In a sudden turn of events, Apple announced it will cease selling two of its Apple Watch models in the United States later this week. The decision, detailed in a statement to the media on the evening of December 18 (Beijing time), affects the Apple Watch Series 9 and Apple Watch Ultra 2.
The suspension of sales will begin at 3 p.m. Eastern Time on December 21, making these models unavailable for purchase on Apple's U.S. website. Additionally, inventory of these models in Apple retail stores will not be replenished after selling out, which is expected by December 24.
This move comes in the wake of a patent dispute between Apple and the medical device company Masimo. In October 2013, the United States International Trade Commission (ITC) ruled that the two Apple Watch models infringed on some of Masimo's patents related to blood oxygen sensors, leading to the directive for Apple to "stop and desist" from importing and selling its watches equipped with blood oxygen detection capabilities.
Masimo initially sued Apple in 2020, alleging that the Apple Watch infringed on 10 of its patents and accusing Apple of poaching key personnel to steal trade secrets. Masimo filed another lawsuit in 2021, specifically targeting the Apple Watch Series 6 for allegedly infringing on five patents related to blood oxygen measurement technology.
In response, Apple countersued Masimo in October 2022, claiming that Masimo's W1 series of smartwatches infringed on multiple Apple patents. Apple contended that Masimo had "carefully studied Apple's intellectual property" and obtained confidential information during the previous litigation.
The case is still ongoing and awaits a 60-day presidential review by the Biden administration, with a deadline of December 25. Until the final decision is made, Apple must comply with the ITC's ruling to halt sales of the two watch models.
Apple emphasized in its statement that the ITC's order only affects the sales of the Apple Watch Series 9 and Apple Watch Ultra 2, which are equipped with blood oxygen monitoring sensors. The lower-end Apple Watch SE series, lacking this sensor, remains unaffected.
Furthermore, since the order restricts only direct sales by Apple, consumers can still purchase the affected Apple Watch models through other channels, such as Amazon.
