Apple has announced that it will temporarily stop selling some models of its Apple Watch later this month following a patent dispute related to the blood oxygen monitor feature. This decision comes as the tech giant anticipates complying with a potential ruling from the U.S. International Trade Commission concerning the incorporation of technology from Masimo, a medical tech company, in their watches. The blood oxygen sensor on the Apple Watch allows users to measure the oxygen levels in their blood, which is crucial for monitoring health as low blood oxygen levels can indicate serious health issues.
The ITC's ruling instructed Apple to cease importing devices that were found to have incorporated technology from Masimo unlawfully. As a result, the sales of Apple Watch Series 9 and Apple Watch Ultra 2 will be halted on Apple's website starting December 21 and in Apple retail stores after December 24. Apple has expressed its strong disagreement with the ruling from the ITC and is currently exploring various legal and technical solutions to ensure that its watches remain available to customers. The dispute has escalated to a presidential review panel, which is set to complete its evaluation by December 25, prompting Apple to take proactive measures by pausing sales of the impacted models in the meantime.