Sales of Apple Watch Series 9 and Apple Watch Ultra 2 are suspended at Apple’s US online store. The measure is in accordance with an order from the United States International Trade Commission (USITC).
The suspension stems from a patent dispute between Apple and medical technology company Masimo. It was claimed that the iPhone manufacturer violated the intellectual property rights of the other party regarding the oxygen saturation (SpO2) measuring device of the models in question.
Only the Apple Watch Series 9 and Apple Watch Ultra 2 are equipped with the SpO2 sensor, so only those will be limited to sales in the US. Reworked versions of the Apple Watch Series 7 and Series 8 have also been removed from stores.
Additionally, partner retailers can continue to sell watches as normal; Only Apple can’t do this.
Ban with no end date
There is no expected return from smart watch sales for now. Other company models, such as the Apple Watch SE, can still be sold normally.
According to this Bloomberg, Apple is already trying to implement the necessary changes to restore watch sales. While Masimo also maintains ownership of the hardware used in the sensors, the company will focus on developing software modifications.
But there’s a third option: Apple could partner with Masimo to allow SpO2 sensors to be used in models. Fortunately for Apple, there’s a path to that because the company’s CEO, Joe Kiani, would be open to negotiations.
Source: Tec Mundo
I’m Ben Stock, a highly experienced and passionate journalist with a career in the news industry spanning more than 10 years. I specialize in writing content for websites, including researching and interviewing sources to produce engaging articles. My current role is as an author at Gadget Onus, where I mainly cover the mobile section.
