> I figured out that the Apple Watch comes with a built-in app called Blood Oxygen (no "App" at the end) that does this for free.
Only the latest models, or latest few models, come with the sensor necessary. It was a pandemic feature addition that came too late, just like all their other pandemic feature additions.
The Exposure Notification API was released in April 2020 or, in other words, at the point where 99.5 % of US deaths had not yet happened. That strikes me as rather early in this pandemic. The feature also strikes me as the most significant of those I can think of, by a healthy margin.
We are referring to opening Face ID with a mask on released like a month ago which is beyond the last time I cared to wear a mask anywhere in the US - as no municipality requires it, except rideshares, busses and planes and just for now - as well as the blood oxygen reading requiring a completely new Apple Watch model, but that model was released september 2020 if you like that. The last time I cared was when I was willing to be afraid of the virus before September 2020.
It's pretty damn difficult to fault Apple for not enabling a feature that would require adding sensors to phones whose parts were sourced and/or built prior to the pandemic. As for the mask-enabled FaceID, I never enabled it since it goes against the whole security model and eliminates multiple data points in the verification process for about 2 seconds of inconvenience. At this poiont, I can type my 6 digit passcode almost as fast as FaceID would have unlocked my phone.
Sure I’d have liked all these features on March 2020. But at least where I live the pandemic is still very much raging on. We still have mask mandates and vaccine passport checks. Having masked FaceID and vaccine passports in the wallet still makes daily life better.
And also, the pulse oximeter helps build a better image of overall cardiovascular fitness (basically they can estimate VO2 max). This is important for keeping the body in shape to fight off SARS-2 and whatever comes next (people with cardiovascular problems were more likely to die or be hospitalized.)
Everywhere? Lots of places have decided to basically ignore it but there's still hundreds of COVID deaths a day in the U.S, China has had Shanghai under lockdown for almost month, lots of 3rd world countries lack vaccines. It's not over by a long shot.
The US absolutely has that combo at plenty of private businesses. I was in NYC last weekend and both Broadway shows required masks and proof of vax to attend. About half of the restaurants we visited also were checking vaccine cards and asking patrons to wear masks if they got up from their tables.
In Portland, it's much the same. Grocery stores are no longer mandating it but many restaurants still are. Concert venues seem about 50/50 at this point. There may no longer be blanket mandates but I'm still showing my proof of vaccine or being asked to wear a mask a couple times a week.
Only the latest models, or latest few models, come with the sensor necessary. It was a pandemic feature addition that came too late, just like all their other pandemic feature additions.