Lawsuit Alleges Racial Discrimination in Apple Watch's Functionality

The blood oxygen sensor in Apple's Apple Watch is allegedly racially discriminatory against those with darker complexions, according to a complaint filed against the company in the US.

The gadget has a pulse oximeter that uses light beaming through the wearer's skin to measure blood oxygen levels. The amount of oxygen in the user's blood is calculated using sensors that pick up the reflected colors.

Additionally, a recent class action complaint claims that the device's accuracy decreases noticeably when worn by someone with a darker skin tone.

The complaint states that black individuals may be more at risk for hypoxemia if pulse oximetry is used to triage patients and alter supplement oxygen levels.

When faced with similarly low blood oxygenation, white people are better able to get care than those with a darker complexion since medical recommendations are based on assessments of their blood oxygen levels.

This isn't the first time that the color of a user's skin has been shown to have an impact on pulse oximeter readings. Researchers from Harvard University discovered that Black, Hispanic, and Asian patients receiving critical care units showed larger disparities in blood saturation levels recorded using pulse oximeters and the levels observed in blood samples, compared to white patients.

They thus received less additional oxygen than white individuals, according to the study.

Because racial inequalities in treatment can be linked to these variations in measures, corresponding author Eric Gottlieb, an HMS clinical fellow in medicine at Brigham and Women's, said that the study "has significant relevance for the patients that we care for."

But there are other allegations in the Apple lawsuit. The Apple Watch measures pulse oximetry through the wrist as opposed to conventional pulse oximeters, which are linked to the user's fingertip. And, according to the lawsuit, this renders it inappropriate and erroneous, with more than 90% of readings allegedly being useless.

Plaintiff Alex Morales filed the action in accordance with consumer fraud statutes on behalf of Apple Watch buyers in New York as well as numerous other states. In accordance with the New York General Business Law and State Consumer Fraud Acts, it also charges Apple with violating explicit warranties, fraud, and unjust enrichment.

According to the complaint, the coronavirus pandemic, which may cause sharp reductions in blood oxygen levels, has increased the significance of the problem. The epidemic "converged with a growing awareness of institutional racism, which exists in many parts of society," according to the complaint.

The Apple Watch has allegedly been criticized previously for not functioning correctly for those with darker skin tones. It was discovered that the device's heart sensor had comparable problems back in 2015.

The business acknowledged at the time that "permanent or temporary alterations to your skin, such as some tattoos, might also impair heart rate sensor function." Some tattoos might block light from the sensor due to their ink, design, and saturation, making it challenging to obtain accurate readings.

The corporation did not, however, acknowledge that other skin tones may have the same impact.

According to Apple, a variety of skin tones and types were used in testing the blood oxygen function.

According to research, "Melanin is a significant light absorber at the wavelengths that Apple Watch utilizes, notably in the green and red sections of the spectrum, potentially making PPG readings more challenging in individuals with darker skin tones."

The Apple Watch sensing platform senses the quantity of detected light signals to take this into account and automatically modifies the LED current (and subsequently the light output), photodiode gain (sensitivity to light), and sampling rate to ensure adequate signal resolution across the spectrum of human skin tones.