In a significant development, Apple has announced that it will commence the sale of the Series 9 and Ultra 2 smartwatches in the United States without the blood oxygen feature starting today. This decision follows the recent denial by the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit to extend the pause on the import ban imposed on both wearables.
Reported by Bloomberg and independently verified by IGN, the ban, which originated from an ongoing patent dispute with health tech company Masimo regarding the oxygen saturation (SpO2) sensor, led to the temporary withdrawal of Series 9 and Ultra 2 watches from sale last month. Despite Apple’s successful appeal to delay the ban initially, the latest decision means that the smartwatches will now be sold without the blood oxygen feature.
This modification, prompted by the patent-related import restrictions, solely affects the U.S. market, allowing the continued sale of Series 9 and Ultra 2 watches outside the United States. Apple emphasizes that users who purchased these wearables before the original ban will experience “no impact” on their devices.
Also Read: Apple Addresses Sales Ban with Software Fix for Apple Watch Series 9 and Ultra 2.
The removal of the blood oxygen feature was anticipated, with a recent report from 9to5Mac revealing that Apple had devised a workaround to eliminate the sensor from both wearables. Apple’s introduction of the blood oxygen sensor began with the Series 6 in 2020, extending to the Series 7 and Ultra before being included in the Series 9 and Ultra 2 last year. However, Apple has discontinued the sale of the Series 6, Series 7, and Ultra, leaving the SE (Gen 2), Series 9, and Ultra 2 as the available options for consumers.
The legal battle between Apple and Masimo dates back to the release of the Series 6 when Masimo sued Apple over blood oxygen patents and accused the tech giant of employee poaching. As Apple adapts its products to comply with patent restrictions, the wearable technology market witnesses yet another chapter in the ongoing patent disputes between major players.