Series 6 Apple Watch O2 Sensor

[Janknitz]

There's a good article here questioning the accuracy (for now) of the new SPO2 sensor on Apple Watch Series 6: https://spectrum.ieee.org/view-from-the ... gen-sensor

I'm curious if anyone has gotten one, and--especially if you have a separate oximeter for comparison--what do you think of the sensor's function?

I wear my Series 3 to bed already because I use the haptic alarm function, and also control my iPhone as my white noise machine during the night. It would be nice to have the O2 sensor too if it has a reasonable degree of accuracy.

[chunkyfrog]

"For entertainment use only--not a medical device."
Read the manual--I guarantee it's in there.
FWIW, knock yourself out--it's all CYA BS.

[Janknitz]

FWIW, knock yourself out--it's all CYA BS.

As the article points out, it IS all CYA BS.

It's cheaper and faster to put that in the manual than get the official FDA approval. But that doesn't mean it's necessarily inaccurate. I suspect that if it weren't for Covid they would have postponed this feature until they got the FDA testing and approval. But having an O2 sensor is timely AND they are doing a study for the Apple Watch to see if it aids in early Covid detection. So I suspect it's not just a novelty, either.

[ups4]

So I suspect it's not just a novelty, either.

Agreed.

I'm curious as well. I just purchased the series 5 watch last year, sadly. Had I known the O2 sensor would be available on the newer series, I would have waited. It's probably just as well, though. I'm sure there will be issues that will be worked out in later updates.

I have COPD and have been curious lately about my O2 sats during the night. I'm sure the available oximeters are no where near the cost of an Apple watch, but I'm a gadget junkie and would love to hear how well it works, too.

[khauser]

Here is an article comparing transmission pulse oximetry (such as most fingertip monitors) to reflective pulse oximetry (such as the new watch uses):
https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/a ... 9516301205
It is NOT a layperson article, but the end suggests there are still some challenges to reflection oximetry's accuracy.
Heck, most consumer transmission units quote 3-4% error rates (not terrible).

I do not know what the apple watch claims for accuracy, if it makes any claims at all.

As far as COVID goes, doctors really hate the idea of people using pulse oximetry as a primary diagnostic tool. All it can do is help your doctor know SOME of the COVID problems. It doesn't say anything about damage to organs in general (believed to be related to clotting, NOT lack of oxygen), and one symptom can easily happen without another.

YMMV

[jcrocketman]

I have a Series 6 with the pulse ox. Accuracy seems consistent with my Wellue/Viatom 02 Ring. The main issue is the 02 sensor on the Apple watch doesn't take your reading constantly, only about once every 30 to 90 minutes and doesn't provide an alert if you fall below a certain value.

[Janknitz]

Yeah, I don't think they are making any claims about accuracy. I think they weren't really intending to roll it out this year, but Covid changed that.

I have a cheapy finger unit that I bought on Amazon for $16. This was BEFORE Covid, the same things are selling for $50 - $60 now. I compared it against the doctor's office calibrated unit and it was exactly the same, so I trust it. (Long story but it saved me from a huge ER deductible and co-pay to be able to monitor my own O2 when I had pneumonia).

I know that some doctors are encouraging their elderly patients to use a finger unit to check their SPO2 daily. They are seeing it as an early warning sign for Covid in some. My friend's daughter works for the CDC, and insists her mom check every day.

I'm more curious about using the watch monitor perhaps as a tool for efficacy in sleep apnea. I remember when I had trouble with sleeping after CPAP was going well with good numbers, some people suggested a recording oximeter to see what was going on. I never got one, but it would be interesting to see what my O2 levels are doing during sleep. I have really fragmented sleep these days, but great CPAP numbers.

[bernieb]

I have a Contec Pulse Oximeter and compared the readings to my wife's Series 6 Apple watch four times in the past two days. Readings were identical 3 times and showed one degree of difference once. I am somewhat surprised at the accuracy as I was not aware that you could get an accurate pulse ox reading from the top of your wrist. The watch records the range of pulse ox for each day but does not show what time the different readings occurred (unless we haven't figured that out yet).

[jcrocketman]

In order to view the separate 02 readings from the IWatch, go to your IPhone and open the Apple Health App, under "Summary" select "Show all Health Data", scroll to "Blood Oxygen", then scroll to bottom and select "Show all Data" this will bring up all recorded data to include date/time of readings and %.

[chunkyfrog]

As a diminishing sense of smell is another indicator of infection,
I frequently check what my nose . . . knows.
Do I smell a promo for apple?
Maybe it's just the Fuji I am butchering for my snack.

[bernieb]

In order to view the separate 02 readings from the IWatch, go to your IPhone and open the Apple Health App, under "Summary" select "Show all Health Data", scroll to "Blood Oxygen", then scroll to bottom and select "Show all Data" this will bring up all recorded data to include date/time of readings and %.

I think my watch may be somewhat different than yours. Perhaps because I did the update a few days ago. There is no "summary" or "blood oxygen" . I get to mine under "health categories" and "respiratory" and in order to see the time I have to select the "D" at the top for day......default is "W" for week. Then the time shows up at the bottom of the data. Thanks for letting me know that it's in there. I probably would not have found it on my own.

[Janknitz]

Unlike the current white house occupant, if you or I got Covid, our health care provider is likely to tell us to stay home and self-treat unless we had difficulty breathing. But from what I heard, with Covid, patients often desaturate without perceiving shortness of breath or difficulty breathing. So having an O2 monitor is not a bad thing in times of Covid.

And thanks, Rocketman and Bernie, for your answers. Sounds like it would be a good thing to have. I can get a new Apple Watch "at no cost" because I have a ton of credit card points saved up (I run my business through my CC and pay it off every month). So I'm thinking about it . . .