Apple Inc. has announced a temporary halt in the sales of its Series 9 and Ultra 2 smartwatches in the United States, in response to a patent dispute with medical technology company Masimo. This suspension affects only the sales in the US and comes ahead of the critical holiday season.
According to reports, the company will pause the sale of its latest watches from its website starting on December 21 and after December 24 from Apple retail locations. Despite the sales pause, Apple asserts that its other models, like the Apple Watch SE, which do not feature the disputed technology, will remain available. This move is seen as a precautionary measure by Apple to ensure compliance if the ITC’s ruling is upheld.
The dispute centers around the blood oxygen sensor technology used in these Apple Watch models. In October, the U.S. International Trade Commission (ITC) found that these devices infringed on Masimo’s patent rights. The decision is pending review by President Joe Biden, with a final outcome expected by December 25. If not overturned, the ban will commence on December 26.
The iPhone maker told TechCrunch in a statement that, despite disagreeing with the order, the company is pre-emptively taking these steps should the ruling stand. However, the company is actively exploring legal and technical avenues to ensure the continued availability of its Apple Watch models to customers. Apple emphasizes its commitment to delivering high-quality health, wellness, and safety features through its products and services.
Apple unveiled its newest wearables: the Apple Watch Series 9 and Watch Ultra 2 at its annual ‘Wonderlust’ event on September 12. The Apple watch Series 9 features S9 chipset, which is equipped with a robust GPU. Despite the boost in performance, the Series 9 manages to sustain its battery life at 18 hours. On the other hand, the Watch Ultra 2 promises up to 36 hours of regular use and a staggering 72 hours in low-power mode. It comes with a screen capable of 3,000 nits of peak brightness, outshining even the iPhone 14 Pro’s maximum brightness of 2,000 nits.
