The news: Apple is bringing back blood oxygen monitoring for Apple Watch as part of its health and wellness features. Apple discontinued the feature in the US in 2023 after a patent dispute and court ruling forced the halt. The new respiratory feature is available as a software update.

Zooming out: Apple’s renewal of the oxygen monitoring feature reflects its broader ambitions as a serious health and wellness tracking device.

• In September, Apple Watch added an FDA-cleared sleep apnea detection feature that detects and analyzes changes in breathing patterns during sleep.
• It’s also exploring adding non-invasive blood glucose monitoring and blood pressure tracking for future watches, per Bloomberg.

Yes, but: Competitors Samsung and Google are also advancing health capabilities on their respective Galaxy and Pixel watches.

• Samsung’s Watch 8 release in July added new sleep, stress and activity features.
• And Google’s Pixel Watch 4 expected to be unveiled August 20 rumored to include upgraded sensors and health-monitoring features, per Tom’s Guide.

Why it matters: Smartwatches are hitting mainstream status in US, and could be boosted further by heavy support and enthusiasm from the federal government.

• For instance, HHS Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. recently shared his goal for all Americans to own a wearable with health-tracking capabilities in the next four years, for instance.