Due to a patent dispute loss, Apple Watch Series 9 and Apple Watch Ultra 2 sales have been banned in the United States. The company filed a request with an appeals court to temporarily pause the ban, and the request was granted.
The Court said Apple can keep selling its latest watches until mid-January. Here’s what happened:
A company called Masimo owns patents for how pulse oximeters work. Pulse oximeters check your heart rate and blood oxygen levels. Masimo said Apple copied this technology for the Apple Watch.
An organization called the ITC agrees that Apple broke Masimo’s patents. So they banned Apple from importing or selling the new Apple Watches in the US.
Apple quickly stopped selling the watches in stores and online. Other stores could keep selling already-bought watches for now.
However, Apple did not want to stop sales completely. So they asked a Court to “pause” or delay the ban temporarily.
The Court listened and said the ban is on hold until January 12th, 2023. Now Apple customers can buy Apple Watches directly from Apple until then.
At this time, Apple will try to change how its pulse oximeter works. They hope to convince officials it no longer copies Masimo’s patents.
A final decision will come on January 12th. Then we will find out if Apple can keep selling the watches long term, or if the sales ban will start again. Until then, Apple Watch fans can breathe a sigh of relief!
