The Blood Oxygen app is compatible with Apple Watch Series 6 and later and can “measure the oxygen level of your blood on-demand directly from your wrist, providing you with insights into your overall wellness,” according to Apple. The gadget, known as an oximeter or pulse oximeter in the medical industry, analyses blood oxygen saturation levels by shining a light through the device wearer’s skin. The monitor can then determine the proportion of oxygen in a red blood cell using a series of red, green, and infrared LEDs and light sensors. Apple did not immediately reply to a request for comment. The Blood Oxygen app is “only meant for general fitness and wellbeing reasons,” according to the tech company’s website. “Blood Oxygen app measurements are not intended for medical usage,” Apple warns. However, unless the sensors are actively calibrated and monitored for skin tone fluctuation, that measuring technique has long been recognised as unsatisfactory. Medical specialists (and even viral TikTok accounts) brought the matter to public notice and scientific investigation in 2020, in response to the vital requirement to precisely monitor pulse and oxygen levels of patients infected with the COVID-19 virus.
