A lawsuit filed in New York is accusing the Apple Watch's blood oximeter of bias toward people with darker skin tones. The Apple Watch ships with a variety of sensors to measure health, including a blood oxygen monitor (SpO2), heart rate sensor, and temperature sensor. In addition, the watch can track irregular heart rate rhythms (AFib), take an ECG, and identify if the wearer has had a hard fall.
The accuracy of Apple Watch's blood oxygen sensor is now being called into question, but with regard to people of color. The lawsuit was filed by Alex Morales in New York, who bought an Apple Watch between 2020 and 2021. The plaintiff claims that he bought the smartwatch without being aware that blood oxygen measurements were dependent on his skin tone. In the lawsuit, Morales alleges that "Defendant misrepresented and/or omitted the attributes and qualities of the Product, that it did not incorporate biases and defects of pulse oximetry with respect to persons of darker skin tone."
The lawsuit goes on to say that the Apple Watch makes "false and misleading representations" due to which it is able to sell for approximately $400. Morales alleges that if he knew the representations of oxygen measurements were false, he would not have bought the Apple Watch. He also says the false readings make the Apple Watch's value less than its asking price. Meanwhile, Apple's website cautions against using SpO2 readings for medical reasons. "Measurements...
BRENTWOOD, Tenn. (WSMV) - A Tennessee doctor has pleaded guilty to committing millions of dollars’ worth of Medicare fraud through her Brentwood optometry practice. Helen Boerman, 48, pleaded guilt...