Apple Watch Sales Ban Takes Effect

UPDATE Dec 26, 2023 7:48 AM CST

Apple Stores will be opening Tuesday without the most advanced Apple Watches on their shelves. The White House declined to intervene in an international patent dispute, meaning a sales ban decreed by the International Trade Commission has taken effect, reports Reuters. The ban does not affect the less expensive SE model, but the Series 9 and Ultra 2 models are off limits, including online. Medical tech company Masimo accuses Apple of stealing its work. Apple is expected to appeal, but sales are suspended in the meantime.

Dec 18, 2023 12:20 PM CST

Anybody who wants an Apple Watch Series 9 and Apple Watch Ultra 2 smartwatch might have to move fast—and it's not just because Christmas is around the corner. The company says it is pausing sales of the smartwatches amid a patent dispute with medical technology company Masimo over the devices' blood oxygen feature, Reuters reports. Apple says people will not be able to order the watches from its website after 3pm ET on Thursday, reports 9to5Mac. Sales at Apple retail locations will be halted after Dec. 24.

The move follows an October order from the US International Trade Commission that booted the case to the Biden administration. The ensuing Presidential Review Period for the federal agency's ruling doesn't end until Dec. 25, but Apple says it is "preemptively taking steps to comply should the ruling stand," TechCrunch reports. The order doesn't affect sales of Apple smartwatches without the blood oxygen features, including the Apple Watch SE. The ITC decision only bans Apple from selling the smartwatches, meaning they could still be available at outlets like Best Buy, 9to5Mac notes, but the order blocks the devices from being imported to the US after Dec. 25.

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Apple says it "strongly disagrees with the order" and plans to appeal. Ryan Reith at research firm IDC tells Reuters that the ruling's full effect will be felt in January and February, which are usually among the company's slowest sales months. "Apple has plenty of inventory of Watch 8 and SE so they will have products available during that time," Reith says. "The bigger implication is around whether or not Apple can use the blood oxygen sensor technology that is in question on future devices, or if they'll have to reach a settlement or come up with a new solution." (More Apple stories.)