Starting from Thursday, Apple will stop selling the new Apple Watch models (the Apple Watch Ultra 2 and Apple Watch Series 9) both online and in stores due to a significant legal setback.
A legal battle ensued between Apple and medical device company Masimo, as Masimo accused Apple of poaching their executives and stealing their intellectual property. This led to an import ban, forcing Apple to cease sales after Christmas. Apple has urged President Biden to overturn the ITC ruling. However, with licensing talks at a standstill, the fate of devices featuring blood oxygen detection is uncertain.
The CEO of Masimo proposed selling their FDA-approved pulse oximetry chip to Apple. They are open to collaborating on a licensed solution if Apple decides not to use their hardware. The annual sales of Apple Watch are close to $20 billion, and this could affect the availability of new health-tracking features due to limited legal options.
If you plan on purchasing a new Apple Watch model this holiday season, it might be a bit more challenging to find one. However, given Apple’s extensive influence and substantial resources, a solution is likely to be found soon.
