Technologies

Apple Reintroduces Blood Oxygen Feature Ahead of Apple Watch Series 11 Launch

The feature will be available through a software update rolling out today to select Apple Watch models.

Apple is gearing up to unveil the Apple Watch Series 11 next month alongside the iPhone 17, but it has an early treat for some existing Apple Watch owners in the US today.

Thursday marks the surprise reintroduction of the Apple Watch blood oxygen feature, redesigned for some Apple Watch Series 9, Series 10 and Apple Watch Ultra 2 owners. The feature will be available via a software update that’s rolling out now.

If you own one of these models and don’t currently have access to the feature, you’ll need to ensure your paired iPhone is updated to iOS 18.6.1 and that your Apple Watch is currently running watchOS 11.6.1. The updates will trigger sensor data collected from the Blood Oxygen app on your Apple Watch to be measured and calculated on your iPhone. The results can be viewed in the Respiratory section of the Health app.

The update was enabled by a recent US Customs ruling, the company noted in a blog post.

Apple had previously been forced to disable Blood Oxygen monitoring in models shipped after January 2024. This was due to an import ban sparked by a patent dispute between Apple and a company called Masimo. By shifting the measurement and calculation of blood oxygen levels from the Apple Watch to the iPhone, Apple has managed to circumvent the ban.

«Apple’s teams work tirelessly to create products and services that empower users with industry-leading health, wellness, and safety features that are grounded in science and have privacy at the core,» Apple said.

Technologies

Samsung’s Galaxy Watch Ultra 2 Might Come in 5G and 4G Cellular Models

If the rumor proves true, the 5G Galaxy Watch Ultra would rival the 5G-enabled $799 Apple Watch Ultra 3 that debuted last fall.

Samsung’s next high-end Galaxy Watch could support faster 5G speeds, but if this leak is true, it will depend on where you live. The rumored Samsung Galaxy Watch Ultra 2 might come in 5G and 4G cellular models, with availability for each smartwatch depending on the country.

According to the Dutch website Galaxy Club (and spotted by SamMobile), Samsung’s servers may have revealed a series of model numbers that point to 5G, 4G and Wi-Fi-enabled editions of the next Galaxy Watch Ultra, which would succeed the original model that debuted in 2024.

A representative for Samsung did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

The Galaxy Club website speculates that the 5G edition would be sold in the US and Korean markets, while the 4G edition would sell in the rest of the world. In the US, a 5G version of the Galaxy Watch Ultra would rival the 5G-enabled $799 Apple Watch Ultra 3, which debuted last fall. The 4G edition would have broader compatibility worldwide, since the earlier network is far more established.

It will likely be a few months until we hear anything official about the Galaxy Watch Ultra 2. Samsung typically unveils its new watches in the summer alongside its Galaxy Z Fold and Z Flip foldable phones. Last year, Samsung unveiled the Galaxy Watch 8 and the Galaxy Watch 8 Classic, but otherwise left the prior 2024 Ultra in the lineup for those looking for a larger 47mm smartwatch.

Technologies

2 Cases Show Supreme Court Isn’t Holding ISPs Responsible for Piracy

Technologies

Today’s NYT Connections Hints, Answers and Help for April 8, #1032

Here are some hints and the answers for the NYT Connections puzzle for April 8, No. 1032.

Looking for the most recent Connections answers? Click here for today’s Connections hints, as well as our daily answers and hints for The New York Times Mini Crossword, Wordle, Connections: Sports Edition and Strands puzzles.

Today’s NYT Connections puzzle is kind of tough. The purple category is a fun one, once you see the connection. Read on for clues and today’s Connections answers.

The Times has a Connections Bot, like the one for Wordle. Go there after you play to receive a numeric score and to have the program analyze your answers. Players who are registered with the Times Games section can now nerd out by following their progress, including the number of puzzles completed, win rate, number of times they nabbed a perfect score and their win streak.

Read more: Hints, Tips and Strategies to Help You Win at NYT Connections Every Time

Hints for today’s Connections groups

Here are four hints for the groupings in today’s Connections puzzle, ranked from the easiest yellow group to the tough (and sometimes bizarre) purple group.

Yellow group hint: In the group.

Green group hint: Appearance details.

Blue group hint: Often found in gyms.

Purple group hint: They help you see.