Apple has announced that it will be halting sales of its Watch Ultra 2 and Watch Series 9 devices in the US this week. The two smartwatches won’t be available for purchase through Apple’s online and offline stores until further notice, though third-party sellers may sell them until stocks last.
This move is in response to an International Trade Commission (ITC) ruling on a patent dispute between Apple and medical technology company Masimo regarding the blood oxygen sensor technology used in the Cupertino company’s wearable devices.
Apple has relayed to 9to5Mac that the Watch Ultra 2 and Watch Series 9 won’t be available via Apple’s website after 3 p.m. ET on December 21, while the firm’s retail stores will stop stocking them after December 24.
This legal dispute between Masimo and Apple involves the former accusing that the blood oxygen sensor onboard the new-gen Apple Watch devices infringes on several Masimo patents.
The company had first filed a lawsuit against Apple in a US District Court in the Central District of California in early 2020. Due to the slow pace of this case’s progress, it then filed another case in June 2021 with the International Trade Commission.
It was in October this year that the ITC upheld the decision of its own judge’s ruling and sent the case to US President Joe Biden’s administration for a 60-day Presidential Review Period.
Now, President Biden does have the power to veto it prior to December 25, however, nothing to suggest that has come out of the White House. As a result, Apple has taken the preemptive steps to comply with the ITC’s decision.
As we said, third-party sellers will indeed continue to sell Apple Watch Ultra 2 and Apple Watch Series 9 in case the ban continues, but since Apple won’t be allowed to provide them with new stocks, availability of the two devices could see a scarcity in the near future.