Apple’s Latest Watches Are Officially Banned In The US

Photo 291130033 © Ifeelstock | Dreamstime.com

The United States has dropped the gavel on Apple’s latest smart wristwear, the Apple Watch Series 9 and Apple Watch Ultra 2. The ban comes hot on the heels of a ruling by the International Trade Commission (ITC) and is related to patent infringements surrounding blood oxygen-reading tech featured in these timepieces.

The ITC, known for its staunch stance on patent rights, ruled that Apple’s smartwatches were treading on the patent turf of medical tech companies Masimo Corporation and Cercacor Laboratories. The patents in question revolve around pulse oximetry, a fancy term for a system that gauges your blood-oxygen levels using light-based technology.

The ITC’s decision comes after a detailed investigation into the pulse oximeter technology used in Apple’s devices. Crucial for health monitoring features in smartwatches, this proprietary addition is at the center of the legal battle with Masimo, which specializes in noninvasive monitoring, dating back to 2020.

Despite the Cupertino giant’s hopes of the Joe Biden administration stepping in to veto the outcome by December 25, the US President’s team chose not to intervene in the end, meaning the prohibition of Apple Watch Ultra 2 and Series 9 sales has now taken effect.

Apple has been scrambling for solutions that may be approved by US Customs—the company is reportedly exploring software tweaks and legal maneuvers—but the watches remain under lock and key in the States.

While it mulls over an appeal to the Federal Circuit court and devises ways to potentially wiggle out of this pickle, other retailers like Amazon and Best Buy are selling their remaining stock of the models. However, they cannot restock due to the import restrictions imposed by the ruling.

As a sigh of relief, 2022’s Apple Watch SE 2 is spared from the ban and can still be purchased at Apple’s retail stores, since it is built without the contentious pulse oximeter.

[via CNN, Reuters, BGR, ArsTechnica, cover photo 291130033 © Ifeelstock | Dreamstime.com]