The Apple Watch at 10: A Decade of Innovation, Impact, and Controversy

On April 24, 2015, Apple introduced the Apple Watch, a device that promised to blend fashion, technology, and utility into a wrist-worn gadget. Ten years later, the Apple Watch has not only redefined the wearable tech landscape but also transformed lives, saved countless individuals, and sparked significant controversies. From its humble beginnings to its current status as a cultural and technological icon, the Apple Watch’s journey is a testament to innovation, resilience, and the complexities of intellectual property in the tech world. Let’s dive into where it started, how far it’s come, its profound impact, its life-saving capabilities, and the controversies that have shaped its path.

Where It All Began: The Birth of the Apple Watch

When Apple unveiled the Apple Watch in 2015, the smartwatch market was nascent, with players like Pebble and early Samsung Gear models vying for attention. Apple, under Tim Cook’s leadership, aimed to create a device that was more than a smartphone accessory—it was to be a personal, stylish, and functional extension of the user’s digital life. The first Apple Watch, often called Series 0, featured a rectangular design with rounded corners, a digital crown for navigation, and a focus on fitness tracking, notifications, and app integration.

The initial reception was mixed. Priced between $349 and a staggering $17,000 for the luxury Edition model with 18-karat gold, the Apple Watch was criticized for its high cost, limited battery life (barely lasting a day), and a somewhat clunky user interface. Yet, it set the stage for what wearables could be. Apple’s meticulous design, paired with watchOS, offered a glimpse into a future where watches could do more than tell time—they could track steps, monitor heart rates, and even serve as a fashion statement.

A Decade of Evolution: How Far It’s Come

Over the past ten years, the Apple Watch has evolved dramatically, with 15 generations released, including the latest Series 10 and Ultra 2 models. Each iteration brought significant improvements in hardware, software, and functionality, cementing its dominance in the wearable market. Here’s a look at key milestones:

• Design Refinements: The Apple Watch has grown sleeker and more durable. The Series 4 (2018) introduced a larger display with thinner bezels, while the Ultra models (2022–2025) cater to rugged outdoor enthusiasts with titanium cases and enhanced GPS. The Series 10 boasts a brighter always-on display and new finishes like blue and red aluminum.
• Performance Upgrades: From the S1 chip in Series 0 to the S9 SiP in Series 9 and beyond, processing power has surged, enabling on-device Siri processing and features like Double Tap for hands-free control. The always-on altimeter and brighter displays have improved usability in diverse environments.
• Software Advancements: watchOS has matured significantly. watchOS 4 (2017) introduced high heart rate alerts, watchOS 7 (2020) added sleep tracking and handwashing detection, and watchOS 10 (2023) brought widget smart stacks and redesigned apps. These updates have made the watch more intuitive and versatile.
• New Features: The Apple Watch has expanded its feature set to include cellular connectivity (Series 3), ECG monitoring (Series 4), fall detection (Series 4), blood oxygen monitoring (Series 6), and sleep apnea detection (Series 10). These additions reflect Apple’s pivot toward health and wellness.

By 2025, Apple has sold over 100 million units, generating nearly $40 billion in revenue for its wearables category in the last fiscal year alone. The Apple Watch has become the gold standard for smartwatches, outpacing competitors like Samsung, Garmin, and Fitbit in market share and cultural relevance.

Impact on Tech and Wearables: Redefining an Industry

The Apple Watch didn’t invent the smartwatch, but it reshaped the wearable industry in profound ways. Its impact can be seen across technology, design, and consumer behavior:

• Setting the Standard for Wearables: Apple’s entry legitimized smartwatches, turning them from niche gadgets into must-have devices. The Apple Watch’s seamless integration with the iPhone, coupled with its polished design, forced competitors to elevate their game. Samsung’s Galaxy Watch and Google’s Wear OS devices owe much of their polish to Apple’s influence.
• Pioneering Fitness Tracking: The Apple Watch popularized fitness tracking with its Activity Rings, which gamified exercise, movement, and standing. Features like calorie tracking, workout detection, and personalized coaching have inspired millions to adopt healthier lifestyles. Competitors like Fitbit have adopted similar approaches, but Apple’s ecosystem keeps users loyal.
• Fashion Meets Function: Apple’s focus on customization—interchangeable bands, varied finishes, and watch faces—made the smartwatch a fashion accessory. Collaborations with brands like Hermès and Nike further blurred the line between tech and style, appealing to a broader audience.
• Ecosystem Dominance: The Apple Watch thrives within Apple’s ecosystem, syncing effortlessly with iPhones, AirPods, and Apple Fitness+. This interoperability has made it a cornerstone of Apple’s $100-billion wearables, home, and accessories business, driving sales of related products.
• Cultural Phenomenon: From celebrities sporting Apple Watches to its appearance in fitness challenges and social media, the device has become a cultural touchstone. Its 10th anniversary in 2025 was celebrated with limited-edition pins, underscoring its iconic status.

The Apple Watch’s influence extends beyond hardware. It has driven advancements in sensor technology, battery efficiency, and user interface design, setting benchmarks that ripple across the tech industry.

Saving Countless Lives: A Health Revolution

Perhaps the Apple Watch’s most profound impact is its role as a life-saving health tool. Over the past decade, its health and safety features have saved countless lives, earning praise from users, medical professionals, and regulators. Here’s how:

• Heart Rate Monitoring: Introduced in 2015, heart rate tracking evolved with watchOS 4 (2017) to include alerts for abnormally high or low heart rates. This feature has detected early signs of conditions like atrial fibrillation (AFib), prompting users to seek medical attention. Stories abound of users discovering heart issues they didn’t know they had, thanks to these alerts.
• ECG Monitoring: Launched with Series 4 in 2018, the electrocardiogram (ECG) feature allows users to take medical-grade heart readings. Cleared by the FDA, it has identified irregular heart rhythms, saving lives by enabling early intervention. For example, a 2019 report highlighted a user whose ECG reading led to a diagnosis of AFib, averting a potential stroke.
• Fall Detection: Also introduced in Series 4, fall detection uses accelerometers and gyroscopes to sense hard falls and automatically call emergency services if the user is unresponsive. This feature has been a lifeline for elderly users, with countless stories of it summoning help after falls at home or outdoors.
• Blood Oxygen Monitoring: Added in Series 6 (2020), this feature measures oxygen saturation in the blood, which was particularly valuable during the COVID-19 pandemic for monitoring respiratory health. While its removal from newer models (discussed later) has been controversial, it has saved lives by flagging low oxygen levels in users with conditions like sleep apnea or pneumonia.
• Emergency SOS: The ability to quickly call emergency services via a side button press has been a game-changer, especially in situations like car accidents or assaults. Cellular models can make these calls independently, ensuring help is just a button away.
• Sleep Apnea Detection: Introduced in Series 10 (2024), this feature uses the accelerometer to monitor breathing disturbances, alerting users to potential sleep apnea—a condition linked to serious health risks. FDA-cleared, it’s already helping users seek treatment for this underdiagnosed condition.

These features have turned the Apple Watch into a guardian on the wrist. A 2021 study estimated that the Apple Watch’s health features have contributed to early detection in millions of users, potentially preventing thousands of deaths annually. Anecdotal stories—like a hiker saved by Emergency SOS or a senior rescued after a fall—highlight its real-world impact. Medical professionals increasingly view the Apple Watch as a valuable tool for preventive care, with some integrating its data into patient monitoring.

Controversy: Blood Oxygen Removal and Patent Disputes

Despite its triumphs, the Apple Watch has faced significant controversies, particularly around intellectual property and patent disputes. The most notable issue is the removal of the blood oxygen monitoring feature from newer models, driven by a legal battle with medical technology company Masimo.

The Blood Oxygen Saga

In 2020, Masimo sued Apple, alleging that the Apple Watch’s blood oxygen sensor (introduced in Series 6) infringed on 10 of its patents related to pulse oximetry. Masimo, a pioneer in non-invasive health monitoring, claimed Apple poached its employees, including Marcelo Lamego, a former CTO at Masimo’s spinoff Cercacor, to steal trade secrets. The dispute escalated when the U.S. International Trade Commission (ITC) ruled in October 2023 that Apple’s watches infringed on two Masimo patents (No. 10,912,502 and No. 10,945,648), leading to an import ban on Series 9 and Ultra 2 models.

Apple briefly halted sales in December 2023 but secured a temporary stay from a federal appeals court. To comply with the ITC ruling, Apple disabled the blood oxygen feature via software updates on new Series 9, Ultra 2, and Series 10 models sold in the U.S. starting January 18, 2024. The hardware remains intact, but the feature is inaccessible, displaying a message that it’s unavailable when users attempt to use it. This move allowed Apple to resume sales, but it sparked backlash from consumers who felt shortchanged, especially since the watches are sold at the same price.

Apple is appealing the ITC decision, with CEO Tim Cook emphasizing in February 2024 that the company is focused on overturning the ruling rather than licensing Masimo’s technology. Masimo’s CEO, Joe Kiani, has insisted on an apology and “honest dialogue” for any settlement, suggesting a resolution is unlikely soon. The appeals process could stretch until 2028, meaning U.S. users may wait years for the feature’s return unless Apple redesigns the hardware or settles.

The controversy has broader implications. Masimo’s partnerships with Google and Qualcomm for Wear OS platforms signal its ambition to dominate wearable health tech, potentially challenging Apple’s market lead. Meanwhile, Apple’s countersuit against Masimo, alleging patent infringement on its W1 and Freedom smartwatches, won a symbolic $250 in damages in October 2024 but failed to secure an injunction to lift the blood oxygen ban.

Other Patent Disputes

The blood oxygen issue isn’t Apple’s only legal headache. In 2021, AliveCor, a heart-monitoring tech company, filed an antitrust lawsuit and patent infringement claims against Apple over its ECG technology. AliveCor alleged that Apple abused its market power to stifle competition, particularly after a 2015 meeting where Apple expressed interest in collaborating but later launched its own ECG feature. The ITC considered an import ban, but a 2025 ruling upheld that AliveCor’s patents were unpatentable, sparing Apple further disruption. However, the antitrust case remains ongoing.

In 2019, cardiologist Joseph Wiesel sued Apple, claiming its heart rate monitoring infringed on his patented tool for detecting heartbeat irregularities. While the outcome of this case is less publicized, it underscores the legal risks Apple faces as it pushes deeper into medical technology.

These disputes highlight a broader challenge: balancing innovation with intellectual property rights. Apple’s aggressive hiring of talent from companies like Masimo has fueled accusations of trade secret theft, while its market dominance invites scrutiny from competitors and regulators. The blood oxygen removal, in particular, has dented Apple’s reputation, with some arguing it prioritizes legal maneuvering over consumer experience.

Looking Ahead: The Next Decade

As the Apple Watch celebrates its 10th anniversary, its legacy is undeniable. It has transformed wearables from gimmicks to essentials, driven health and fitness revolutions, and saved lives through cutting-edge features. Yet, its journey hasn’t been without turbulence, with patent disputes like the blood oxygen controversy exposing the complexities of innovation in a competitive landscape.

Looking forward, Apple is likely to double down on health tech, with rumors of blood pressure monitoring and non-invasive glucose sensing on the horizon. The company’s updated pulse oximetry patent, filed in 2024 with 23 new claims, suggests efforts to circumvent Masimo’s patents, though its success remains uncertain. Meanwhile, Apple must navigate legal battles, consumer expectations, and growing competition from players like Samsung and Google, bolstered by Masimo’s technology.

The Apple Watch’s first decade has been a remarkable blend of triumph and tribulation. It has reshaped how we interact with technology, monitor our health, and even survive emergencies. As it enters its next chapter, the question isn’t whether the Apple Watch will continue to innovate—it’s how it will balance that innovation with the ethical and legal challenges of a rapidly evolving industry. For now, it remains a shining example of what’s possible when technology meets human need, even if the path isn’t always smooth.

What do you think the Apple Watch’s next big feature will be? Share your thoughts in the comments below, and let’s celebrate a decade of wrist-worn wonders!