Cupertino, CA – Apple has stopped sales and shipments of its latest Apple Watch models in the United States due to an import ban imposed by the US International Trade Commission (ITC). The ban applies to the Apple Watch Series 9 and Ultra 2 specifically, which feature pulse oximeter technology that was found to infringe on patents held by medical device maker Masimo.
As a result of the December 16th ITC ruling, Apple has pulled the Apple Watch Series 9 and Ultra 2 from its online and retail stores as of December 24th, just ahead of the official December 26th ban date. Only the lower-priced Apple Watch SE, which lacks the pulse oximeter sensor, will remain available for consumers.
While customers will still be able to purchase the banned Apple Watch models from third party retailers for the time being, all imports of the Series 9 and Ultra 2 will be halted on December 26th in compliance with the ITC order.
Apple plans to appeal the “inaccurate” ruling, arguing that banning the devices would negatively impact healthcare, research, and the millions of users that rely on Apple Watch features like ECG and blood oxygen monitoring. The appeal will go to the Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit.
It is currently unclear how long the import ban will remain in effect. The initial ruling stands until December 26th, 2023, but could be cut short by Apple’s appeal or other factors. Apple may also consider manufacturing the devices in the US to avoid the import restrictions, but has made no indication of plans to do so yet.
So for now, customers hoping to get Apple’s latest smartwatch will have to look to older models, or the Apple Watch SE. Apple is likely to fight tooth and nail to overturn the ITC ban as soon as possible.