Apple Watch sales halt: Reason, affected models, and everything to know

Apple is temporarily halting the sales of select smartwatch models in the United States over an ongoing patent dispute regarding the blood oxygen monitors used in the devices.

The decision comes after the United States International Trade Commission (ITC) recently ruled that the tech giant had incorporated the blood oxygen technology from the medical tech company, Masimo Corp, into its devices illegally. Complying with the ITC's order, the tech giant has decided to halt the sale of at least two smartwatch models, including Watch Series 9 and Watch Ultra 2.

The smartwatch models affected by the order will no longer be available for purchase on the brand's website starting December 21. Authorized retailers across the nation will also stop selling the two smartwatches after December 24. However, these smartwatches may still be available to purchase through third parties like Best Buy and Amazon till stocks last.

The smartwatches affected by the issue will no longer be available for purchase starting December 21 (Image via A.)

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Apple halts sales for Watch Series 9 and Watch Ultra 2

Apple, one of the largest tech giants across the globe, has been facing legal trouble over a patent dispute with Masimo Corp ever since 2021. The issue first began when Masimo filed a patent infringement litigation against the technology giant over the blood oxygen sensor technology

At that time, Masimo alleged that the brand's 2020 Apple Watch Series 6—the first smartwatch from the brand to come with blood oxygen sensor tech—infringed its patents. Masimo further claimed that the patent-infringing smartwatches were all made in China and then imported to the United States.

The issue that kept escalating over the last few years, with a few cross-litigations between the two brands, took difficult turns for Apple this January. At that time, a U.S. Court Judge ruled out that the technology giant infringed on at least one of Masimo Corp's patents by importing and selling select smartwatches with light-based pulse oximetry functionalities.

The smartwatches affected by the issue may still be available through Best Buy and Amazon till supplies last (Image via Apple)

The matter then fell under the purview of the International Trade Commission (ITC), which further ordered the tech giant to stop importing or selling the two smartwatches that were equipped with illegally incorporated blood oxygen tech from Masimo.

Although the tech giant complied with the ruling, for now, it refuted the orders and is currently seeking other legal and technical options. In case the 60-day Presidential Review Period doesn't end in favor of Apple, the brand plans to continue taking all necessary measures to bring the two affected smartwatches back to the market as soon as possible.

Following ITC's ruling in October, a spokesperson for the company spoke to the press on the matter, where they commented:

"Masimo has wrongly attempted to use the ITC to keep a potentially lifesaving product from millions of U.S. consumers while making way for their own watch that copies Apple. While today’s decision has no immediate impact on sales..., we believe it should be reversed, and will continue our efforts to appeal."

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It is to be noted that the patent dispute does not make the concerned smartwatch models any less efficient for usage. All smartwatches, including the Watch Series 9 and Watch Ultra 2, are perfectly safe to use.