In light of an ongoing legal battle with Masimo, Apple has decided to cease the sales of its Apple Watch Series 9 and Ultra 2 in the US. The US International Trade Commission (ITC) imposed a ban on importing these watches due to Apple’s infringement of Masimo patents related to blood oxygen sensing technology. The ban, initially under presidential review, became final on December 26, following the US Trade Representative’s decision.
Apple gained a temporary reprieve on December 27 when an Appeals Court paused the ban, allowing the company to continue selling the devices. Apple is actively working on software changes to address concerns related to the blood oxygen detection feature, awaiting a government decision on January 12.
As of the latest update, Apple has not resumed sales of the affected watches on its online store. The ban’s impact is particularly significant during the holiday shopping season, with smartwatches ranking among the top-selling products during Black Friday. Retailers like Best Buy and Walmart have confirmed their continued sales of the affected watches, with international purchases remaining unaffected.