my Series 10 Watch. Anybody else?
I believe the restriction only applies to watches purchased or used in the United States since the patent dispute involves only a US patent.
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I live in Palo Alto CA, 10 mi. from Apple HQ. I have alway resided in CA. I guess I know the trick for getting oxygen data. I too am a retired system analyst !
and might you be willing to share that trick? The only thing keeping me from getting a Series 10 watch is the absence of blood oxygen data availability. 
Hi Jon,
I was vague just so I could get response given the remarkable silence on TidBITS. Here is one path: On iPhone 15 PRO > Health > Respiratory > {Scroll down) Blood Oxygen. Another path: Health > Browse > Search “Oxy” > Blood Oxygen. This might work on an older iPhone too.
Caveat: Only works if watch is worn in bed.
Of course, on the watch selecting the blood oxygen app doesn’t work.
Let me know how you do. If it doen’t work, we will have to think about Settings .
David
Remarkable in what way?
Remarkable only because I thought the legal dispute pertained to reporting blood color. Well, while the oxy watch face complication is not activated, it seemed to me that Apple would have also disabled reporting passive use during sleep. That being said, I thought that TidBITS would have a discussion of this disconnect.
I wasn’t aware there was any blood oxygen functionality enabled in the Apple Watch Series 10 or any other Apple Watch models purchased in the US. It does continue to work fine on Apple Watch models that predated the injunction, though the new Vitals app doesn’t show any Blood Oxygen readings for me, even though I can use the main Blood Oxygen app and see readings in Health.
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VERY interesting, thanks David. I will wait until Black Friday to purchase a series 10 then give your approach a try.
I live at ~5000ft and have recently been diagnosed with “Upper Airway Resistance Syndrome” and an (accurate?) watch measurement is much more convenient than using a finger pulse oximeter. Hope this can work!
And now it does.
The Apple watchOS for these US-imported watches was supposed to stop measurement of blood oxygen altogether, not just disable the blood oxygen app. The Health app is supposed to show you a message (if you own one of these imported watches) that shows a message directing you to a support article that says so.
This support article has this footnote:
The Blood Oxygen app is not supported on Apple Watch SE or Apple Watch For Your Kids. The ability to measure Blood Oxygen is no longer available on Apple Watch units sold by Apple in the United States on or after January 18, 2024. These are indicated with part numbers ending in LW/A.
It’s been well-reported that the sensor in these watches is the same as those sold in the rest of the world, especially in countries where blood oxygen readings are supported, so we know that the hardware can take the readings.
I don’t own one of these watches myself. My Ultra still regularly reports on blood oxygen level readings, but mine was purchased well before the import restriction.
The Model Number of my Series 10 watch ends in "LW/A ".
I have an iPhone 15 Pro with an Apple Watch series 10 which I am wearing at night. I do not have current Blood Oxygen data. I have some old data from clinic visits five years ago, not a watch. I cannot replicate the backdoor that David found. I have only had the watch for about four days so, maybe?
Check watch connectivity at night: bluetooth and wifi. Let me know. Last night for the first time I got nothing too!. I wonder, hmm?
I discovered that this is controlled by a setting in the Health app since the blood oxygen sensor can show a bright light at night, so it’s off by default in the Sleep Focus.
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Thanks for your suggestion on allowing sensor during sleep. Done! My oxygen failure last night also may have been due to California’s switch to Standard Time.
iPhone 16 Pro, Apple Watch series 10, both with latest os versions. When I follow the path above I am just told that the oxygen app is no longer available, No way to turn on or even see the necessary controls. I wear watch at night and have the various sleep things turned on.
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Tentatively I’m thinking that the change from daylight to standard time last night may be the problem. Last night was the first time I had a problem, maybe due to the time change in California. Also, I am using iPhone 15 PRO not 16.
Weird. I wonder why it’s working for you. I have an Apple Watch Ultra 2 (black), and there’s no Blood Ox data since I received the new watch.
This morning I have something of a confirmation for
my theory. As I have said, I had consistent oxygen readings during sleep before the switch to Standard Time. Then a one night gap. Now the readings are back.