Apple Watch ban information hub: Every part it is advisable know

The Apple Watch Collection 9 and Apple Watch Extremely 2 are embroiled in an ongoing ITC scenario, which briefly barred the gadgets from being bought in the US final month. This comes after the ITC dominated that the Apple Watch’s blood oxygen sensor infringes on two patents held by medical gadget firm Masimo.

Because it stands proper now, Apple continues to be promoting the Apple Watch Collection 9 and Extremely 2 in the US, however with the blood oxygen options disabled as a result of ITC ruling.

Final up to date: April 6, 2024

Can I nonetheless purchase an Apple Watch with blood oxygen options from different retailers?

Sure, in the meanwhile, you may nonetheless purchase an Apple Watch Collection 9 and Apple Watch Extremely 2 from third-party retailers like Finest Purchase and Amazon, and they’ll nonetheless have the blood oxygen app and options.

The ITC’s choice solely impacts Apple’s skill to promote the Collection 9 and Extremely 2 by way of its on-line retailer and retail shops.

April 6, 2024:

Apple continues to be promoting a redesigned model of the Apple Watch Collection 9 and Apple Watch Extremely 2 with the blood oxygen sensor disabled. Because the Masimo case continues to progress with the ITC system, Apple has filed a brand new 900-page transient calling on the import ban to be overturned.

The Worldwide Commerce Fee exceeded its statutory authority by issuing an injunction in a case the place the requisite “home business” was non- existent. The Fee compounded that elementary error by issuing a collection of substantively faulty patent rulings. Apple respectfully submits that this Court docket ought to appropriate the Fee’s errors and make sure the company observes the jurisdictional limitations Congress prescribed.

Discover the complete doc embedded under.

January 18, 2024:

Apple formally begins promoting the Apple Watch Collection 9 and Extremely 2 with out the blood oxygen options. This modification doesn’t affect anybody who already owns an Apple Watch with the blood oxygen options. It additionally solely applies in the US. 

“Apple Watch Collection 9 and Extremely 2 not embrace the Blood Oxygen function,” reads the banner utilized to the checkout move for each mannequin watches on Apple’s web site.

Apple continues its enchantment of the preliminary ITC ruling. The corporate says this course of might take over a 12 months. It’s unclear if any interim answer shall be reached that permits Apple to start promoting the Apple Watch Collection 9 and Extremely 2 with the blood oxygen options.

January 17, 2024:

The US appeals courtroom denies Apple’s request to pause the ban during its enchantment of the ITC’s ruling. The US appeals courtroom says Apple Watch Collection 9 and Apple Watch Extremely 2 with blood oxygen options shall be banned from sale in the US once more, efficient 5:00 pm ET on January 18, 2024.

Apple responds and says it should proceed promoting the gadgets with the blood oxygen options disabled.

January 15, 2024:

U.S. Customs and Border Safety guidelines that Apple’s redesign falls outdoors the scope of the ITC ruling. Apple’s redesign, nonetheless, is to take away the heartbeat oximetry options from newly bought gadgets.

Which means U.S. Customs has discovered the Apple Watch Collection 9 and Extremely 2 don’t infringe on Masimo patents as long as they don’t “include pulse oximetry options.”

For now, Apple will proceed to promote the Apple Watch Collection 9 and Apple Watch Extremely 2 with pulse oximetry options. In the meantime, we nonetheless await the choice from the US appeals courtroom on Apple’s request to pause the Apple Watch ban all through the complete length of the appeals course of.

January 10, 2024:

The ITC voices its opposition to Apple’s request to pause the Apple Watch gross sales ban all through the length of its enchantment of the preliminary ITC choice.

December 28, 2023:

The Apple Watch Collection 9 and Apple Watch Extremely 2 return to Apple’s On-line Retailer after per week of unavailability.

December 27, 2023:

Apple’s enchantment for a pause of the Apple Watch ban was granted because of the US appeals courtroom. The pause runs by way of January 10. Apple has additionally submitted a software program replace that it believes will resolve the difficulty, however a choice on whether or not that software program repair adequately addresses the 2 patents received’t be made till January 12.

December 26, 2023:

The Biden Administration formally introduced its choice to uphold the ITC’s ruling, formally banning Apple from promoting the Apple Watch Extremely 2 and Apple Watch Collection 9 in the US.

In a press release to 9to5Mac, Apple reiterated that it strongly disagrees with the ITC’s choice and is engaged on each attainable answer to deliver the gadgets again to the market. The corporate additionally formally filed an enchantment.

December 24, 2023:

On the finish of the enterprise day, Apple halted retail gross sales of the 2 flagship Apple Watch fashions in query. The corporate as a substitute will give attention to the Apple Watch SE because the ITC case continues to play out.

December 22, 2023:

December 21, 2023

The Apple Watch Collection 9 and Apple Watch Extremely 2 are faraway from Apple’s web site in the US. We additionally realized extra particulars about how the ban impacts Apple’s skill to service and change broken gadgets.

December 20, 2023:

The ITC denied one among Apple’s last-ditch makes an attempt to have the Apple Watch ban delayed.

December 19, 2023:

The White Home confirmed that it was monitoring the scenario and that Katerine Tai, the US Commerce Consultant, was “fastidiously contemplating all the components on this case.”

Masimo CEO Joe Kiani reiterated that the corporate is open to a settlement with Apple, however that Apple must come to the desk for negotiations to even start.

December 18, 2023:

9to5Mac broke the information about Apple’s plans to preemptively halt Apple Watch gross sales by way of its on-line and retail shops. Bloomberg reported that Apple engineers are scrambling to develop a software program workaround that may circumvent the 2 Masimo patents on the coronary heart of this case.

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