Apple to pause Watch Series 9, Ultra 2 sales in the US this week over patent dispute on blood oxygen feature
- The US International Trade Commission has found that some Apple Watches violate the patent rights of medical technology company Masimo
- President Joe Biden has until December 25 to review the order, but Apple already says it will pause sales of watches with blood oxygen sensors
Apple said on Monday it would pause sales of its Series 9 and Ultra 2 smartwatches in the United States from this week, as it deals with a patent dispute over the technology that enables the blood oxygen feature on the devices.
The move comes after an order in October from the US International Trade Commission (ITC) that could bar Apple from importing its Apple Watches after finding the devices violate medical technology company Masimo’s patent rights.
The decision is under review by President Joe Biden until December 25, but Apple said it is taking steps to comply should the ruling stand. The Office of the US Trade Representative, the part of the Biden administration handling the case, said that Ambassador Katherine Tai “is carefully considering all factors in this case”.
If not vetoed, the ban would go into effect on December 26.
The company said it would pause sales of the watches from its website starting on December 21 and from Apple retail locations after December 24. Other models that do not contain the blood oxygen sensor, like Apple’s lower-priced Apple Watch SE model, are unaffected by the dispute.
