Apple Halts Sale of Apple Watch Series 9 and Ultra 2 in the US

Apple has temporarily halted sales of its latest Apple Watch Series 9 and Apple Watch Ultra 2, in the United States due to a patent dispute with Masimo, a medical technology company. The disagreement centers on the blood oxygen measurement feature, with Masimo claiming infringement on its patents. The US International Trade Commission found in October that Apple’s watches violated Masimo’s patent rights, potentially leading to a ban on importing these models into the U.S. President Joe Biden has until December 25 to review the decision; if not vetoed, the ban will take effect the following day.

In response, Apple is disputing the findings, planning an appeal, and making strategic preparations for the possibility of an upheld ban. This includes legal and technical adjustments, such as modifying algorithms for blood oxygen saturation levels.

Notably, the dispute and sales pause do not affect all Apple Watch models. The more affordable Apple Watch SE, lacking the contested blood oxygen sensor, remains available.

The timing is critical as it coincides with the U.S. holiday season, a peak sales period for Apple. Despite potential immediate sales impacts, experts believe Apple’s inventory of other models like the Watch 8 and SE will mitigate the effects.

Beyond the immediate situation, the dispute raises broader questions about intellectual property protection and the future of technological innovation in smart devices. As tech giants like Apple push boundaries, the resolution of such disputes will significantly impact the industry and consumers.