In a significant move, Apple has announced the suspension of its Series 9 and Ultra 2 Apple Watch models in the United States, starting Thursday afternoon for online sales and Sunday in stores.
This decision comes as a response to an International Trade Commission (ITC) ruling from October, which limits the sale of Apple’s watches featuring the Blood Oxygen measurement capability. This restriction is a result of an intellectual property conflict with Masimo, a medical technology firm.
The ITC’s verdict on October 26 gave the White House a 60-day period for review, allowing Apple the possibility to continue US sales of the impacted models through the Christmas season. However, the Cupertino-based company, prioritizing compliance with the ITC order, opted to halt sales earlier than required, as stated in its Monday announcement.
Apple is facing a significant challenge if the ITC’s ban on sales remains unaltered. The company has said it will “take all measures” necessary to reinstate the availability of the Series 9 and Ultra 2 models in the US market at the earliest opportunity.
Despite this setback, the Apple Watch SE model, which does not include the Blood Oxygen feature, will still be available for purchase in the US after December 24.
The ITC’s order does not impact Apple Watches with the Blood Oxygen feature that were already purchased.
