Apple Releases iOS 18.6.1 and watchOS 11.6.1; Enabling Blood Oxygen Functionality on Some Apple Watch Models in the United States

Apple has today released iOS 18.6.1 and watchOS 11.6.1, bringing support for a redesigned Blood Oxygen feature to some Apple Watch Series 9, Series 10, and Apple Watch Ultra 2 models in the U.S.

According to an Apple press release, the redesigned Blood Oxygen feature will be available on Apple Watch Series 9, Series 10, and Apple Watch Ultra 2 models that did not have the original Blood Oxygen feature. Sensor data from the Blood Oxygen app on Apple Watch will be measured and calculated on the user's iPhone and available in the Respiratory section of the Health app:

Users with these models in the U.S. who currently do not have the Blood Oxygen feature will have access to the redesigned Blood Oxygen feature by updating their paired iPhone to iOS 18.6.1 and their Apple Watch to watchOS 11.6.1. Following this update, sensor data from the Blood Oxygen app on Apple Watch will be measured and calculated on the paired iPhone, and results can be viewed in the Respiratory section of the Health app. This update was enabled by a recent U.S. Customs ruling.

According to Apple, there will be no changes to Blood Oxygen functionality on Apple Watch Models that include the original Blood Oxygen feature or Apple Watch models purchased outside of the U.S.

As iOS 18.6.1 and watchOS 11.6.1 were not distributed to external testers prior to their release, we have no information on whether there are any changes specific to VoiceOver, braille, or low vision features in these releases. However, with the next major software releases for all of Apple's platforms right around the corner, our expectation is that these releases will not contain any changes specific to vision accessibility features. If you notice any VoiceOver, braille, or low vision-specific changes in these releases, please do let us know by posting a comment.

How to update

iOS 18.6.1 is available via Over-the-Air Update (Settings > General > Software Update), via Finder on a Mac with macOS Catalina or later, or via iTunes on a PC or Mac with macOS Mojave or earlier.

Before updating, we strongly recommend making a full and complete backup of your device (either locally or in iCloud, depending on personal preference). This will ensure that, in the unlikely event that something goes wrong during the update process, you will have a current backup on hand in case a device restore becomes necessary. Also, if using OTA update, we recommend plugging your device into a power source for the duration of the download/installation process, so as to prevent the unlikely event of your battery going dead during the update.

watchOS 11.6.1 is available via Over-the-Air Update (Settings > General > Software Update) or by going to the Watch app on your iPhone and navigating to General> Software Update. To install the update, your Watch must be connected to its charger and have at least 50% battery power.