September 18, 2020. Tim Cook walks up to the stage. With all the new bells and whistles, was an Apple watch waiting to be released, a step up from the previous year. It included a heart rate sensor and a blood oxygen sensor. While in the moment it was a great idea, months later Tim Cook is now forced to stop selling Apple watches that have the sensor.

Masimo, a health technology company, owns the rights to the blood oxygen sensor, which Apple has featured in their Apple watches starting from their series 6 to their current series 9 and now their ultra line.

Students around campus are affected by the patent news and raise concerns over potential watch banning.

“I have several diseases which makes it important to check my blood oxygen,” freshman Adam Smith said. “If the sensor gets banned, I would have to get my blood drawn continuously.” 

While this potential ban by the US International Trade Commission might go into full effect soon, some people do not understand the health benefits it gives to others.

“The blood oxygen may not be important to my life, but it is important in other people’s daily lives,” junior Ella McDonald said. “With the blood oxygen sensor, you could catch a life-altering disease like this before it gets worse.”

Some Wildkats are aware of the watch’s other health advancements and believe it should not get banned, just block the sensor from working.

“I have been hearing all about how the Apple watch is at risk of being banned and it honestly has no effect on me, but that does not mean it does not affect other people,” junior Annette Fuerte said. “I do not own an Apple watch but if it helps other people like letting them know if they are about to have a heart attack with the heart rate and blood oxygen sensor or if it can call emergency services if someone gets hurt, it clearly helps out others. It is crucial to some people’s health.”

Students want to spread awareness of information about blood oxygen that many are not aware of.

“To be considered healthy, you need at least a 90% blood oxygen saturation level,” McDonald said. “ Lung and heart disease can lower the amount of oxygen in your cells, and being aware is key. Blood oxygen is important because it helps out cells and gives us energy. Apple can fix this by purchasing the patent or working out some sort of agreement. People with blood oxygen issues can also purchase a watch from the company that owns the technology.”