As they appeared rumors about the new sensors for measuring blood pressure and blood glucose levels that could be present on the next generations of smartwatches, Apple is facing a big problem. Apple Watch Series 9 and Ultra 2 – Currently Unavailable in the US.
In short, Apple was forced by the International Trade Commission to withdraw the Apple Watch Series 9 and Apple Watch Ultra 2 from US stores due to an import patent for blood oxygen monitoring technology. The new models that are equipped with the sensor to measure the concentration of oxygen in the blood infringe the patents held by the medical device company Masimo.
This issue could be resolved if the White House decides to step in and overturn the import ban. A deadline of December 25 is set to do this, otherwise Apple will appeal on December 26 to the order given by the ITC.
In the scenario where the White House fails to intervene in a timely manner and Apple's appeal is rejected, the company will be forced to abandon the technology that infringes these patents.
Apple engineers are currently looking to fix this problem through software updates, but this solution is unlikely to be sufficient, as the patent infringement is on the hardware side.
It remains to be seen whether the Apple Watch Series 9 and Apple Watch Ultra 2 will be available in US stores in the near future.
New Apple Watch models are still available for purchase at Apple retail stores, but Apple will stop in-store sales after December 24. Sales will be suspended only in the United States and only at Apple's own locations. Third party stores such as Target, Walmart and Best Buy they can continue to sell the Apple Watch until supplies run out. Apple will be able to sell Apple Watch SE, as it does not have a blood oxygen sensor.
