Apple Watch blood oximeter

Apple's Blood Oxygen app enables users to measure the percentage of oxygen carried by red blood cells from one's lungs to the rest of one's body. 

Apple says its Blood Oxygen 'app measurements are not intended for medical use, including self-diagnosis or consultation with a doctor, and are only designed for general fitness and wellness purposes.' 

Risks and harms 🛑

Concerns have been expressed about the accuracy of the Apple Watch blood oximeter, its impact on user privacy and inadequate transparency.

Transparency and accountability 🙈

Most retail blood oximeters cannot be marketed as medical advices without US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approval, meaning their accuracy can be tricky to determine. 

It is unclear why Apple has not been through the FDA's well-established testing process.

Legal, regulatory 👩🏼‍⚖️

• https://www.scribd.com/document/616597595/Apple-Class-Action-Apple-Watch-and-Dark-Skin-Ton

Research, advocacy 🧮

• https://www.cebm.net/covid-19/question-should-smartphone-apps-be-used-as-oximeters-answer-no/

• https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s10877-016-9889-6

News, commentary, analysis 🗞️

• https://spectrum.ieee.org/should-you-trust-apples-new-blood-oxygen-sensor

• https://www.theverge.com/2020/4/23/21232488/blood-oxygen-apps-iphone-samsung-unreliable-fitbit-garmin-oximeter

• https://lawandcrime.com/federal-court/apple-hit-with-federal-class-action-lawsuit-alleging-racial-bias-in-how-watches-measure-blood-oxygen-levels/

• https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/technology/apple-sued-over-alleged-ineffectiveness-of-apple-watchs-blood-oxygen-reader-on-people-of-color/ar-AA15IEcG

• https://appleinsider.com/articles/22/12/27/apple-watch-sensor-has-racial-bias-claims-new-lawsuit

• https://uk.finance.yahoo.com/news/apple-sued-over-racial-bias-080503236.html

• https://nypost.com/2022/12/27/apple-faces-class-action-lawsuit-alleging-racial-bias-in-watchs-blood-oximeter/

• https://abcnews.go.com/Business/lawsuit-alleges-apple-watchs-blood-oxygen-sensor-racially/story?id=95930729

• https://macdailynews.com/2022/12/28/lawsuit-claims-apple-watch-sensor-is-racist/

• https://www.forbes.com/sites/andrewwilliams/2022/12/29/apple-sued-for-racial-bias-of-the-apple-watch-blood-oxygen-reader/

• https://gizmodo.com/apple-apple-watch-blood-oxygen-levels-law-suit-1849931407

• https://www.dailymail.co.uk/sciencetech/article-11577183/Apple-Watch-blood-oxygen-sensor-racially-biased-against-people-darker-skin-lawsuit-claims.html